Ethics in engineering

文章大意

讲座介绍工程伦理的历史，指出19世纪工程成为职业后伦理仍属个人事务，直到三起桥梁坍塌灾难——1876年美国阿什塔比拉河铁路灾难、1879年苏格兰桥梁风载计算失误、1907年加拿大桥梁自重过大——才推动行业制定规范并成立工程师协会。还提到20世纪初波士顿糖蜜灾难，因糖蜜储罐破裂造成严重后果。

题目与答案

1. Ethics - principles relating to right and wrong conduct

   ·At first, engineers saw ethics as a 31_____ issue.

   答案：personal

   原文定位：Initially, ethical issues were considered to be a personal matter, something to be decided in accordance with one's own principles and values

   同义替换：「At first」↔「Initially」，「engineers saw ethics as」↔「ethical issues were considered to be」，「issue」↔「matter」

2. ·Attitudes changed because of three disasters involving the collapse of 32_____ .

   答案：bridges

   原文定位：Unfortunately, it took three major disasters to bring about this change in attitude. All three of these involved the collapse of bridges

3. - 1876 - USA (metal fatigue)

   - 1879 - Scotland (the impact of 33_____ on the structure was miscalculated)

   答案：wind

   原文定位：Then in eighteen seventy-nine, there was a second disaster, this time in Scotland. This occurred because engineers had failed to correctly calculate the effects that wind would have on the structure

   同义替换：「impact」↔「effects」，「miscalculated」↔「failed to correctly calculate」

4. - 1907 - Canada (the structure could not support its own 34_____ )

   答案：weight

   原文定位：The weight of the structure was so great that it could not support itself, and it collapsed

5. Boston Molasses Disaster

   ·At the time, Molasses was the main 35_____ used in the USA.

   答案：sweetener

   原文定位：At the time, molasses was used rather than sugar as the principal sweetener in the USA

   同义替换：「main」↔「principal」

6. ·Boston company : collapse of a 36_____ released 8 million liters of molasses.

   答案：tank

   原文定位：The molasses, more than eight million liters of thick, sticky liquid, was stored in a tank. Suddenly, this collapsed

7. ·The wave of molasses destroyed buildings and the railway.

   ·Local residents insisted on a 37_____ of the molasses company.

   ·The company had to pay compensation.

   答案：trial

   原文定位：Local residents were furious as they felt that the company was to blame. They banded together and succeeded in bringing about a trial, charging the company with negligence

   同义替换：「insisted on」↔「succeeded in bringing about」

8. ·Probable causes of the accident:

   - Insufficient 38_____ checks.

   答案：safety

   原文定位：However, it is certainly clear that not enough safety tests were carried out

   同义替换：「Insufficient」↔「not enough」，「checks」↔「tests」

9. - Fermentation raised the 39_____ to a dangerous level.

   答案：pressure

   原文定位：It seems that the collapse was probably brought about by fermentation of the molasses, which led to an increase in pressure

   同义替换：「raised」↔「led to an increase in」

10. ·It is now obligatory for engineers to have a 40_____ .

    答案：license

    原文定位：It is the reason why we can now only operate if we have gained a license

    同义替换：「obligatory」↔「only operate if we have gained」