Министерство путей сообщения Российской Федерации

Петербургский Государственный Университет Путей Сообщения

Кафедра «Иностранные языки»

Методические указания по введению в специальность «Мосты и тоннели»

Санкт-Петербург

2003

I

River Crossings

Streams and rivers have always been obstacles in the way of man’s continuous travel. If the stream is narrow he can jump across it, but if he is carrying a load it is easier to lay a plank and walk over. That plank represents the simplest type of bridge, and it is out of that simple bridge that all the rigid forms of river crossings have been developed.

The main obstacle to traveling is not a river but a marsh. A river can be crossed in a boat, but you cannot use a boat in a marsh.

The points where rivers have always been crossed is where the ground is firm. So the first thing to realize is that from the oldest times men chose a river crossing not necessarily where the river was narrowest or shallowest but where the banks firmest. If the banks were firm and the river narrow, so much the better, but marsh had to be avoided.

Bridges differ in design because the nature of the ground on either side of the river, and the width and depth of the water, vary widely. Each type of bridge has its own particular advantages and disadvantages. It may be interesting merely to look at a fine bridge, but is much more satisfying to find out why some bridge has been made in its particular form.

Exercises

I. Translate the International Words:

Designer, engineer, form, examine, realize, plank.

II. Match the Equivalents:

1. vary 1. болото

2. represent 2. развивать

3. develop 3. различать

4. carry 4. нести

5. realize 5. глубина

6. depth 6. доска

7. width 7. преимущество

8. advantage 8. недостаток

9. disadvantage 9. понимать

10. plank 10. ширина

11. marsh 11. представлять

12. narrow 12. узкий

III. Give All Possible Derivatives to the Following Words:

Continuous, travel, lay, differ, width, depth, design.

IV. Give All the Synonyms to the Words:

Vary, fine, firm, main, type, build.

V. Give All the Antonyms to the Words:

Simple, narrow, rigid, advantage, shallow, wide, deep, construct.

VI. Translate the Attributive Groups:

Bridge engineer, bridge design, bridge form, interesting problem, particular form, different design, great load.

VII. Pay Attention to the Translation of the Word:

1. тот

2. что

that

3. который

4. словозаменитель

1. The plank for crossing the river represented the simplest type of bridge. 2. It should be realized that the cost of a bridge is of primary importance. 3. Foundations present a problem that began with the earliest bridges. 4. Another type of old bridges was that designed for defense. 5. The distance was so great that the suspension system had to be adopted. 6. The structure of modern bridges differs from that of old bridges.

VIII. Translate the Sentences, Paying Attention to the Word “either”:

Either + N – каждый, любой

Either… or – или… или

1. Bridges are different in design because the nature of the ground on either side of the river varies widely. 2. Obstacles to traveling may be either rivers or marshes. 3. The advantages and disadvantages of either type of a bridge must be examined.

IX. Pay Attention to the Translation of the Word “it”:

1. If the stream is not wide the traveler can jump across it. 2. But if it is wide it is necessary to build a bridge. 3. It is easier to build bridges on the firm ground. 4. It was a plank that was the first and the simplest type of a bridge. 5. It is important to choose the proper site for crossing. 6. It is the nature of the ground and the width of the river that define the type of the bridge structure.

X. Translate the Sentences into English, Paying Attention to the Order of Words:

1. Каждый тип моста имеет свои преимущества и недостатки. 2. Тип моста инженеры выбирают в соответствии с шириной и глубиной реки. 3. Прежде чем начать проектировать мост инженеру необходимо провести изыскание. 4. Можно построить мост через реку, но нельзя построить мост через болото.

XI. Translate the Sentences into Russian, Paying Attention to the Predicates:

A.

1. Bridges may be classified according to their forms. 2. Early bridges could be destroyed by strong winds. 3. Old bridges must be reconstructed. 4. Superstructure and substructure may be distinguished in any bridge. 5. The roadway of a new bridge should be made very wide. 6. A steel arch can be very beautiful.

B.

1. Many new bridges of different types have been built this century. 2. Some old bridges are being reconstructed now. 3. Any bridge builder has to examine the ground before designing a bridge. 4. The aim of a bridge builder is to build beautiful bridges. 5. There are two main loads – the live load and the dead load.

XII. Read the Text without a Dictionary:

We want you to see bridges not as mere prosaic objects but as something far more significant. A bridge is more than a thing of steel and stone. It is the combination of the effort of human heads, hearts and hands. A bridge is more than a sum of stresses and strains. It is an expression of man’s creative thought. A bridge is the fulfillment of human dreams and hopes. A bridge is a monument to human will.

From its foundations rooted in bedrock to its towers, a bridge is a thing of wonder and poetry. A beautiful bridge is indeed a “poem” stretched across a river.

XIII. Entitle the Text.

XIV. Make a Summary of the Text according to the Phrases:

1. This text deals with… 2. The author of the text pays attention to… 3. I should like to mention that the bridge… 4. It is interesting to note… 5. This text is interesting for any bridge builder…

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