Supplementary Texts Public Image of Engineering

The engineer's public image is somewhat distorted, not only due to the confusion in the interpretation of words as discussed above. The layman tends to view the engineer's endeavors as being somewhat mechanical. He imagines that the engineer, given a problem to solve, proceeds to the solution by the application of certain formulae, tables, and graphs; nothing more. The art of engineering is not generally appreciated, yet it is a rare problem indeed that does not give rise to a host of workable solutions. The engineer in fact synthesizes knowledge from many vastly different areas in reaching acceptable solutions.

The engineer's image suffers further in comparisons with the medical and legal professions, where the point at which professional status is achieved is clearly recognized, and where responsibility to the public is readily apparent. There is a very small number of engineers who feel the need to be unionized and thus create a somewhat different image to the public. Furthermore, the societies which, by one method or another, endeavor to develop a professional consciousness among en­gineers can only claim an estimated membership of approximately one in three. Also, roughly one engineer in four is legally registered, a require­ment in certain stales for specific engineering activities. The patchwork is further confounded by the fact dial a large number, probably more than 40 percent, of the practicing engineers in the United Stales do not have a college degree. No wonder the public has some difficulty in clearly recognizing who comprise the engineering profession.

Also engineering is somewhat tainted in the public eye. It is recognized that technology, or its misapplication, is responsible for the various pollution threats and also for devastating weapons of war, and the public assumes that it is the engineers who have brought us to this pass. It should he realized that technology, too operates according to demand, and just as the demand for goods and comfort has led to environmental damage, so technology can also correct this. In one sense engineers with their machines are the tools of society, and it is society that ultimately determines how they are to be used.

Vocabulary to the text:

image - образ;

somewhat - нечто;

distorted - искаженный;

due to - из-за;

above - выше;

layman - неспециалист;

totend- иметь тенденцию, быть свойственным;

toview- рассматривать;

endeavor- попытка, старание; здесь: действие;

toimagine- представлять, воображать;

toproceed- приниматься (за), переходить (к);

certain- некий, некоторый, определенный;

toappreciate- ценить;

rare- редкий;

rise- подъем, увеличение; начало;

host- здесь: множество;

vastly- очень, чрезвычайно;

toreach- здесь: найти;

acceptable- приемлемый, допустимый;

solution - решение;

to suffer (from) - страдать (от);

incomparisonwith- по сравнению с.., в сравнении с..;

point- точка, пункт; черта;

toachieve- достигать;

torecognize- признавать, различать;

responsibility- ответственность, обязанность;

apparent- очевидный, явный;

tounionize- объединяться в (профессиональные) союзы;

thus- таким образом;

tocreate- создавать, творить;

futhermore- более того;

society- общество;

consciousness- сознание, сознательность;

toclaim- утверждать;

to estimate - оценивать;

approximately - приблизительно;

roughly- грубо;

legally- юридически, официально;

requirement- требование;

patchwork- одеяло, покрывало и т.п. из лоскутов; мешанина;

toconfound- поражать, ставить в тупик, смешивать, путать;

nowonder- неудивительно;

tocomprise- включать, содержать, вмещать;

totunt- портить(ся), заражать(ся);

misapplication- неверное, неправильное применение;

pollution- загрязнение;

threat- угроза;

todevastate- опустошать, разрушать;

weapon- оружие;

toassume- полагать, считать;

tobring- здесь: приводить;

pass- здесь: критическое положение;

tooperate- действовать;

accordingto- в соответствии с..;

demand- требование;

goods - товары;

to lead (led, led) - приводить (к);

damage- вред, повреждение, ущерб;

tocorrect - исправлять;

sense- чувство;

tool- орудие, средство;

ultimately- в конечном итоге;

todetermine- определять, устанавливать, решать.

Comprehension Check:

Ex. Answer the following questions.

1. Is this conclusion correct?

1. How does the layman tend to view the engineer's endeavors?

2. What are the engineer's responsibilities, in the layman's eyes?

3. Is the art of engineering appreciated enough?

4. What does the engineer so in fact?

5. Do engineers feel the need to unionize to improve their public image?

6. Are all the American engineers officially registered?

7. Do all of them have college degrees?

8. What fact is widely recognized?

9. Who are considered to be responsible for the damages?