ROLE-PLAY ACTIVITIES

CAREERS 1
In pairs, read your academic/ professional information to each other and tick the correct answer:

Applying for a job

Lisa…
1. has PE certification
2. is a team leader
3. designs power tools
4. works on small projects
5. develops documentation procedures
6. creates protocols for testing
power systems
Tom…
7. participates in the design of power tools
8. delivers the product to testing at the final
stage of a cycle
9.does not estimate budgets
10.performs internal design reviews
11.evaluates tools & electrical components
12.is goal oriented & has good communication skills

CAREERS 2
In groups of 3, one student chooses the right answer in this job interview, while the other two speak:

1. The position is …
a) permanent; b) temporary
2. The engineer will …
a) design and analyze subsystems; b) purchase subsystems
3. The engineer must …
a) specify the system criteria; b) decide which clients to work with
4. The engineer will also …
a) build the components; b) perform design analyses
5. The required qualifications are …
a) an in-depth knowledge of materials; b) an in-depth knowledge of plastic components.
6. The engineer must also have …
a) excellent computer skills; b) excellent communication skills
7. The employee will have to work …
a) on-site; b) a lot of overtime
8. PES will give the employee … per year
a) 12 days paid vacation; b) 12 days medical coverage

MATERIALS 1
Listen to a lecture about the different properties and applications of steel, and write the
answers where they correspond: transportation equipment, bridges, high strength-to-weight ratio, low
carbon-steel, architectural trim, automotive trim, structural elements, ships, high corrosion resistance and
low durability.

Structural steel: property: ____________________

application: __________________
application: __________________

HSLA steel: property: ____________________

application: __________________
application: __________________

Stainless steel: property: _____________________

application: ___________________
application: ___________________
MATERIALS 2
Listen to a lecture about the properties and applications of aluminum and copper, and write
the answers where they correspond: has less electrical conductivity, lightweight metal, more cost-
effective, becomes stronger at low temperatures, more resistant to corrosion, loses strength at elevated
temperatures

Aluminum: _________________________________________________
Copper: ____________________________________________________

WIND TURBINES
Listen to a lecture about renewable energy and decide if the sentences are TRUE or FALSE.

1. Turbines transform wind energy into torque.

2. Reliable mechanical parts decrease downtime.
3. The rotor hub is the most important part of the system.
4. The ideal lift-drag ratio is created by twisting the rotor blades.
5. Doubling the radius will increase energy output fourfold.
6. Wind speeds decrease with height.
7. Doubling the tower height will increase energy output by 12%.

BRIDGES
Listen to a lecture about preventing bridge failure and write the correct answer where it
corresponds: beam bridge, snap, buckle, shorter, tension, compression, larger, suspension bridge.

1. Compressive forces cause structural elements to become …

2. Tension causes structural elements to become …
3. The top of the bridge experiences …
4. The bottom of the bridge experiences …
5. Compression can cause a bridge to …
6. Tension can cause a bridge to …
7. Compression forces are moved to towers on a …
8. Trusses are used to dissipate compression and tension on a …

GENERATING ELECTRICITY
Listen to a presentation about generating electricity and write the statements in correct chronological
order:
a) Fossil fuels or nuclear fusion power a heat engine.
b) The power is stepped-up by step-up transformers.
c) The power is stepped down at supply points.
d) At intermediate stations, the power is stepped-down.
e) The power moves to the electrical distribution system.
f) The power enters the grid.
g) The heat engine generates kinetic energy.
h) The power is stepped-down at distribution substations.
i) The power passes through a switching station.

ELECTRICITY
Generating Electricity
1.____________________________________
2.____________________________________
3. KE creates electricity by rotating a generator around a magnet.
Electrical Transmission
4. ____________________________________
5.____________________________________
 6.____________________________________
7.___________________________________
Electrical Distribution
8.____________________________________
9._____________________________________
10.__________________________________

THE INTERNAL COMBUSTION PROCESS

Listen to a lecture about the internal combustion process and choose the correct answers.
1. Internal combustion engines …
a) ignite an air-fuel mixture to create motion; b) convert motion into energy.
2. In step one, the piston is … of the combustion chamber
a) at the top; b) at the bottom
3. In step one, the system … gases
a) vents; b) takes in
4. In the second stroke, the piston … the gases
a) compresses; b) releases
5. In gas engines, …
a) the air-fuel mixture creates a spark; b) a spark ignites the compressed gases
6. In the combustion stroke, the piston …
a) moves down; b) moves up
7. In the last stroke, the …
a) exhaust valve opens the rocker arms; b) rocker arms open the exhaust valve
8. In the last stroke, the piston moves up to …
a) release the exhaust; b) allow gases to enter

ALTERNATIVE FUELS IN THE INDUSTRY

Listen to the pros and cons of alternative fuels, and write the correct statement where it
corresponds:

a) may cause food shortages

b) fossil fuels are used to produce the fuel
c) cheaper than gasoline
d) increases NOx emissions
e) higher flashpoint
f) renewable resource
g) non-toxic
h) burns clean, less engine maintenance
i) not a revewable resource
j) biodegradable

Natural gas: Pros _________________

_____________________
Cons _______________

Biodiesel: Pros _________________

_______________________
Cons ________________

Ethanol: Pros ________________

____________________
Cons ________________
_______________________
Text to careers 1
Woman: I'm a senior electrical engineer. I have a BSEE and a Master's degree in electrical
engineering, and I have a PE license. I supervise a team of 14 people who design industrial power systems. I
work long hours, five days a week, but it's exciting work and I love my job. Another aspect of my work is
developing power systems for large-scale projects. In addition, I create documentation procedures and
establish customer hardware performance requirements. I'm also responsible for developing system-testing
protocols and supervising the testing cycle.
Man: I design electrical generators. I'm involved in every stage of the design process, from
conception to finality, when we transfer the generators to the client. This means that I help with
documentation, estimations, and budgets. I review and evaluate designs, and write internal reports on my
findings. I also study and evaluate tools and electrical parts for usability. I have strong verbal skills, and I
always find ways to reach my goals. This job will be over in a few weeks, but I'm sure I'll find another one
soon.

Text to careers 2
Sound of phone ringing
Jenny King speaking.
Hi, Jenny. This is Grant from Engineering Headhunters .
Hi, Grant. Thanks for calling back. We need mechanical engineers for a one-year project that's
starting in three months' time.
Grant James: What's the job description?
Ms. King: The successful candidates will need to create and evaluate mechanical subsystems for a
pressure processing system in a manufacturing plant. They'll also need to decide on the system criteria.
Grant James: Got it! Anything else?
Ms. King: Yes. They'll be working with subcontractor companies, analyzing component design.
Grant James: What are the requirements for the position?
Ms. King: Applicants need to know a lot about materials like plastics, metals, and alloys. And they
must be highly proficient in MS Word, MS Excel, and Auto CAD.
Grant James: OK. Any other requirements?
Ms. King: Yes. The job requires a lot of overtime. We pay overtime for working over nine hours,
and for working on holidays and weekends.
Grant James: Do you provide medical insurance coverage?
Ms. King: Yes, we do. The position also includes 12 days paid vacation per year.
Grant James: I’ll go through our resumes and call you early next week.

Text to materials 1

Lecturer: Today, I’m going to speak about the properties and applications of different types of steel.
I'll start with structural steel. Structural steel covers a broad range of low-carbon steel. Low-carbon steel is
used in civil, construction, and marine projects. Applications include structural elements, ships, buildings,
and industry. A special type of structural steel is called high-strength low-alloy, or HSLA steel. HSLA steel
has a higher strength-to-weight ratio than conventional steel. This makes it perfect for applications that
require high strength combined with minimum weight, like bridges, buildings, and transportation equipment.
Now, stainless steel is more expensive than conventional steel, but it has very high resistance to corrosion.
Unfortunately, stainless steel also has low durability, so it can't be used for structural purposes. Its
applications include architectural trim on bridges and buildings, automotive trim, and industries in which
corrosion resistance is important.

Text to Materials 2

Lecturer: Sometimes, choosing the right metal for a job isn't as easy as it might seem. Electrical
wiring can be made of aluminum or copper. So, how do you choose? First, you need to consider the
properties of the metal. For example, aluminum is a lightweight metal, and aluminum wiring is 66% lighter
than copper wiring. Since you pay for wire by weight, aluminum wiring is more cost-effective. So, if cost is
your biggest issue, aluminum is the better choice. On the other hand, copper is more corrosion resistant and
is probably a better choice if you're in a challenging environment, like a marine environment. Temperature
might also be a factor in choosing a metal. Copper loses strength at elevated temperatures, so aluminium is
better suited to a high-heat environment. However, copper becomes strong at low temperatures, and doesn't
go through a ductile-brittle transition. It's therefore an excellent choice for a refrigeration plant. Also
remember that aluminum has less electrical conductivity; so copper is a better choice if you want to optimize
your electricity usage.

Text to Wind Turbines

Lecturer: All wind turbines are most definitely not the same. Some turbines are more efficient at
capturing wind energy and changing it into torque, that is, rotational energy. Other turbines may have more
reliable mechanical parts, like shafts and gearboxes, which increase the life of a turbine and decrease
maintenance costs. Here are some things you should look for when recommending wind turbines to your
clients. The rotor blades are the most important part of the turbine system. To be efficient, rotor blades must
take advantage of lift and drag. The ideal lift-drag ratio is created by slightly twisting the edges of the rotor
blades. Another important consideration is the rotor hub. The larger the radius of the rotor hub, the greater
the energy-generating capacity of the turbine. A rotor hub with a four-inch radius can generate four times the
energy output of a rotor hub with a two-inch radius. The tower height is also significant. The higher you go,
the faster the wind blows. And faster wind speeds mean more electrical output. If you double the tower
height, the wind speed will increase by 12%. And a 12% increase in wind speed will double your energy
output. So, double your tower height and you'll double your energy output.

Text to Bridges

Lecturer: We've seen several bridges fail in the last 10 years. What is the cause of these failures?
Most of the time, bridge failure is caused by compressive forces or tensile forces. Compressive forces
compress or shorten structural elements. Tension expands them. This is a simple bridge made from two
boxes and a piece of wood. See what happens when I put a heavy load in the middle? The top of the bridge
experiences compression and becomes shorter. At the same time, the bottom of the bridge experiences
tension and becomes longer. If the compression is too great, the top of the bridge will buckle. And if the
tension is too high then the bottom will snap. Buckling and snapping are two major causes of bridge failure.
In order to prevent bridge failures we must manage the compression and tension. Suspension bridges
transfer the tensile forces to their anchorages and the compressive forces to their towers, which are stronger.
Beam bridges use trusses to dissipate the compression and the tension.

Text to Generating Electricity

Lecturer: Today, I'm speaking about the process of generating electricity. Most power plants
generate electricity through electromagnetic induction. First, fossil fuels or nuclear fusion fuel a heat engine.
The heat engine creates kinetic energy, which causes an electrical generator to rotate around a magnet. This
rotation of kinetic energy around a magnet generates electricity. Moving on now to electrical transmission.
Power leaving the power station is transmitted as alternating current, usually through overhead power lines.
It leaves the power station at 25 kV, but is then stepped-up by step-up transformers to anywhere from 130 to
400 kV for long-distance transmission. The power then enters the grid, after passing through a switching
station. Most grids have extra lines between any two points, which allows power to be sent to any load
center on the grid. The grid connects to supply points, where a step-down transformer steps-down the power
for heavy industrial use. After leaving the supply point, the power enters the electrical distribution system,
where it is stepped-down for light industrial use at intermediate substations. It then enters a distribution
substation, where it is stepped-down for use by domestic consumers like you and me.

Text to the Internal Combustion Process

 Lecturer: As its name suggests, an internal combustion engine burns a mixture of fuel and air to
create mechanical energy, or motion. The cylinders and pistons are at the core of the process. They convert
the energy of the fuel into motion. In step one, the piston is at the top of the cylinder, where the combustion
takes place. Rocker arms open the intake valve. The piston moves downward and the premixed air-fuel
mixture enters the cylinder. This is called the intake stroke as the system is taking in gases. In the second
step, called the compression stroke, the inlet valve closes and the piston moves up and applies strong
pressure to the gases. The next step is the combustion stroke. In gas engines, a spark is created to burn the
air-fuel mixture. In diesel engines, the ignition is caused by compression of the gases. In both gas and diesel
engines, ignition causes an explosion that pushes the piston down. In the last step, called the exhaust stroke,
the piston begins on the bottom of the combustion chamber. The exhaust valve is opened by rocker arms,
and the piston moves up, allowing the burnt gases to escape.

Text to Alternative Fuels in the Industry

Radio host: Many companies are interested in reducing their carbon footprint, and one way of doing
this is to use alternative fuels. But there are advantages and disadvantages to using alternative fuels. Let's
start with natural gas. Natural gas is 33% cheaper than gasoline, on average. It burns clean, which lowers
engine maintenance and it also lowers carbon monoxide, hydrocarbon, and nitrous oxide emissions. Sounds
great right?
But unfortunately, natural gas is not a renewable resource. Let's move on to biodiesel. This is a
renewable resource. It can be used in any diesel engine with little or no changes to the engine. Biodiesel also
combusts at a higher temperature than other fuels, so it's less likely to accidentally combust. It also reduces
sulfate, unburned hydrocarbon, and greenhouse emissions. Unfortunately, biodiesel increases NOx
emissions, which cause smog. It is also more expensive than regular fuel, and offers less fuel economy.
What about ethanol? It's non-toxic and biodegradable, with less contaminants than gasoline. It also reduces
CO and CO2 emissions. But, ethanol is controversial because fossil fuels are used to harvest and refine the
corn from which ethanol is made. Some scientists claim that producing ethanol actually uses more energy
than ethanol yields. And some believe using corn as a fuel source causes food shortages.