Engineering Ethics

　　Engineering ethics is attracting increasing interest in engineering universities throughout the nation. At Texas A&M University, evidence of this interest in professional ethics culminated in the creation of a new course in engineering ethics, as well as a project funded by1 the National Science Foundation to develop material for introducing ethical issues into required undergraduate engineering courses. A small group of faculty and administrators actively supported the growing effort at Texas ASM, yet this group must now expand to meet the needs of increasing numbers of students wishing to learn2 more about the value implications of their actions as professional engineers.

　　The increasing concern for the value dimension3 of engineering is, at least in part, a result of the attention that the media has given to cases such as the Challenger disaster, the Kansas City Hyatt-Regency Hotel walkways collapse, and the Exxon oil spill. As a response to this concern, a new discipline, engineering ethics, is emerging. This discipline will doubtless4 take its place5 alongside such well-established fields as medical ethics, business ethics, and legal ethics.

　　The problem presented by this development is that most engineering professors are not prepared to introduce literature in engineering ethics into their classrooms. They are most comfortable with quantitative concepts6 and often do not believe they are qualified to lead class discussions on ethics. Many engineering faculty members do not think that they have the time in an already overcrowded syllabus to introduce discussions on professional ethics, or the time in their own schedules to prepare the necessary material. Hopefully, the resources presented herein will be of assistance.

　　练习：

　　1.Engineering ethics is a compulsory subject in every institute of science and technology in the Uniled States.

　　A　Right　　B　Wrong　　C　Not mentioned

　　2.The number of students wishing to take the course of engineering ethics is declining at Texas A&SM University.

　　A　Right　　B　Wrong　　C　Not mentioned

　　3.The National Science Foundation involves itself directly in writing up material about ethical issues.

　　A　Right　　B　Wrong　　C　Not mentioned

　　4.It seems that medical ethics and business ethics are more mature than engineering ethics.

　　A　Right　　B　Wrong　　C　Not mentioned

　　5.Several engineering professors have quit from teaching to protest against the creation of a new course in engineering ethics.

　　A　Right　　B　Wrong　　C　Not mentioned

　　6.Many engineering professors may not have time to prepare material for class discussion on professional ethics.

　　A　Right　　B　Wrong　　C　Not mentioned

　　7.It is likely that following this introductory passage, the author will provide the necessary material related to the topic of engineering ethics.

　　A　Right　　B　Wrong　　C　Not mentioned

　　答案与题解：

　　1.C　本文没有述及engineering ethics是一门必修课，也没有提到美国所有的理工院校都开设了这门学科。

　　2.B　第一段最后一句谈到，想修这门学科的学生人数在不断增加，而本题却说在不断减少，所以给出的信息是错误的。

　　3.B　the National Science Foundation(全美科学基金会)只是为编写有关工程道德问题的教学材料提供经费，并没有亲自动手编写。因此，本题给出的信息是错误的。

　　4.A　本题给出的信息是正确的。第二段有一句相关的句子：This discipline will doubtless take its place alongside such well-established fields as medical ethics, business ethics, and legal ethics.从这个句子可以看到，medical ethics, business ethics和legal ethics都是well- established的，其地位也已确立了。engineering ethics这门学科的地位也将会确立下来。mature这个词是从本句的含义中引申出来的。

　　5.C　通篇文章都没有提到教授离职的问题。

　　6.A　本题给出的信息是正确的,根据是第三段的句子：Many engineering faculty members do not think that they have the time ... in their own schedules to prepare the necessary material。

　　7.A　本题给出的信息是正确的，根据是第三段的最后一句：Hopefully, the resources presented herein will be of assistance(希望这里提供的资料会有所帮助)。

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（责任编辑：何莹莹）