Title: The Language of Mechanical Engineering in English
Description: This book is one of a series of texts called English for Careers, intended to introduce students of English as a foreign language to a number of different professional and vocational fields. The career areas that are covered are those in which English is widely used throughout the world; these include air travel, computer programming, international commerce, or in the case of this book, engineering and specifically mechanical engineering.
Each book in the series serves a dual purpose: to give the student an English introduction to a particular vocational area in which he or she is involved and to improve the student's use of English as a foreign language. This book is not a detailed training manual. It is a broad introduction to the language and terminology of mechanical engineering.
From the point of view of learning English as a foreign language, English for Careers books are intended for a student at the high intermediate or advanced level—one who is acquainted with most of the structural patterns of English. The principal goals of the learner should be mastering vocabulary, using language patterns, and improving his or her ability to communicate naturally in English.
These books are helpful with all of these needs. Each lesson begins with a glossary of special terms in which words and expressions used in the specific vocation are discussed and defined. The special terms are followed by a vocabulary practice section in which questions and answers help the reader use these terms. Then these terms are used again within a contextual frame of reference. Each section is followed by questions for discussion which give the opportunity to use both special terms and structural patterns.
Each lesson ends with a review section in which some of the exercises pose problems which occur when actually working in the field.
In this book, the student is asked to identify different types of machine components and explain their characteristics or to describe key features of the engines that have acted as power sources since the Industrial Revolution. Doing such exercises is excellent practice in the specialized vocabulary, general vocabulary, and structural patterns of the English language.
Much successful language learning is not conscious. In offering these books, it is hoped that the student's interest in the career will enhance his or her ability to communicate fluently in English.
EUGENE J. HALL Washington, D.C.
Subjects: ESL, English, engineering