CIVIL_Engin_COVER Ss.

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CAREER PATHS
Civil Engineering
Student’s Book
Career Paths: Civil Engineering is a new educational resource for civil engineering
professionals who want to improve their English communication in a work environment.
Incorporating career-specific vocabulary and contexts, each unit offers step-by-step
instruction that immerses students in the four key language components: reading, listening,
speaking, and writing. Career Paths: Civil Engineering addresses topics including
measurements, materials, systems design, quality control, and career options.
The series is organized into three levels of difficulty and offers a minimum of 400 vocabulary
terms and phrases. Every unit includes a test of reading comprehension, vocabulary, and

Adrian Hanson PhD – Jenny Dooley

listening skills, and leads students through written and oral production.

Included Features:
• A variety of realistic reading passages
• Career-specific dialogues
• 45 reading and listening comprehension checks
• Over 400 vocabulary terms and phrases
• Guided speaking and writing exercises
• Complete glossary of terms and phrases

The Teacher’s Guide contains teacher’s notes, a full answer key and audio scripts.
The audio CDs contain all recorded material.

Adrian Hanson, PhD, PE, BCEE has been a professor in Civil Engineering at New Mexico State
University for twenty-four years. Prior to that, he worked as an engineer in Minnesota and is registered
in Minnesota and New Mexico. He holds a Ph.D. in Sanitary Engineering, a Master of Science in Civil
and Environmental Engineering, a Bachelor of Engineering in Civil Engineering, and a Bachelor of
Science in Mathematics.

ISBN 978-1-4715-6800-8
CIVIL_Engin_COVER Ss.qxp_CIVIL_Engin_COVER Ss 3/27/18 10:16 AM Page 2

Published by Express Publishing

Liberty House, Greenham Business Park, Newbury,

Berkshire RG19 6HW, United Kingdom
Tel.: (0044) 1635 817 363
Fax: (0044) 1635 817 463
email: [email protected]
www.expresspublishing.co.uk

© Express Publishing, 2017

Design and Illustration © Express Publishing, 2017

First published 2017

Second impression 2018

Made in EU

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or
transmitted in any form, or by any means, electronic, photocopying, or otherwise, without the prior
written permission of the publishers.

This book is not meant to be changed in any way.

ISBN 978-1-4715-6800-8

Acknowledgements
Authors’ Acknowledgements
We would like to thank all the staff at Express Publishing who have contributed their skills to producing
this book. Thanks for their support and patience are due in particular to: Alex Newton (Editor in Chief);
Sean Todd (senior editor); Steve Miller (editorial assistant); Richard White (senior production controller);
the Express design team; Sweetspot (recording producers). We would also like to thank those institutions
and teachers who piloted the manuscript, and whose comments and feedback were invaluable in the
production of the book.

Every effort has been made to trace all the copyright holders. If any have been inadvertently
overlooked, the publishers will be pleased to make the necessary arrangements at the first
opportunity.
ESP_CivilEng_SB1.qxp_ESP_CivilEng_SB1 19/10/17 4:16 PM Page 1

Book

Adrian Hanson, PhD

Jenny Dooley
ESP_CivilEng_SB1.qxp_ESP_CivilEng_SB1 19/10/17 4:16 PM Page 2

Scope and Sequence

Reading
Unit Topic Vocabulary Function
context
1 The Civil Webpage civil engineering, construction, design, environment, Asking about
Engineer geotechnical engineering, maintenance, municipal experience
engineering, structural engineering, water resources
engineering
2 Numbers and Chart add, comes to, divide by, equals, -hundred, is, less, Apologizing for
Basic Math minus, multiply by, over, plus, subtract, times an error
3 Analyzing Textbook convert, decimal number, fraction, mixed number, Asking about
Quantities excerpt – out of –, percent, point, quantity, reduce, whole progress
number
4 Describing Report decline, decrease, expand, fluctuate, increase, Describing
Change plummet, rise, shrink, skyrocket, stabilize change
5 Measurements 1 Survey acre, area, distance, hectare, imperial, kilometer, meter, Asking for
metric, mile, yard clarification
6 Measurements 2 Conversion Celsius, Fahrenheit, gallon, gram, kilogram, liter, ounce, Checking
guide pound, temperature, volume, weight accuracy
7 SI Units Textbook amount, ampere, base unit, cubic meter, current, Giving
excerpt derived unit, joule, kelvin, mole, SI units, square meter, a reminder
temperature, watt
8 Large Numbers Employee cubed, exponent, integer, leading zero, rounding error, Expressing
manual scientific notation, significant figure, squared, uncertainty
to the nth power, trailing zero
9 Community Newspaper community, expand, growth, neighborhood, projection, Describing
and Regional article reconstruction, region, urban planning, urban sprawl possibility
Planning
10 Land Use Webpage environmental planning, industrial, PEST analysis, Making a
Planning proposal, residential, situation, smart growth, strategic recommendation
planning, sustainable, target
11 Transportation Report bike lane, bus, commuter rail, mode choice, rapid Asking for
Planning transit, route assignment, subway, trip distribution, trip an opinion
generation, walkable
12 Construction Product aluminum, brick, cinder block, concrete, glass, lumber, Reviewing
Materials 1 listing plastic, rebar, rubber, steel information
13 Construction Email brittle, conductor, ductile, insulator, malleable, opaque, Emphasizing
Materials 2 plastic, rough, smooth, transparent a point
14 Structural Textbook arch, architecture, beam, catenary, column, element, Expressing
Engineering 1 excerpt floor, load, plate, shell, structure concerns
15 Structural Article earthquake engineering, façade engineering, fire Asking for
Engineering 2 engineering, fire exit, hazard, heat loss, sprinkler an example
system, tower engineering, wind engineering, withstand
ESP_CivilEng_SB1.qxp_ESP_CivilEng_SB1 19/10/17 4:17 PM Page 3

Table of Contents

Unit 1 – The Civil Engineer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Unit 2 – Numbers and Basic Math . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Unit 3 – Analyzing Quantities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Unit 4 – Describing Change . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Unit 5 – Measurements 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Unit 6 – Measurements 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Unit 7 – SI Units . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Unit 8 – Large Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Unit 9 – Community and Regional Planning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Unit 10 – Land Use Planning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Unit 11 – Transportation Planning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Unit 12 – Construction Materials 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Unit 13 – Construction Materials 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Unit 14 – Structural Engineering 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Unit 15 – Structural Engineering 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

3
ESP_CivilEng_SB2.qxp_ESP_CivilEng_SB2 19/10/17 5:42 PM Page 41

Book

Adrian Hanson, PhD

Jenny Dooley
ESP_CivilEng_SB2.qxp_ESP_CivilEng_SB2 19/10/17 5:42 PM Page 42

Scope and sequence

Reading
Unit Topic Vocabulary Function
context
1 Accounting Textbook closed system, consumption, extensive quantity, final, Estimating
excerpt generation, initial, input, intensive quantity, open system,
output, system, universal accounting equation
2 Rate Report diameter, driving force, flow rate, flux, inlet, outlet, Offering
Processes pressure, rate, rate process, resistance, viscosity an opinion
3 Problem Email analysis, approach, attack, iteration, iterative, problem Making
Solving identification, problem solving, procedure, redefine, a suggestion
solution, synthesis
4 Statistics Textbook event, independent, intersection, median, mutually Requesting
excerpt exclusive, outcome, population, probability, range, sample, an explanation
sample space, statistics, union
5 Surveying Work order adjacent, face, figure ground study, level, locality, mapping, Agreeing
measure, orientation, serial vision, site analysis, site survey,
topographic survey
6 Earthworks 1 Webpage concrete slurry, deposit, dig, excavation, haul, interlocking Discussing
sheet piling, payline, sloping, soil swell, steel soldier pile, options
tieback, timber sheeting
7 Earthworks 2 Advertisement backhoe, blade, bulldozer, caterpillar tracks, clamshell, Describing
dragline, excavator, loader, off-highway tires, ripper, necessity
scraper, tractor shovel
8 Geotechnical Email clay, coarse-grain, composition, drill rig, fine-grain, gravel, Recommending
Engineering 1 sand, silt, soil, soil profile, subsurface investigation, test pit
9 Geotechnical Textbook bearing pile, building load, cast-in-place pile, deep Reaching
Engineering 2 excerpt foundation, drilled foundation, driven foundation, footing, a decision
foundation, friction pile, mat-slab foundation, shallow
foundation, slab-on-grade
10 Wood Email dead load, deflection, glued-laminated timber, glulam rivet, Expressing
Construction live load, pin-type connection, shear plate, split-ring concern
connector, timber connectors, truss plate
11 Steel Inspection anchor bolt, bearing plate, bearing-type connection, Asking for a
Construction report bolting, erection mark, fillet weld, friction-type connection, recommendation
girder, groove weld, member, section shape, steel frame
12 Concrete Work order concrete frame, coupler, cover, lap splice, mechanical Estimating time
Construction splice, precast, prestressed, splice, tensile strength,
welded splice, welded wire reinforcing, wire mesh
13 Construction Job posting bid, break ground, contract, contractor, crew, foreman, Reporting
Management framing, inspection, installation, phase, plumbing, progress
walkthrough, wiring installation
14 Construction Emails building occupancy classification, building permit, code, Giving
Regulations easement, FAR, frontage, impervious surface, ordinance, reassurance
regulation, septic analysis, setback, zoning
15 Prints, Course bird’s-eye view, blueline print, CAD drawing, concept Expressing
Drawings and description model, cross section, detail drawing, detail model, drafting, certainty
Models elevation drawing, orthographic projection, overhead,
section drawing
ESP_CivilEng_SB2.qxp_ESP_CivilEng_SB2 19/10/17 5:42 PM Page 43

Table of Contents

Unit 1 – Accounting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Unit 2 – Rate Processes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Unit 3 – Problem Solving . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Unit 4 – Statistics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Unit 5 – Surveying . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Unit 6 – Earthworks 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Unit 7 – Earthworks 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Unit 8 – Geotechnical Engineering 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Unit 9 – Geotechnical Engineering 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Unit 10 – Wood Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Unit 11 – Steel Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Unit 12 – Concrete Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Unit 13 – Construction Management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Unit 14 – Construction Regulations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Unit 15 – Prints, Drawings and Models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
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Book

Adrian Hanson, PhD

Jenny Dooley
ESP_CivilEng_SB3.qxp_ESP_CivilEng_SB3 23/10/17 2:32 PM Page 82

Scope and Sequence

Reading
Unit Topic Vocabulary Function
context
1 Roads and Report breakdown lane, cambered, curb, divider, drainage, exit, Delivering
Highways 1 guardrail, gutter, lane, median, ramp, roadway, shoulder, bad news
sidewalk, storm drain
2 Roads and Email corner, corrosion, cracking, flexible pavement, interchange, Discussing
Highways 2 intersection, jointed reinforced concrete, rigid pavement, rolled progress
asphalt, roundabout, slippage, T-junction, 4-way
3 Bridges 1 Textbook abutment, beam bridge, cable, cable-stayed bridge, cantilever Discussing
excerpt bridge, cantilever, double-decked bridge, moveable bridge, possibility
simply supported, suspension bridge
4 Bridges 2 Inspection anchor span, approach span, bent cap, bent, deck, end bent, Reacting to
report hammerhead pier, parapet, pier, shrinkage crack, spall, good news
structural crack
5 Tunnels Webpage blast, bored tunnel, box-jacking, cut-and-cover tunnel, drill, Asking for
geotechnical investigation, groundwater control, lighting, pipe- an opinion
jacking, stand-up time, tunnel, ventilation
6 Airports Email arrival, Class B airspace, Class C airspace, Class I airport, Expressing
Class II airport, clearway, concourse, control tower, departure, uncertainty
fuel depot, hangar, runway, stopping distance, taxiway, terminal
7 Railways 1 Job ballast, base plate, creep, foot, gauge, grade, head, lay, Asking about
description rail anchor, rail, substructure, tie, track experience
8 Railways 2 Textbook ABS, ATO, block, connection, crossing, CTC, depot, freight train, Making
excerpt line, passenger train, platform, signaling, station, switch a suggestion
9 Port Letter camel, container shipping, dock, feeder, Feedermax, fender, Asking about
Engineering geared, gemini crane, mooring, port, quay, RO/RO vessel, certainty
tanker, tide, ULCV, wave
10 Resources Pamphlet coal, extract, geothermal power, log, mine, natural gas, nuclear Describing
and power, oil, ore, petroleum, resources, solar power, sustainable, hypothetical
Environment 1 timber, wind power situations
11 Resources Journal combustion, energy recovery, fly ash, incinerate, post-consumer Discussing
and article waste, pre-consumer, primary recycling, recycle, remanufacturing, results
Environment 2 resource recovery, secondary recycling, waste-to-energy
combustion
12 Water Supply Textbook aquifer, bend, critical depth, culvert, dam, fluid mechanics, Asking for
and Flow chapter laminar flow, open channel, reservoir, slope, subcritical flow, clarification
supercritical flow, turbulent flow
13 Water Service Guide backfill, burial depth, floor penetration, groundwater, pipe, Describing
sleeve, stub out, trench, trickle indicator, wall penetration, water problems
main, water meter, water service
14 Pollution Report coal-fired power plant, composite liner, cultural eutrophication, Discussing
Prevention FBC, gas desulphurization, heavy metal, methane recovery, priorities
non-point source, point source, runoff, scrubber, solid waste
landfill, VOC
15 Sewers and Newspaper activated sludge, aeration, BOD, coagulation, disinfection Describing
Water article contact, filtration, flocculation, primary treatment, recarbonation, benefits
Treatment screening, secondary treatment, sedimentation, sewer, sludge
bioreactor, treatment plant
ESP_CivilEng_SB3.qxp_ESP_CivilEng_SB3 19/10/17 4:56 PM Page 83

Table of Contents

Unit 1 – Roads and Highways 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Unit 2 – Roads and Highways 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Unit 3 – Bridges 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Unit 4 – Bridges 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

Unit 5 – Tunnels . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Unit 6 – Airports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Unit 7 – Railways 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Unit 8 – Railways 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Unit 9 – Port Engineering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

Unit 10 – Resources and Environment 1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22

Unit 11 – Resources and Environment 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Unit 12 – Water Supply and Flow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Unit 13 – Water Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Unit 14 – Pollution Prevention . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Unit 15 – Sewers and Water Treatment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

Glossary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
ESP_CivilEng_SB1.qxp_ESP_CivilEng_SB1 19/10/17 4:17 PM Page 4

1 The Civil Engineer

Get ready!
●
1 Before you read the passage, talk
about these questions.
1 What are some of the job duties of a
civil engineer? structural engineering
2 What are some types of engineering
used when working on projects?

water resources engineering

geotechnical engineering

Reading
●
2 Read the webpage. Then, mark
the following statements as
true (T) or false (F).
1 ___ The structural engineering
sector builds bridges and
dams.
2 ___ The engineering firm’s
designs are uniform and
municipal engineering identical.
3 ___ The structural engineering
branch decreases the need
construction
for maintenance.

Vocabulary
●
3 Match the words or phrases
(1-5) with the definitions (A-E).
Quality Civil Engineering 1 ___ civil engineering
Services for Reasonable Prices 2 ___ municipal engineering
3 ___ structural engineering
Our municipal engineering sector builds streets and
1 sidewalks. Each design is unique and practical. The small
components combine to create one convenient system.
4
5
___
___
geotechnical engineering
water resource engineering

We also build bridges and dams. The water resources A the design of structures meant to
2 engineering division does this work. Their structures control the
movement of water efficiently.
hold weight
B the design of structures in a city
The structural engineering branch analyzes structures that C the design that incorporates
3 support loads. It designs buildings that are strong and
durable. As a result, they require minimal maintenance.
materials from the earth
D the design of structures that
control the movement of water
Our geotechnical engineering sector selects building
4 materials. It also decides where to build a construction. Each
structure fits naturally into its surrounding environment.
E the designing and building of
physical structures
4
ESP_CivilEng_SB1.qxp_ESP_CivilEng_SB1 19/10/17 4:17 PM Page 5

●
4 Read the sentence pairs. Choose which Speaking
word best fits each blank.
●
8 With a partner, act out the roles below
1 construction / design based on Task 7. Then, switch roles.
A The first step in engineering is creating the
USE LANGUAGE SUCH AS:
__________________ .
B The actual building of the structure is the I’d like to know about your experience in ...
__________________ . What did you work on there?
How long did it take you to ...?
2 maintenance / environment
A The upkeep of structures is _____________________ .
Student A: You are an interviewer for an
B The surroundings of the structures is the engineering firm. Talk to Student B about:
_____________________ .
• what experience he or she has
• how long he or she worked for past
●
5 Listen and read the webpage again. employers
What work does an urban engineer do?
• duties at his or her previous job

Listening
Student B: You are a civil engineer. Talk to
●
6 Listen to a conversation between an Student A about your past work experience.
interviewer and a civil engineer. Check (✓)
the information that is mentioned during
the interview.
Writing
1 ❏ Work experience
2 ❏ Design examples
●
9 Use the conversation from Task 8 to
complete the interviewer’s notes.
3 ❏ Salary
4 ❏ Job duties
5 ❏ Length of time at job

●
7 Listen again and complete the
conversation.

Interviewer: Good morning, Ms. Weller. Thank Interview Questions

you for coming in for an 1 ____________
today. for Engineering Firm Applicant
Engineer: No problem. Thank you for seeing me.
What is the applicant’s name?
Interviewer: First, I’d like to know about your
__________________________________________________________________
2 ____________ in engineering.
__________________________________________________________________
Engineer: Well, I worked for a 3 ____________ ____________
firm for five years. How many years of work experience does the
Interviewer: That’s great. What did you work on applicant have?
specifically there? __________________________________________________________________
Engineer: I drafted 4 ____________ for buildings. __________________________________________________________________
Interviewer: How long did it take you to design
each 5 ____________ ? What type of work experience does the applicant
have?
Engineer: It took about 6 ____________ ____________ for
__________________________________________________________________
each one.
__________________________________________________________________

5
ESP_CivilEng_SB1.qxp_ESP_CivilEng_SB1 23/10/17 2:26 PM Page 34

Glossary

acre [N-COUNT-U5] An acre is a unit of land that is the same as 4,840 square yards.
add [V-T-U2] To add a number to another number is to increase it by that amount.
aluminum [N-UNCOUNT-U12] Aluminum is a bluish silver-white metal that reflects light easily, and is the most
plentiful metal in the earth’s crust.
amount [N-COUNT-U7] An amount is a quantity of something.
ampere [N-COUNT-U7] An ampere is a unit that measures electricity.
arch [N-COUNT-U14] An arch is a curved structure with straight sides that supports the weight of something such as a
bridge.
architecture [N-UNCOUNT-U14] Architecture is the study and practice of planning and designing buildings and
structures.
area [N-COUNT-U5] Area is the measurement of the extent of land or a surface.
base unit [N-COUNT-U7] A base unit is a basic unit of measurement from which all other units are obtained.
beam [N-COUNT-U14] A beam is a long, heavy piece of wood or metal that supports a roof or forms part of a structure.
bike lane [N-COUNT-U11] A bike lane is a route, often beside a roadway, marked solely for use by persons riding
bicycles.
brick [N-COUNT-U12] A brick is a rectangular building material made of hardened clay.
brittle [ADJ-U13] If something is brittle, it is easily broken or damaged.
bus [N-COUNT-U11] A bus is a large vehicle that transfers passengers along a set route for a fixed price.
catenary [N-COUNT-U14] A catenary is a U-shaped curve, formed by a chain or cable that is supported at either end.
Celsius [N-UNCOUNT-U6] Celsius is a temperature scale on which water freezes at zero degrees and boils at one
hundred degrees.
cinder block [N-COUNT-U12] A cinder block is a building material made of cement and coal, known for its
rectangular shape and its unfilled spaces.
civil engineering [N-UNCOUNT-U1] Civil engineering is the type of engineering that involves the designing and
building of physical structures such as roads, bridges, and buildings.
column [N-COUNT-U14] A column is a tall, thick, upright post that supports a building’s roof or ceiling or that is used
for decoration.
comes to [PHRASE-U6] To come to a number is to amount to the same value as that number.
community [N-COUNT-U9] A community is a group of people residing in the same region or neighborhood.
commuter rail [N-COUNT-U11] A commuter rail is a train system that runs between a city center and outlying
suburban towns.
concrete [N-UNCOUNT-U12] Concrete is a strong building material made of cement mixed with sand or gravel, and
water, which helps bind the materials.
conductor [N-COUNT-U13] A conductor is an object that allows energy, such as heat or sound, to move easily.
construction [N-COUNT-U1] A construction is a (usually) large structure that has been built.
convert [V-T-U3] To convert a number is to change its form. For example, changing a number from a fraction to a
percent. 5/10 equals 50/100 which equals 50%.
cubed [ADJ-U8] If a number is cubed, it is multiplied by itself three times. For instance, 2 cubed (23) is 8 because
2 × 2 × 2 = 8.
cubic meter [N-COUNT-U7] A cubic meter is a unit to measure volume of a cube that is 1m on each side and is equal
to 1,000 liters.
current [N-COUNT-U7] A current is the flow or movement of water, electricity or air.

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CIVIL_Engin_COVER Ss.qxp_CIVIL_Engin_COVER Ss 3/27/18 10:16 AM Page 1

CAREER PATHS
Civil Engineering
Student’s Book
Career Paths: Civil Engineering is a new educational resource for civil engineering
professionals who want to improve their English communication in a work environment.
Incorporating career-specific vocabulary and contexts, each unit offers step-by-step
instruction that immerses students in the four key language components: reading, listening,
speaking, and writing. Career Paths: Civil Engineering addresses topics including
measurements, materials, systems design, quality control, and career options.
The series is organized into three levels of difficulty and offers a minimum of 400 vocabulary
terms and phrases. Every unit includes a test of reading comprehension, vocabulary, and

Adrian Hanson PhD – Jenny Dooley

listening skills, and leads students through written and oral production.

Included Features:
• A variety of realistic reading passages
• Career-specific dialogues
• 45 reading and listening comprehension checks
• Over 400 vocabulary terms and phrases
• Guided speaking and writing exercises
• Complete glossary of terms and phrases

The Teacher’s Guide contains teacher’s notes, a full answer key and audio scripts.
The audio CDs contain all recorded material.

Adrian Hanson, PhD, PE, BCEE has been a professor in Civil Engineering at New Mexico State
University for twenty-four years. Prior to that, he worked as an engineer in Minnesota and is registered
in Minnesota and New Mexico. He holds a Ph.D. in Sanitary Engineering, a Master of Science in Civil
and Environmental Engineering, a Bachelor of Engineering in Civil Engineering, and a Bachelor of
Science in Mathematics.

ISBN 978-1-4715-6800-8