What is Civil Engineering? Within the framework of specialist program at your university you can further select a subject field (technical speciality) leading to certain specialist

What is Civil Engineering?

Civil engineering is for people; planning and constructing the environment in which they live. Civil engineers are men and women who can plan, design, construct and maintain the facilities which contribute to our modern way of life. Civil engineers are responsible for buildings, bridges, roads, harbours, dams, airports, coastal protection, water supply and public health. They must understand material strength, water flow, foundation capacities, breaking waves, transport, land interactions, contamination and treatment. They should be well informed about the sciences, they must apply their theoretical knowledge to create economical and aesthetical facilities which satisfy the demands of society. The Civil engineer must be good at mathematics and physics, should have a desire to meet technological challenges and has to be able to work with a wide range of people.

Activity 2 Grammar review

Modal verbs

Very often modal verbs are used to describe responsibilities and abilities of people.

1. Look through the text again and underline all the verbs and expressions that describe responsibilities and skills of civil engineers. Find modal verbs among them. (See Table 1 for reference).

Table 1. Modal verbs and their equivalents.

1.CAN   2. BE ABLE TO   3. MUST 4. HAVE TO 5. SHOULD

1.Умение, возможность что-то делать. 2. Возможность что-то сделать в определенной ситуации. 3. Долженствование. 4. Необходимость что-то сделать. 5. Совет (следовало бы).

2. Check if you remember how to use modal verbs.

Complete the sentences with the necessary modal verbs.

1. Civil engineers ______ choose from a wide range of opportunities in industry and consulting practice as well as research and development.

2. Modern civil engineers ______ be good specialists in information technology, computer- aided design as computers are becoming increasingly important.

3. During the course of studies graduate and undergraduate students ______ complete a number of research projects.

4. They ______ have a vision, and the technology can help them to carry that vision to reality.

5. Every morning we turn on the tap, boil a kettle, use the bathroom, walk along the road, cross a bridge or take a train. Without civil engineering we wouldn’t ______ do any of these.

6. In future civil engineers ______ find new ways to minimize problems and to maintain the quality of the world in which we live.

7. On site civil engineers ______ organize and supervise the workforce, plant and materials.

8. If you study Civil Engineering you ______ learn how to use maths and science to design big construction projects.

	Learning strategy Creating your own sentences can help you check your understanding of grammar rules.

3. Make up some sentences, describing your abilities and responsibilities as a civil engineering student. Use different modal verbs.

Activity 3 1. Read the text “Our World and The Civil Engineer” and fill in the gaps with the words from the box:

	water supplies, facilities, meet technological challenges, coastal protection, waste (*3), satisfy the demands (*2), dams, harbours, treatment, clean water (*2).