Unit 6

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Unit 6 Sam Adams, Industrial Engineer

Objectives Skill: 1) reading: reading for the main idea ( Part I) 2) writing: combination: subordinating conjunctions Vocabulary development: 1) receptive words: neat; whatsoever; expert; dull; absent-minded; 2) productive words and phrases: happen to; come in; on a shortterm basis ; except for; go/be on strike; hold up; result in/result from; keep up with Background Information 1) to acquaint themselves with “industrial engineering”. 2) to learn something about the American educational system. I. Global-reading 1. Lead-in and Introductory Remarks This story is about Sam Adams, a “born” industrial engineer. (1)When a boy, he was the “efficient expert” for the family; (2) after graduation from college he was asked to work as a “consultant” in a shirt factory; (3) he was amazed at what he saw in that factory; (4) he made many suggestions concerning the improvement of production, and his suggestions were well-received by the owners.

Judging from what is described in the text, the story must have

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taken place in the early 1950s. The US came out World War II as a “winner”, with its industrial capacity intact. As a matter of fact, its industrial manufacturing potential was tapped to the full during the war with an efficiency unknown before. After the war the idea that efficiency in operation was the key to profits and success continued within industrial management. Small factories would occasionally hire a consultant on a temporary basis in the conviction that an industrial engineer or an efficiency expert could make them operate more efficiently.

2. What is industrial engineering? Industrial engineering is the detailed analysis of the use and cost of men, materials and equipment in an organization, with a view to increasing its productivity, profit and efficiency. Those who are involved in this kind of analysis are called industrial engineers (IE). Originally the analytical techniques of industrial engineering were used mainly in manufacturing industries to improve production methods, establish production control procedures, determine work standards, and develop wage payment plans. Gradually, the use of industrial engineering techniques has been extended to nonmanufacturing areas such as construction and transportation industries, farm management, and restaurant and hotel operations. Although the filed of industrial engineering has continued to grow, its primary application is still in the manufacturing industries.

3. American educational system Kindergarten: before 5 years old

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Elementary school: 6-11 years old (Grades 1~6) Junior middle school: 12-13 years old (Grades 7~8) Senior middle school: 14-17 years old (Grades 9~12) College: 4 years for a B.A. or B.S. degree University: 2~3 years for an M.A. or M.S.; 2~8 years for an Ph.D.

4. Outline of the Story This story tells us something about Sam Adams, a “born” industrial engineer. When he was still a little boy, he was very neat, well organized and efficient in his family. It was these good qualities that made him an industrial engineer and helped him a lot when being asked to work as a consultant in a shirt factory after graduation from college. He had an efficient way of survey and making many suggestions

concerning

the

improvement

of

production.

His

suggestions were well received by the owners of the factory. 5. Procedure and Approach ①

Ask the students to preview the story before class. Then ask the

students to answer the introductory questions to check how well the students are prepared for the lesson and also to help them to obtain a general idea of the story. ②

Introduce the Story by:

i. Telling the students that this text can be roughly divided into four sections: Section 1: the first 4 paragraphs; Section 2: paragraphs 5&6;

Section

3:

paragraphs

7-10;

Section

4

the

remaining

paragraphs.

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ii. Putting down on the blackboard the following question: What is the main idea for each section?

iii. Giving the students 5 minutes or so to go over the whole text, then asking the students to tell the main idea of each section.

iv. Summing up by way of delivering an introduction to the text.

II. Detailed Study of the Story 1. If you ask my mother how I happened to become an industrial engineer, she’ll tell you that I have always been one: If you ask my mother how I chanced to be an industrial engineer, she’ll tell you that I was a “born” industrial engineer. 1)how I happened to: what led me to; how it came about that I became --The reporters are eager to know how she happened to be on the spot. 2)Happen to: have chance to; occur or take place by chance --How did you happen to be an English teacher? --I happened to meet an old friend of mine on the street.

2. She means that I have always wanted everything to be well organized and neat. Neat:① in a pleasingly orderly and clean condition: a neat room.

②habitually orderly and clean in appearance or habits: a neat YCIT 张延晏

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person. ③of a simple, pleasing appearance, style, design, etc.: a neat cottage. ④cleverly effective in character or execution: a neat scheme; a neat solution.

3. In fact, I was the efficiency expert for the whole family. 1) “Efficiency expert” is a special term, referring to a person who specializes in time and motion studies, i.e., in observing the actions of

an

individual

involved

in

one

single

operation

of

the

manufacturing of an item, and is concerned for the overall efficiency of production throughout each aspect of the manufacturing process. In our story the expression is humorously used to mean that Sam made sure that everything in his family was well-organized and that all family members fulfilled their share of domestic work in the most efficient way. “Efficiency expert” is a “noun + noun” combination, in which the first noun modifies the second. There are many other examples of such combinations in the text: work flow, quality control inspection, assembly line, and machine operator. 2) expert: (n.) a person with special training in a certain field; (a.) skillful --He is an expert at chess. --He is expert at chess/in playing chess. --This handbag was made by expert hands.

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6

I used to organize my father’s tools, my mother’s kitchen

utensils, my sister’s boyfriends: I often arranged my father’s tools and my mother’s kitchen utensils in place. I even helped my sister have a date with her boyfriends. used to ①Formerly. This sense is used with a following verb to indicate a past state. --He used to watch TV programs each evening, but now he studies instead. --Did you use to do morning exercises/Used you to do morning exercises? ②Accustomed or habituated to. This expression is often put as be or get used to --She can't get used to calling him Dad. --I'm not used to cold weather

6. So he asked me to come in on a short-term basis as a consultant: So he asked me to work for a period of time in his factory as a consultant. 1) come in: have or find a place; have a part to play; take one’s position in game or at work --I understand your plan perfectly, but I don’t see where I come in. --Workers hope his coming in will improve the conditions of their life. 2) on a short-term basis: temporarily; for a period of time Similarly: --to pay on a piece-work basis

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--to hold a job on a full-time basis basis: foundation --The two countries established diplomatic relations on the basis of equality and mutual benefits.

7. I was really amazed at what I saw: All I saw in the factory made me really surprised. be amazed at/by: be greatly surprised(often pleasantly) at/by --The teacher was amazed at his rapid progress in studies. --She was amazed at the fantastic design.

8. Most curious of all, there was no quality control whatsoever: What made me very strange was that there was no one in the factory to control the quality of the products. 1)most curious of all: what is most curious of all. Similar examples: most important of all, most of all, and worst of all, etc. 2)whatsoever: at all (more emphatic than whatever, usually used in negative construction)什么 … 就 … 什么；什么 … 都 --Nothing whatsoever can prevent us from carrying out this plan. --Is there any chance whatsoever? -There can be no doubt whatsoever about it.

9. As a result some of the shirts that were put in boxes for shipment were missing one or two buttons, the collar, even a sleeve YCIT 张延晏

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sometimes! as a result: because (of); therefore --The plane did not take off as a result of the bad weather.

10. Except for a half hour at lunchtime, there were no breaks in the day to relieve the boring work. except for: apart from; not including -This flat is in perfect condition except for the small waiting room. -Except for its high cost, this type of machine would be very suitable. Cf: except for vs. except vs. but for vs. but ⑴ except 表示“从所提到的人或事物中除去，即从整体中除去一部分（同类 事 物 ） ” ， 表 示 递 减 的 概 念 ， 含 义 是 否 定 的 。 --We 除

他

all 之

外

went ，

我

们

都

except 去

了

。

(

him. 他

没

有

去

)

若句中没有实义动词 do 的某种形式except 后接动词不定式 (而 besides 后

接

动

词

的

-ing

形

)

式

--I had no choice except to obey ／ besides obeying his order.

若 句 中 有 实 义 动 词 do 的 某 种 形 式  二 者 后 面 都 可 以 接 动 词 原 形 。

--She has

nothing

to

do except ／ besides

go

with

him.

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者

9

后

面

都

可

以

接

从

句

。

--Besides that he explained the theory he gave us some examples. --He is a good student except that he sometimes comes late to school. ⑵

except

for

主

要

有

三

层

含

义

：

① 表示对整体主要部分的肯定和对局部的否定起部分修正主要意思的作用。 --Your composition is quite excellent except for several spelling mistakes. ②

表

--The ③

示

非

street 置

于

--Except

同 is

句

事

empty

首

for

类

，

this

表

物

进

except 达

行

for

except

everything

is

比

较

。

several 的

含 in

cars. 义

。

order.

except for 后接名 ( 代 ) 词可以转移为 except ＋从句或其他介词短语。 --The climate here is good except for some rainy days.(except when it rains ； except that it sometimes rains ； except on the rainy days)

⑶ but 含义与 except 相同，都表示递减的概念，二者在多数情况下可以互换， 但

用

法

稍

有

区

别

。

①except 可以代替 but但 but 并不一定都可以代替 except 如果句中有

no、all、nobody、who、where 等不定代词或疑问词时，多用 but 后跟宾语从

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时

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，

多

except

用

。

②but for 含义有时与 except for 相同，但 but for 所接成分多为非真实条件 , 主要表示“要不是……”，常用于虚拟句，表示一种假设。 --But for the accident (=If there were not the accident), we should have

had

a

pleasant

journey.

⑷ other than 含义与 except／but 相同，都表示从总体中除去一部分后接 名

词

、

代

词

或

不

定

式

。

--In that case there is nothing you can do other than wait. Practice 1. I know nothing about the young lady＿＿＿she is from Beijing. A. except B. except for C. except that D. besides

2. The suit fitted him well ＿ ＿ ＿ the colour was a little brighter. A. except for B. except that C. except when D. besides

3.

He

did

have

nothing

to

eat

A.

to

steal

some

food

B.

to

rob

some

food

C.

steal

D.

rob

some

food

some

but ＿ ＿ ＿ ＿ ＿ . from of

from

food

the

shop

the

shop

the of

shop the

shop

4. Jane was quite alone in the world ＿ ＿ ＿ ＿ an aunt in Brazil. A.

except

B.

except

for

C.

besides

D.

instead

of

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5. ＿ ＿ ＿ ＿ being

a

little

largethe

hat

looks

nice.

A. Apart from B. Except C. But D. Besides for

6. In no country ＿＿＿ Britain can one experience four seasons in the course

of

A. other than

B. anything that

7.

He

gets

A. besides

a

up

early

single C. more than

every

B. except for

day.

day

＿

＿

C. except that

D. rather than

Sunday.

＿

D. except

8. We need fifteen more people ＿＿＿＿＿＿ our team to do the job. A.

besides

B.

except

for

C.

except

that

D.

except

Key 1. C 2. B 3. A 4. B 5. A 6. A 7. D 8.A

11. relieve v. ①make less or easier --We are relieved to hear that he returned safe --to relieve the steam pressure ②give help to those in need YCIT 张延晏

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--relieve the people in flood-stricken area 救济水灾区的人们 Collective: relieve sb. of 解除某人的(负担等); 减轻某人的(痛苦等) 解除某人(职务) --Let me relieve you of that heavy parcel. 让我把你的重包裹解下来吧。 to

relieve oneself: to urinate or defecate 方便

12. dull ① not bright nor clear -The candle gave out a dull light. ② uninteresting --a dull lecture/film/play/party/speaker ③ not sharp --a dull knife/pain/axe/blade ④ slow in understanding --All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

13. I was amazed that the workers hadn’t gone on strike.

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go/(be) on strike: begin/(be engaged in) a strike --Most of the workers voted to go on strike. 14. absent-minded minded: inclined or disposed. ( often used together with an a./ad./n. to form a compound a.) --tough-minded/narrow-minded/lazy-minded --academically-minded/mechanically-minded --tradition-minded/business-minded

15. He was very slow and all the shirts were held up at his position: He worked so slowly that the shirts were delayed when they came to his position. hold up: ① Delay; ②Stop (a vehicle) by force in order to rob it( often used in the passive) --The liner was held up by a thick fog. --The construction of the teaching building has to be held up because of the fund.

16. Workers beyond him in line on his shift had to wait with nothing to do: His fellow workers who worked further down the assembly line had to wait dong nothing.

17. I covered my major points by telling him the following: I reported the details of my findings in following words.

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cover:① report the details of (an event, particular state of affairs, etc.) as for newspaper -I was once sent to Iraq to cover the gulf war. ② include; consist of; take into account -This book does not fully cover the subject. -The lecture covered the history of medicine from ancient times to the present day.

18. If excellent work results in frequent pay increase or promotions, the workers will have greater incentive to produce: If the workers’ hard work can lead to being raised often in their pay and position then they will work harder and more actively. result in: have … as a result; end in sth. -Eating too much will result in sickness. Cf: result from: be caused by -Let’s hope that peace will result from our talks.

19. Mr. Hobbs thanked me for this report and told me he would talk over my suggestions with his brother, the co-owner and manager of the factory: Mr. Hobbs thanked me for this report and told me he would discuss my proposals with his brother, the joint owner and manager of the factory.

⑴ talk over: discuss fully --Come and see me in my office and we’ll talk it over. YCIT 张延晏

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--You’d better talk it over with your family before making a decision. ⑵ co-owner: joint owner

20. We want to keep up with the times: We want our factory to remain level with the modern times. Keep up with: go forward at an equal pace with; remain level with; keep in advance of (an idea, fashion, etc.) --He has some difficulty in keeping up with the rest of the class. --he runs so fast that no one can keep up with him.

　

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