MODULE 1

1. READ THE TEXT AND FILL IN THE MISSING WORDS (10 POINTS).

When visiting a workshop, a customer will probably pay great attention to the details that show how important 1......................... is to the person in charge of the workshop. For example, there shouldn’t be any 2. ....................................... near the door: going out of the workshop must be easy and quick, with no 3..................................... of stumbling. Objects like liquids should be carefully stored on shelves or in cupboards, and there must be 4........................................ on all of them. Their content must be absolutely clear, because it could be something 5............................... or acid. Besides this, every operator must wear 6........................................, especially the ones who handle sheets of metal. Protecting the operators’ 7. ........................ is also vital, because some machines are very noisy.On top of the list however, is tidiness. There must be nothing along the 8. ....................................and the tools must all be stored in the proper place. 9. ....................................... of oil on the floor can’t be accepted: 10. .............................. and customers might fall and that is very bad publicity…

2. READ THE SENTENCES BELOW AND DECIDE WHETHER THEY ARE TRUE (T) OR FALSE (F). CORRECT THE FALSE ONES (6 POINTS). T F

1. Chemicals can be very dangerous for people. ❑ ❑ ………………………………………………………………………………….2. Fire extinguishers are very important in ensuring safety from fires. ❑ ❑………………………………………………………………………………….3. Adequate breaks totally eliminate the risk of injuries in repetitive jobs. ❑ ❑………………………………………………………………………………….4. An office worker doesn’t run any risks of electrical injuries. ❑ ❑………………………………………………………………………………….5. Placing coloured tape on glass doors is a good idea for preventing injuries. ❑ ❑………………………………………………………………………………….6. Heavy items, like bookcases, must be fastened securely to the wall. ❑ ❑………………………………………………………………………………….

3. ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS (10 POINTS).

1. On the set of which famous film was a stuntman seriously injured?2. Was this the only accident on the set?3. Is the EU-OSHA an Italian organisation?4. Who is ‘Napo’?5. What is the purpose of the films starring Napo?6. What problems did workers have, at the time of the Industrial Revolution?7. What kind of people were sent to workhouses?8. What did rich people think of the poor?9. How did the workers react?10. Did the work of Karl Marx have a strong impact on British society?

MODULE 2

1. READ THE PASSAGE AND ANSWER THE QUESTIONS BELOW (8 POINTS).

Imagine that, after looking for it for a long time, you have finally found a gold nugget, and you want to smelt it. Smelting usually involves the reduction of the ore to metal and the formation of slag. It is a chemical process and it does not simply involve melting the gold. It sounds like alchemy, and it almost is. To do this you need a furnace, because a simple fire couldn’t give the right temperature. Let’s build a small one, then.The furnace needs to be insulated, to prevent heat loss. So you should try and use a double skin design and brick walls in order to keep a high temperature inside the furnace. Building the furnace on foundations of dry sand to prevent heat loss to the ground could also be a good idea. Water or wet sand would be perfect conductors, allowing heat to escape from the furnace. Air, or dry sand are good insulators that prevent heat loss.Then you have to find the right fuel. Charcoal is better than wood, because it is more or less pure carbon, which provides the correct chemical environment, and because it reaches high temperatures when it is burned. A lot of oxygen is needed – but in the right place. In our furnace this is dependent on the presence of carbon monoxide. You can tell that carbon monoxide is present by the colour of the flame at the top of the furnace. You need to look for a blue flame. This shows that you have supplied enough oxygen to allow a hot enough flame.The key to supplying oxygen in the correct quantity is in using bellows. But the job is not as simple as it seems. You need the bellows to suck air from the atmosphere and blow it into the furnace. In order to provide the right quantity of oxygen (and to prevent the reduction of temperature by the bellows) try and insert a one-way valve.Now check the temperature inside the furnace, by lowering a copper olive (a component used by plumbers to join pipes etc.) into the centre of the furnace using a piece of steel wire. If the copper melts, the temperature is perfect: you can put in the nuggets and melt your gold.

1. What happens when you smelt the ore?......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................2. Why is the insulation of the furnace important?......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................3. What could be used as a conductor?......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................4. Why is charcoal better than wood?......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................5. Why is ‘a blue flame’ important?......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

6. What do the bellows do?......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................7. How can you make sure hot air does not go out from the bellows?.....................................................................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................................................8. What does the smelting of a copper olive tell you?......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

2. TICK THE APPROPRIATE ENDING TO EACH SENTENCE (6 POINTS).

1. Electricity is used to extract❑a. iron. ❑b. aluminium. ❑c. copper. ❑d. gold.

2. The waste from the process of recycling aluminium contains❑a. limestone. ❑b. steel. ❑c. ammonia. ❑d. carbon.

3. The first man made fibre, produced in 1905, was❑a. rayon. ❑b. PVC. ❑c. cotton. ❑d. pile.

4. PVC and nylon are made by changing the molecular structure of❑a. charcoal. ❑b. wood. ❑c. iron or steel. ❑d. coal or oil. 5. Bioplastics can be derived from❑a. coal or oil. ❑b. wood or straw. ❑c. corn or pea starch. ❑d. glass.

6. Gaskets are generally used to prevent❑a. leakage. ❑b. smelting. ❑c. burning. ❑d. freezing. 3. TICK THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES TRUE (T) OR FALSE (F). CORRECT THE FALSE ONES (5 POINTS).

T FUK scientists at BAE systems in Bristol have produced a liquid that,

when combined with Kevlar, becomes shear-proof. ❑ ❑………………………………………………………………………………….The new material is good to eat and tastes like custard. ❑ ❑………………………………………………………………………………….Scientists have proved that a liquid armour cannot protect

soldiers from bullets. ❑ ❑………………………………………………………………………………….Non-Newtonian fluids are really good at absorbing and dissipating energy. ❑ ❑………………………………………………………………………………….You can produce a non-Newtonian fluid at home. ❑ ❑………………………………………………………………………………….

MODULE 3

1. READ THE PASSAGE, THEN MATCH THE WORDS IN BOLD WITH THE RIGHT DEFINITION (6 POINTS).

A model of a home controlled by the power of thought has been successfully tested by a hospital in Italy, promising new levels of independence for the disabled.Scientists showed that people could open doors or operate lights, a telephone, a small robot and even a robotic hand by wearing a strip of electrodes on their head to pick up brainwaves that signal “interest” and send them to a computer that interprets them as desired actions.Demonstrating the system in the Fondazione Santa Lucia research hospital in Rome, Professor Fabio Babiloni said this was one of the first experiments in the world to successfully test this form of home automation by mind control. He predicts that within three years such a system could be of practical benefit to the severely disabled.“The progress in developing brain computer interfaces (BCI) has grown very rapidly in the last few years to the point where we can very accurately interpret a subject’s desired action, such as turning a wheelchair or switching home appliances on or off,” says Babiloni – and only a little training is required. “A 10-minute familiarisation session is usually enough,” says Babiloni.That is because the brainwave that is produced when we “show interest”, for example when we focus on a light switch, is almost uniform from person to person. To demonstrate, one of the Santa Lucia team wore a fabric headset connected to the BCI and could open doors, switch on a fan or adjust lights by concentrating on a menu on a monitor. Two to three attempts are usually necessary for each action.Other applications, apart from gaming and use in a smart home for the exceptionally lazy, are in space, says Babiloni: mind-controlled devices would be a great advantage to astronauts. (adapted from the Guardian)

1. the disabled a. seriously

2. brainwaves b. a time for becoming familiar with something

3. severely c. electrical impulses generated by the brain

4. familiarisation session d. an effort made to accomplish something

5. fabric headset e. people who have difficulty in walking or coordinating movement

6. attempts f. something similar to headphones, but made of textile

2. READ THE PASSAGE AGAIN AND ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS IN FULL (6 POINTS).

1. Where is the experimentation taking place?......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................2. What can people do with brainwaves?......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

3. Who is going to benefit from the new system?......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................4. Is it difficult to become familiar with the system?......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................5. Do our brainwaves ‘show interest’ in many different ways?......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................6. Did the person in the demonstration need many attempts?......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

3. TICK THE RIGHT ENDING TO EACH SENTENCE (6 POINTS).

1. The basic principle of computer programming is ❑a. boring. ❑b. long. ❑c. difficult. ❑d. easy.

2. In barrel organs the music is written with ❑a. nails. ❑b. screws. ❑c. pins and staples. ❑d. bolts.

3. In ‘Numerical Control’ the machine tools were controlled by ❑a. a telephone. ❑b. a computer. ❑c. a radio. ❑d. a lever.

4. In the 1950s the universal language of CNC❑a. was already famous. ❑b. was used by everybody.❑c. did not exist. ❑d. already existed, but was not used.

5. Microprocessors have made CNC ❑a. cheaper. ❑b. slower. ❑c. more expensive. ❑d. more modern.

6. A drone can be used for❑a. doing a maths test. ❑b. working as a waiter.❑c. filming a wedding from above. ❑d. drying your hair.

4. FILL IN THE PASSAGE ABOUT BARCODES WITH THE MISSING WORDS. THE FIRST LETTER OF EACH WORD IS ALREADY GIVEN (6 POINTS).

A barcode is an optical machine-readable representation of 1. d.................., which shows information about objects or products. The first barcodes 2. r........................... data by varying the widths and spacings of parallel 3. l........................, and they were linear or one-dimensional (1D). Later they turned into rectangles, dots, hexagons and other 4. g.............................. forms in two dimensions (2D), but they are still called ‘barcodes’. The first use of barcodes was to label special vehicles, but they became commercially successful when they were used in 5. s........................................ Now they are used for many other tasks that are generically referred to as automatic identification and data capture (AIDC), but the very first scanning of the now world-famous Universal Product Code (UPC) barcode was on a 6. p..................... of Wrigley Company chewing gum in June 1974.

MODULE 4

1. READ THE PASSAGE AND TICK THE SENTENCES BELOW TRUE (T) OR FALSE (F). CORRECT THE FALSE ONES (6 POINTS).

The American Precision MuseumThe Museum preserves the tradition of the mechanical arts, celebrates the ingenuity of our mechanical fathers, and explores the effects of their work on our everyday lives. The tools and the methods which make mass production possible were pioneered at the Robbins & Lawrence Armory in Windsor, Vermont. Using precision metal and wood cutting machines and high standards of accuracy, Robbins & Lawrence proved the effectiveness of a new type of manufacturing that would soon be known as the American System. Across America, a powerful machine tool industry grew up, flourishing especially in New England and the northern Midwest. Today, even in the age of plastics and microprocessors, the concept of precision manufacturing provides the foundation for modern industry around the world.The Museum’s machine tool collection is one of the most extensive collections in the world. Included are single and multiple spindle lathes, shapers, planers, milling machines, single and multi spindle drills and grinding machines. The highlight of the machine tool collection is the machines developed in this building by Robbins and Lawrence to mass produce firearms with interchangeable parts. The remainder of the collection spans over two hundred years, representing the major advances in precision manufacturing from the first uses of the metal lathe to the introduction of CNC (computerized numerical controls) control, powered by foot, water and electricity.The museum’s extensive gun collection traces the history of firearm design and construction in the Connecticut Valley, beginning with custom guns made by Nicanor Kendall, David Hall Hilliard, and Asa Story. Moving into the era of the factory-made gun, the collection includes examples of every gun manufactured in the building over its long history, including the Enfield Minie rifle and the 1841 Mississippi Rifle made by Robbins & Lawrence, the Model 1861 Special Musket manufactured by Lamson, Goodnow & Yale, the Jennings rifle, the Palmer carbine, the Ball repeating carbine and the rare Windsor Sharps rifle.

Vocabulary:armory (us) / armoury (uk): armeria; spindle: mandrino; grinding machine: fresatrice; firearm: arma da fuoco; span (to): coprire l’arco di; musket: moschetto; carbine: carabina

T F1. The American Precision Museum is a very traditional museum. ❑ ❑…………………………………………………………………………………………………………2. Robbins & Lawrence Armory used precision metal and wood cutting machines. ❑ ❑…………………………………………………………………………………………………………3. Today, the concept of precision manufacturing is not very important. ❑ ❑…………………………………………………………………………………………………………4. Robbins and Lawrence produced firearms for a limited number of people. ❑ ❑…………………………………………………………………………………………………………5. At the museum, you can only see 200 year-old objects. ❑ ❑…………………………………………………………………………………………………………6. You can see many different types of guns. ❑ ❑…………………………………………………………………………………………………………2. TICK THE APPROPRIATE ENDING TO EACH SENTENCE (8 POINTS).

1. Electric hand drills can be maintained by❑a. washing them with compressed air. ❑b. sharpening or replacing their bits.❑c. blowing them away. ❑d. washing them with soap.

2. To maintain your saber saw properly, you need to❑a. constantly adjust its speed based on the material you’re working with.❑b. wash it before use.❑c. change its filter after use.❑d. check its oil levels before use.

3. Archimedes lived in❑a. Alexandria. ❑b. Rome. ❑c. Athens. ❑d. Syracuse.

4. He is a very important scientist because he ❑a. invented the catapult. ❑b. invented the lever.❑c. invented the ballista. ❑d. perfected various existing mechanisms.

5. Among other reasons, gears are very important because they❑a. adjust the direction of rotation. ❑b. free screws.❑c. provide power. ❑d. reduce motorized equipment.

6. The demand for machine tools has often been driven by the... industry.❑a. glass. ❑b. wood. ❑c. plastic. ❑d. firearms.

7. At the Magna Science Adventure centre, schoolchildren can see❑a. caverns. ❑b. an electric arc furnace. ❑c. modern CNC systems. ❑d. rare animals.

8. The British Government invests money in research because it hopes❑a. that the industries will pay more taxes. ❑b. more jobs will be created.❑c. the industries will make money. ❑d. unemployment will increase.

3. CARRY OUT THE TASKS OR ANSWER THE QUESTIONS BELOW (10 POINTS).

1. List two machine tools..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

2. When were the first commercial machine tools constructed?.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................3. Were there machine tools in ancient Egypt?.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................4. Name an Italian scientist who helped expand technology..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

5. Name a type of industry that gave great impulse to the development of machine tools..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................6. What powered machine tools from the 19th Century onwards?.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

7. How did Leonardo Da Vinci convince the Duke of Milan to employ him?................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

8. Was Leonardo in favour of war?.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

9. Mention some of Leonardo’s projects..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

10. Was his project of a bridge across the Gulf of Istanbul feasible?.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

MODULE 5

The RocketThe basic characteristics that made George and Robert Stephenson’s Rocket of 1829 successful - its multitube boiler and its system of exhausting the steam - continued to be used in the steam locomotive until the end of its career. The number of coupled drive wheels soon increased. The Rocket had only a single pair of driving wheels, but some locomotives were built with even 14 coupled drive wheels. Steam-locomotive driving wheels were of various sizes, usually larger for the faster passenger engines. Supplies of fuel and water could be carried on the locomotive itself or in a separate vehicle, the tender. The tender of a typical European locomotive had a capacity of 9,000 kg of coal and 30,000 litres of water. In North America, higher capacities were common.

To meet the special needs of heavy freight traffic in some countries, notably the United States, greater tractive effort was obtained by using two separate engine units under a common boiler. The front engine was connected to the frame of the rear engine, so that the very large locomotive could negotiate curves. The articulated locomotive was originally a Swiss invention, first built in 1888. The largest ever built was the Union Pacific’s Big Boy, used in mountain service in the western United States. Big Boy could exert 61,400 kg of tractive force and developed more than 6,000 horsepower at 112 km per hour. One of the best-known articulated designs was the Beyer-Garratt, which had two frames, each having its own driving wheels and cylinders, surmounted by water tanks. This type of locomotive was widely used in Africa. Various refinements gradually improved the reciprocating steam locomotive. Some included higher boiler pressures, superheating, and the use of perpendicular valves. Still, the thermal efficiency of steam locomotives was about 6 per cent. Incomplete combustion and heat losses dissipated most of the energy of the fuel burned. For this reason the steam locomotive became obsolete, but only slowly, because it had compensating advantages, such as its simplicity and the ability to resist abuse.

Vocabulary:supply: scortatender: carro di scortafreight: carico, merce trasportataexert (to): esercitareframe: telaio

1. READ THE FIRST PARAGRAPH OF THE PASSAGE AND DECIDE WHETHER THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS ARE TRUE (T) OR FALSE (F). CORRECT THE FALSE ONES (6 POINTS).

T F1. The Rocket is the name of the Stephensons’ 1819 steam locomotive. ❑ ❑…………………………………………………………………………………………………………2. The characteristics of steam locomotives greatly changed in the following years. ❑ ❑…………………………………………………………………………………………………………3. The Rocket had a variable number of driving wheels. ❑ ❑…………………………………………………………………………………………………………4. The sizes of the wheels varied, according to what was transported. ❑ ❑…………………………………………………………………………………………………………5. Supplies of fuel and water were always carried on a separate vehicle, the tender. ❑ ❑…………………………………………………………………………………………………………6. In North America, tenders had larger capacities. ❑ ❑…………………………………………………………………………………………………………

2. READ THE SECOND PARAGRAPH AND ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS (8 POINTS).

1. How was greater tractive force obtained in US locomotives?2. Could these large locomotives negotiate curves?3. When was the first articulated locomotive built?4. Which locomotive developed more than 6,000 horsepower at 112 km per hour?5. What were the main characteristics of the Beyer-Garratt?6. What major refinements were introduced to improve the reciprocating steam locomotive?7. Were steam locomotives thermally efficient?8. Why did they become obsolete?

3. READ THE SENTENCES BELOW AND TICK THE APPROPRIATE ENDING (7 POINTS).

1. A geyser is a spring from which hot water and steam ❑a. always erupt at regular intervals. ❑b. erupt periodically.❑c. always erupt 1 metre into the air. ❑d. never erupt at great heights.

2. In the jet engine, the compressor ❑a. sucks air into the engine, and compresses it. ❑b. compresses air into the engine, then sucks it.❑c. drives the turbine.❑d. pushes the aircraft forwards.

3. In the petrol engine, the fuel and air mixture ❑a. is compressed by the spark.❑b. turns the crankshaft.❑c. is ignited by the propeller.❑d. is compressed by the piston.

4. A heat pump is a device that uses a small amount of energy ❑a. to pull heat out of the water.❑b. to move fuel from one location to another. ❑c. to move heat from one location to another. ❑d. to light up a building.

5. A pump is a device that ❑a. moves fluids, liquids or gases by mechanical action. ❑b. consumes energy to perform electrical work by moving the fluid. ❑c. operates only via wind power.❑d. comes in only one size.

6. In reciprocating pumps ❑a. a piston moves up and down inside a cylinder. ❑b. a variable quantity of liquid is charged.❑c. steam pressure is used for irrigation. ❑d. a cylinder moves up and down inside a piston.

7. The precursor to water turbines was ❑a. the steam engine. ❑b. the jet engine.❑c. the water wheel. ❑d. the steamboat.

MODULE 6

Farm tractorsThe classic farm tractor is a simple open vehicle, with two very large driving wheels on an axle below. The seat and steering wheel are in the centre and the engine in front of the driver, with two steerable wheels below the engine compartment. This basic design has remained unchanged for a number of years, but enclosed air-conditioned cabs are now fitted on almost all modern models, for reasons of operator safety and comfort. The four-stroke-cycle gasoline engines were first applied to agriculture in Germany on stationary engines, and by the 1890s they were mounted on wheels. The first successful gasoline tractor was built in the United States in 1892, and within a few years several companies started manufacturing tractors in Germany, the United Kingdom and the United States. The number of tractors in the more developed countries greatly increased during the 20th Century, especially in the United States: in 1907 around 600 tractors were in use, but by 1950 the figure had grown to almost 3,400,000.During the 20th Century, tractor design changed immensely, and the result was a much more efficient and useful machine. Some of the changes were the power takeoff, introduced in 1918, in which power from the tractor’s engine could be transmitted directly through the use of a special shaft; the tricycle-type tractor (1924), which enabled mechanical cultivation of crops; rubber tyres (1932), which made tractors faster, and finally the introduction of the four-wheel drive and diesel power in the 1950s and 1960s greatly increased the tractor’s pulling power. Because of these innovations, tractors became enormous and usually have double tyres on each wheel.Another major change was the introduction of the first successful grain combine, a machine that cuts grain and separates the kernels from the straw, which was built in the United States in 1836. Unfortunately it was not powerful enough, and therefore it was not very efficient. Large combines, powered by as many as 40 horses, were used in California at the end of the 19th Century. Steam engines replaced horses but, about 1912, the gasoline engine began to replace both horses and steam.

Vocabulary:figure: numeropower takeoff: presa di potenzacrop: raccoltograin combine: mietitrebbiakernel: chicco straw: paglia

1. READ THE FIRST PARAGRAPH AND ANSWER THE QUESTIONS (8 POINTS). 1. Is the traditional tractor open or closed?......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................2. Where is the engine?......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................3. Which major change was introduced for safety and comfort?......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................4. When and where were the first four-stroke-cycle gasoline engines introduced?......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................5. Where was the first successful gasoline tractor built?

.....................................................................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................................................6. In which countries were tractors built?......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................7. Did every country use tractors in the 20th Century?......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................8. What happened between 1907 and the 1950s?......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

2. READ THE REST OF THE PASSAGE AND TICK THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES TRUE (T) OR FALSE (F). CORRECT THE FALSE ONES (10 POINTS).

T F1. Modern tractors are very different from the first ones. ❑ ❑…………………………………………………………………………………………………………2. The ‘power takeoff’ consented direct transmission of power to the shaft. ❑ ❑…………………………………………………………………………………………………………3. The tricycle-type tractor enabled faster cultivation of crops. ❑ ❑…………………………………………………………………………………………………………4. Rubber tyres increased the tractors pulling power. ❑ ❑…………………………………………………………………………………………………………5. Modern tractors can be enormous. ❑ ❑…………………………………………………………………………………………………………6. Most of them have double tyres on each wheel. ❑ ❑…………………………………………………………………………………………………………7. The first grain combine was built in the USA in 1826. ❑ ❑…………………………………………………………………………………………………………8. It was very powerful, but not very efficient. ❑ ❑…………………………………………………………………………………………………………9. The first combines were powered by horses. ❑ ❑…………………………………………………………………………………………………………10. About 1912, steam engines replaced horses. ❑ ❑…………………………………………………………………………………………………………

3. TICK THE APPROPRIATE ENDING TO EACH SENTENCE (6 POINTS).

1. The purpose of a gasoline car engine is ❑a. to convert motion into exhaust gases. ❑b. to convert gasoline into motion.❑c. to convert gasoline into exhaust gases. ❑d. to keep you fit.

2. In a steam engine the fuel burns ❑a. outside the engine to create steam. ❑b. inside the engine to create steam.❑c. outside the tank to create steam. ❑d. outside the engine to give stability.

3. In a steam engine the steam creates ❑a. motion outside the engine. ❑b. low pressure.❑c. a depression. ❑d. motion inside the engine.

4. Internal combustion is

❑a. more efficient than external combustion. ❑b. less efficient than external combustion.❑c. as efficient as external combustion. ❑d. too old to be efficient.

5. An internal combustion engine is a lot ❑a. larger than an equivalent external combustion engine. ❑b. nicer than an equivalent external combustion engine. ❑c. smaller than an equivalent external combustion engine. ❑d. less efficient than an equivalent external combustion engine.

6. The four-stroke cycle is known as the Otto cycle because ❑a. Nikolaus Otto invented it in 1967. ❑b. Rudolph Diesel invented it.❑c. It really has eight strokes. ❑d. Nikolaus Otto invented it in 1867.

4. FILL IN THE MISSING WORDS (8 POINTS).

Motorcycles are motorized 1.................................. for transporting one or two riders. The structure of a motorcycle is quite simple and includes a gasoline 2............................, which converts the reciprocating motion of pistons into rotary motion. A transmission system transmits this motion to the back wheel. As the back wheel turns, it moves the 3. ................................. forward. Steering is accomplished by turning the front wheel via the handlebars and by leaning the bike to one side or the other. Two hand levers enable the 4. ........................... to operate the clutch and the front brake, while two foot pedals enable him/her to change gears and control the rear brake.Motorcycle engines work the same way as 5. .............................. engines do. They consist of pistons, a cylinder block and a head, which contains the valve train. The pistons move up and down in the 6. .............................. block, driven by explosions of a fuel-air mixture that has been ignited by a spark. 7. .............................. open and close to allow the fuel-air mixture to enter the combustion chamber. As the pistons move up and down, they turn a 8. ...................................., which transforms the energy from the pistons into rotary motion. The rotational force of the crankshaft is then transmitted to the rear wheel of the motorcycle.

MODULE 7

1. FILL IN THE MISSING WORDS (8 POINTS).

Before the 1. .................................... Revolution, our energy needs were modest. For heat, we relied on the sun, burned 2........................., straw, and dried dung when the sun failed us. For transportation, the 3..................................of horses and the power of the 4. ........................... in our sails took us to every corner of the world. For work, we used 5. ................................. to do jobs that we couldn’t do with our own labour. Water and wind drove the simple machines that ground our grain and pumped our water.Simple machines based on the ability to harness the 6. ........................ of steam have been dated by some sources as far back as ancient Alexandria. The evolution of the steam 7. ........................continued over time and it was the significant adaptations of Thomas Newcomen and James Watt in the mid 1700s that gave birth to the modern steam engine, opening up a world of possibility. A single steam engine, powered by 8......................... dug from the mines of England and Appalachia, could do the work of dozens of horses.

Vocabulary:dung: letameground (to grind): macinaredug (to dig): estrarre

2. READ THE PASSAGE BELOW AND ANSWER THE QUESTIONS (8 POINTS).

More convenient than wind and water, and less expensive than a stable full of horses, steam engines were soon powering locomotives, factories, and farm implements. Coal was also used for heating buildings and smelting iron into steel. In 1880, coal powered a steam engine attached to the world’s first electric generator. Thomas Edison’s plant in New York City provided the first electric light to Wall Street financiers and the New York Times.Only a year later, the world’s first hydroelectric plant went on-line in Appleton, Wisconsin. Fast-flowing rivers that had turned wheels to grind corn were now grinding out electricity instead. Within a few years, Henry Ford asked his friend Edison to help build a small hydro plant to power his home in Michigan.By the late 1800s, a new form of fuel was catching on: petroleum. For years it had been contaminating wells for drinking water. Initially sold as medicine, oil became a valuable commodity for lighting. By the turn of the century, oil, processed into gasoline, was firing internal combustion engines.Horseless carriages were a rich man’s toy until Henry Ford perfected the assembly-line method of mass production for his Model T car. Interestingly enough, electric cars became rich woman’s toy at the same time, but when gas cars adopted electric starters, their superior range quickly drove the electrics out of the market.

1. What were steam engines used for? Give three examples............................................................................................................................................................2. What was the first electric generator powered by?...........................................................................................................................................................3. When did the first hydroelectric plant go on-line?...........................................................................................................................................................4. Before it was used for producing electricity, what was the energy from rivers used for?...........................................................................................................................................................5. When did petroleum become popular?...........................................................................................................................................................6. Was it considered useful before?...........................................................................................................................................................

7. Who made ‘horseless carriages’ popular?...........................................................................................................................................................8. Who used electric cars at the time?...........................................................................................................................................................

3. READ THE FOLLOWING PARAGRAPH AND TICK THE SENTENCES TRUE (T) OR FALSE (F). CORRECT THE FALSE ONES (8 POINTS).

Another key invention of the era of the second Industrial Revolution was the safety bicycle, which had two wheels of the same size, putting the rider much lower to the ground than earlier bicycles. The pneumatic tyre, invented by John Dunlop, made cycling more comfortable, and bicycles became an obsession in the 1890s.With the low-cost automobile and the spread of electricity, our society’s energy use changed forever. Power plants became larger and larger, until we had massive coal plants and hydroelectric dams. Power lines extended hundreds of miles between cities, bringing electricity to rural areas during the Great Depression. The advent of cheap cars made suburbs possible, which in turn made cheap cars necessary.Energy use grew quickly, doubling every 10 years. The cost of energy production was declining steadily, and the efficient use of energy was simply not a concern.After the use of nuclear power during World War II, the US government looked for a peaceful use for this kind of power source. They found it in electricity production. Over 200 nuclear power plants were planned across the country, and American homes were built with all-electric heating systems to take advantage of this power. In 1973, American support for Israel in the Arab-Israeli War led the Arab oil-producing nations to stop supplying oil to the United States and other western nations. Overnight, oil prices tripled. A few years later, the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant suffered a partial meltdown after a series of mechanical failures and operator mistakes. After years of hearing that a nuclear accident could never happen, the American public was shocked.

T FJohn Dunlop made cycling more comfortable, because he put smaller

wheels on bicycles. ❑ ❑In the 1890s, everybody became obsessed with bicycles. ❑ ❑The low-cost automobile and the spread of electricity changed

our society’s use of energy forever. ❑ ❑There is no relationship between cheap cars and suburbs. ❑ ❑Later on energy became cheaper, and the use of energy grew. ❑ ❑The use of nuclear power for the production of energy started

before World War II. ❑ ❑In 1973 the Arab oil-producing nations stopped supplying oil

to the United States and other western nations. ❑ ❑No nuclear accidents have ever shocked the American public. ❑ ❑

MODULE 8

1. READ THE PASSAGE AND INSERT THE MISSING WORDS (8 POINTS).

Electricity occurs when electric 1......................... flows: when an atom has more electrons than usual or less than usual, it will attract or sometimes repel other 2. ................... If the electrons move from where there are too many to where there are too few, then we see a flow of 3. ....................., that is an electrical current.Scientists have found we can make electricity in various ways, for example if we pass a 4. ..................... close to a metal wire. Scientists have observed that electricity can flow like water from one place to another, either as a spark or as a current in a 5. ...................... They now know that all matter has an electric charge, but this is mostly cancelled out by the presence of matter with an 6. ........................ charge. There are two types of electric charges: positive charges and negative charges. Similar charges repel each other. This means that if you put two positive or two negative charges close together and let them go, they move apart. Different charges however, 7. ................................. each other. Electric charges push or pull on each other if they are not touching. This is possible because each charge makes an electric 8. ........................... around itself. An electric field is an area that surrounds (circonda) a charge.

2. MATCH THE PARTS OF SENTENCES IN THE TWO COLUMNS TO OBTAIN FULL SENTENCES (10 POINTS).

1. All the matter in the world a. and electrons are negative.

2. The positive charges are called protons, b. and it is impossible to see them without a very powerful microscope.

3. Protons are much bigger and heavier c. is made of very small positive and negative charges.

4. Protons are positive d. protons and electrons stick together.

5. Because “opposites attract”, e. has an innumerable quantity of atoms and molecules in it.

6. A few protons and electrons f. and the negative charges are called electrons.

7. Atoms and molecules are still very small g. even if they have been studying electricity for a long time.

8. Any big object, like your body, h. and all big objects that we can see and feel are electrically neutral.

9. Negative electrons and positive protons stick together,

j. than electrons, but they both have the same amount of electric charge.

10. Scientists still do not know why this is so, k. can form bigger particles called atoms and molecules.

3. READ THE PARAGRAPH AND DECIDE IF THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS ARE TRUE (T) OR FALSE (F). CORRECT THE FALSE ONES (10 POINTS).

Electricity is sent on wires. In some materials, electrons are blocked tightly in place, while in other materials, electrons can move all around the material. Protons never move around a solid object because they are so heavy, at least compared to the electrons. A material that lets electrons move around is called a conductor. A material that keeps each electron tightly in place is called an insulator. Examples of conductors are copper, aluminium, silver, and gold. Examples of insulators are rubber, plastic, and wood. Copper is used very often as a conductor because there is so much of it in the world, but sometimes other materials are used.In order to make an electric field inside a conductor, you can use a battery. If both ends of a piece of wire are connected to the two ends of the battery (called the electrodes), the loop that is made is called an electrical circuit. Electrons will flow around the circuit as long as the battery is making an electric field. This flow of electrons around the circuit is called electric current and it powers an electrical device when you connect it to a circuit.

T F1. Electrons are always blocked together tightly in place. ❑ ❑……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………2. Protons are heavier than electrons. ❑ ❑……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………3. A conductor moves electrons. ❑ ❑……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………4. Materials that keep electrons in place are called insulators. ❑ ❑……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………5. Copper and rubber are conductors. ❑ ❑……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………6. There is a lot of copper in the world. ❑ ❑……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………7. It is impossible to make an electric field inside a conductor. ❑ ❑……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………8. If you connect the two poles of a battery with a wire, you create

an electric current. ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………9. Electrons never stop flowing around the circuit. ❑ ❑……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

10. The flow of electrons around the circuit is called electric current. ❑ ❑……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

MODULE 9

1. READ THE PASSAGE AND ANSWER THE QUESTIONS (8 POINTS).

Around the mid 1970s, computer aided design systems began to provide more than just an ability to reproduce manual drafting with electronic drafting. Therefore, the cost benefit for companies to switch to CAD became evident. Plus, CAD provided the designer with the ability to perform engineering calculations. During the transition, calculations were still performed by hand, even if some individuals could already run computer programs. CAD was a revolutionary change in the engineering industry.Current computer-aided design software includes 3D solid and surface modellers. Modern CAD packages can also frequently show rotations in three dimensions, allowing the view of a designed object from any desired angle, even from the inside looking out. Some CAD software is even capable of dynamic mathematical modelling.CAD is used in the design of tools and machinery and in the drafting and design of all types of buildings, from small residential types (houses) to the largest commercial and industrial structures (hospitals and factories).

1. What did computer aided design systems do before the mid 1970s?.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................2. Why was the change a big advantage for companies?.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................3. And what was the extra advantage for designers?.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................4. Could everybody run computer programs, at the time?.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................5. Are 3D solid and surface modellers part of CAD?.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................6. What else can modern CAD packages do?.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................7. Is CAD only used in designing products?.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................8. What products CAD can be used for? Give examples..................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

2. FILL IN THE MISSING WORDS FROM THE BOX (10 POINTS).

methods / visualize / objects / process / rendering / engineering / screen / technology / layout /components

CAD is mainly used for detailed 1. .................................... of 3D models and/or 2D drawings of physical 2. ........................, but it is also used throughout the engineering 3. .................................from conceptual design and 4. .................................... of products, through strength and dynamic analysis of assemblies to definition of manufacturing 5. .............................. of components. It can also be used to design 6. ............................ Furthermore many CAD applications now offer advanced 7. .............................. and animation capabilities so engineers can better 8. ....................................... their product designs. CAD has become a very important 9. ..........................., with benefits such as lower product development costs and a greatly shorter design cycle. In fact, CAD enables designers to layout and develop work on 10. ....................., print it out and save it for future editing, saving time on their drawings.

3. READ THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS ABOUT CAD AND CAM TECHNOLOGIES AND DECIDE WHETHER THEY ARE TRUE (T) OR FALSE (F). CORRECT THE FALSE ONES (8 POINTS).

T FAutoCAD is a commercial software application for 2D and

3D computer aided design drafting. ❑ ❑…………………………………………………………………………………………………………It is only used by architects. ❑ ❑…………………………………………………………………………………………………………With the SolidWorks software you can manipulate 2D and 3D images. ❑ ❑…………………………………………………………………………………………………………One of the applications of the SolidWorks 3D CAD software is in

the creation of a robotic arm for surgeons. ❑ ❑…………………………………………………………………………………………………………Famous toy companies don’t want to use 3D printers. ❑ ❑…………………………………………………………………………………………………………Another application of 3D printing is in the production of jewellery. ❑ ❑…………………………………………………………………………………………………………Animatronics creates robots that look like robots. ❑ ❑…………………………………………………………………………………………………………One of the first people to imagine a robotic computer designer was

the novelist R.A. Heinlein. ❑ ❑…………………………………………………………………………………………………………

MODULE 10

1. FILL IN THE WORDS FROM THE BOX IN THE PASSAGE BELOW (10 POINTS).

needs / invested / constantly / finances / equipment / manufacturing / efficient / include / machinery / companies

For a modern manufacturing company’s survival, improving its 1............................... and facilities is extremely important. Today’s manufacturing 2.................................. cannot accept the luxury of machines that are not 3. ..................... used, because they must operate in an 4. ........................... manner to make profit and are responsible for every dollar 5. ........................ in the business. As a result, an underused piece of 6. .............................. or an empty space cannot be tolerated.Because they constitute the major capital investment for the company, improvement of facilities and equipment for modern 7. .............................. systems must reflect the objectives of the company. These objectives may 8. ................................. the company’s business plans and products, together with some ideas for future expansion. This is because the equipment and facility component depends on the company’s 9. .................................. Improvements can be few or many, and vary according to each company’s 10. ..............................

2. READ THE FOLLOWING TEXT AND DECIDE WHETHER THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS ARE TRUE (T) OR FALSE (F). CORRECT THE FALSE ONES (8 POINTS).

Modern technologies and philosophies have generated manufacturing tools and techniques like statistical process control (SPC), just-in-time manufacturing (JIT), total quality management (TQM), time and motion studies, manufacturing planning and control systems (MPCS) and many others used to facilitate manufacturing processes. These tools are absolutely necessary in today’s manufacturing industry.These processes are a series of tasks that use resources to produce a product or service. The quality of the products is completely dependent on the quality of the processes employed in making them. There are literally hundreds of processes employed in the manufacturing industry. Improvement in any of these processes will cause an improvement in the system that supports it.In modern automated manufacturing systems, processes are intricately attached to the tool or equipment employed to generate them. In the factory and in the office, different processes associated with different equipment and tools are employed to perform the necessary tasks needed to manufacture the product. Therefore, to change or improve the operation of any process, the equipment and/or tools (including software) used to generate it, must be changed, modified or adjusted. If the software, tool, machine or procedure is not improved by upgrading or changing it, the system will not produce the desired result.

T F

There are many manufacturing techniques to facilitate manufacturing processes. ❑ ❑

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………These tools and techniques are now extremely important. ❑ ❑…………………………………………………………………………………………………………Manufacturing processes are tasks that use resources

to produce products or services. ❑ ❑…………………………………………………………………………………………………………The quality of the products depends on the quantity of the processes

employed to make them. ❑ ❑…………………………………………………………………………………………………………There are almost a hundred processes employed in the

manufacturing industry. ❑ ❑…………………………………………………………………………………………………………If you improve the processes, the system that supports

them will improve, too. ❑ ❑…………………………………………………………………………………………………………Processes are also related to the generation of tools. ❑ ❑…………………………………………………………………………………………………………If you want to improve any operation, you must change

the equipment used to generate it. ❑ ❑…………………………………………………………………………………………………………

3. CHOOSE THE APPROPRIATE ENDING FOR EACH SENTENCE (8 POINTS).

1. The traditional cottage industry produced❑a. food. ❑b. natural oil. ❑c. textiles. ❑d. raw materials.

2. Adam Smith was a Scottish❑a. pioneer. ❑b. politician. ❑c. merchant. ❑d. moral philosopher.

3. Mass production is the method of producing goods❑a. On a large scale at low cost. ❑b. On a small scale at low cost.❑c. On a large scale at high cost. ❑d. On a small scale at high cost.

4. At the beginning of the 20th Century the automobile ❑a. was a toy for the rich. ❑b. was a simple machine.❑c. didn’t require a driver. ❑d. never required a mechanic.

5. Ford developed a design and a method of manufacture that constantly ❑a. increased the cost of the Model T.❑b. reduced the cost of the petrol.❑c. reduced the cost of the Model T.❑d. increased the number of workers.

6. F.W. Taylor was an American❑a. philosopher. ❑b. president. ❑c. professor. ❑d. inventor and engineer.

7. ‘Lean manufacturing’ derives from❑a. the Toyota Production System.❑b. the modern cottage industry.❑c. the Model T.❑d. the film Modern Times.

8. The concept of Computer Integrated Manufacturing ❑a. is a traditional production system.❑b. is a modern manufacturing system.

❑c. a manufacturing system used only in Japan. ❑d. only uses computers.