INTENSIVE READING I 1

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 short-

term 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 non-
manufacturing 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

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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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4. 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

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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 all went except him.

除 他 之 外 ， 我 们 都 去 了 。 ( 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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二 者 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 示 非 同 类 事 物 进 行 比 较 。

--The street is empty except for several cars.

③ 置 于 句 首 ， 表 达 except 的 含 义 。

--Except for this everything is in 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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句 时 ， 多 用 except 。

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 but ＿ ＿ ＿ ＿ ＿ .

A. to steal some food from the shop

B. to rob some food of the shop
C. steal some food from the shop
D. rob some food of 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 single day.

A. other than B. anything that C. more than D. rather than

7. He gets up early every day ＿ ＿ ＿ Sunday.

A. besides B. except for C. except that 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

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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.

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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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