Английский язык для факультета летательных аппаратов. Боеприпасы и взрыватели

Министерство науки и высшего образования Российской Федерации 

НОВОСИБИРСКИЙ ГОСУДАРСТВЕННЫЙ ТЕХНИЧЕСКИЙ УНИВЕРСИТЕТ 

 
 
 
 
Е.Г. ИТЭСЬ, Н.Н. ШЕРГИНА,  
С.В. НИКРОШКИНА 
 
 
 
АНГЛИЙСКИЙ ЯЗЫК  
ДЛЯ ФАКУЛЬТЕТА 
ЛЕТАТЕЛЬНЫХ АППАРАТОВ 
 
БОЕПРИПАСЫ И ВЗРЫВАТЕЛИ 
 
 
Утверждено 
Редакционно-издательским советом университета 
в качестве учебного пособия 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
НОВОСИБИРСК 
2020 

ББК 81.432.1-923 
        И939 
 
Рецензенты: 
канд. филол. наук, доцент С.С. Жданов 
канд. филол. наук, доцент А.А. Гетман 
 
Работа выполнена на кафедре иностранных языков ТФ НГТУ. 
 
Итэсь Е.Г. 
И939  
Английский язык для факультета летательных аппаратов. 
Боеприпасы и взрыватели: учебное пособие / Е.Г. Итэсь, 
Н.Н. Шергина, С.В. Никрошкина. – Новосибирск: Изд-во НГТУ, 
2020. – 68 с. 

 
 
ISBN 978-5-7782-4144-2 
 
Настоящее учебное пособие предназначено для студентов факультета летательных аппаратов, обучающихся по специальности 17.05.01 (Боеприпасы и 
взрыватели), и может быть использовано для организации аудиторных и внеаудиторных занятий по программе специалитета. Пособие предлагает аутентичные тексты и коммуникативные задания, которые формируют профессиональный взгляд на предмет и навыки работы с иноязычным текстом в различных 
видах речевой деятельности, как устной, так и письменной. Глоссарий и грамматический справочник включены как дополнительные ресурсы. При работе с 
текстами, для поддержки навыков чтения, понимания и более глубокого усвоения лексики, рекомендуется использовать программу Google Translate. 
Целью пособия является формирование у студентов языковой, коммуникативной и профессиональной компетенций. Задания нацелены на укрепление 
навыков чтения и понимания академического текста на основе анализа его 
структуры, языка и содержания; на развитие умения находить информацию, 
выделять и перефразировать основные положения (например, преобразуя их в 
вопросы, создавая слайдовую презентацию, отвечая на вопросы, и др.). Они 
также предлагают студентам выразить свою точку зрения при обсуждении текста и заданий в классе. Все тексты и задания связаны с профессиональной подготовкой будущих специалистов и соответствуют государственному образовательному стандарту. 
ББК 81.432.1-923 
 
ISBN 978-5-7782-4144-2 
© Итэсь Е.Г., Шергина Н.Н.,  
 
    Никрошкина С.В., 2020 
 
© Новосибирский государственный  
 
    технический университет, 2020 

MODULE I 

Introduction to the Topic of Ammunition 

Unit 1. Defining the Term ‘Ammunition’ 

i. VOCABULARY 

Task 1.1. Study the Vocabulary List. 
01 ammunition, n  
боеприпасы, снаряды, патроны 
02 appreciate, v  
ценить 
03 armour/armor, n  
броня 
04 cartridge, n  
патрон, заряд 
05 embark on a journey  
отправляться в путешествие (метаф.  
 
о процессе познания) 
06 fuze, n  
взрыватель 
07 grenade, n  
граната  
08 high explosive, adj  
фугасный 
09 incendiary, adj  
зажигательный 
10 mortar, n  
миномёт 
11 munitions, n  
военное имущество, снаряжение 
12 predominantly, adv  
преимущественно 
13 projectile, n  
баллистический снаряд (пуля, снаряд,  
 
 
граната, ракета и т. п.) 
14 propellant, n  
метательный заряд, метательное  
 
взрывчатое вещество  
15 refer (to), v  
обозначать, относиться к 
16 shaped, adj  
кумулятивный (o зарядe) 
17 sling, n  
праща 
18 warhead, n  
боеголовка 

ii. BEFORE YOU READ 

Task 1.2. Brainstorm the topic by answering the questions below. 

1. What language did the term ‘ammunition’ originate from? 
2. How did the term’s usage change over time? 
3. How many meanings of the term ‘ammunition’ are currently in use? 
4. What synonym of the term conveys its collective meaning?  
5. Which meaning of the term is most commonly used?  
6. What development in arms technology led to a new meaning of the term? 

iii. TEXT 

Task 1.3. Read the text & check your answers to the questions above. 

Defining the Term ‘Ammunition’ 

Do you know where and how ammunition first came to be? While there 
is a long evolution of various cultures leaving their own unique mark on 
ammunition technology, one should be aware of the high points of its development in order to be able to better navigate and appreciate modern ammunitions. Before embarking on this journey, it is necessary to acquire a 
clear understanding of the origins of the word ammunition and its different 
meanings. Nowadays, there exist three main meanings of the term. 
Firstly, the word ammunition (commonly shortened to ammo in informal usage) can have a broad meaning and thus refer to anything that can be 
used in combat, even rocks used with slings and arrows. This usage comes 
from the French word la munition, which is any material used for war. 
However, this collective meaning that covers all types of ammunition is 
usually expressed with the term munitions. 
Secondly, the term ammunition is used predominantly to refer to propellant and projectile, including bombs, missiles, warheads, landmines, naval mines, and antipersonnel mines. The third meaning results from the facts 
that the purpose of ammunition is to project force against a selected target 
and that the nature of ammunition use also includes delivery or combat supporting munitions such as pyrotechnic or incendiary compounds. It was with 
the invention of the cartridge, that the term came to mean the assembly of a 
projectile and its propellant in a single package. 
This way the word ammunition involves the application of fire to targets, general use of weapons by personnel, explosives and propellants, car

tridge systems, high explosive projectiles, warheads, shaped charge forms of 
attack on armour and aircraft, carrier projectiles, fuzes, mortar ammunition, 
small arms ammunition, grenades, mines, pyrotechnics, improved conventional munitions, and terminally guided munition. 

In conclusion, it is safe to say that ammunition can be defined as the 

material fired, scattered, dropped or detonated from any weapon. Ammunition is both expendable weapons (e.g. bombs, missiles, grenades, land 
mines) and the component parts of other weapons that create the effect on a 
target (e.g. bullets and warheads). 
 
iv. DEVELOPING ACADEMIC VOCABULARY 

Task 1.4. Find the following expressions in the text & answer the 
questions. 
also, ammo, expandable, one, refer, scattered, terminally 
1. Is it a noun, adjective, adverb, numeral, pronoun, verb, preposition or 
conjunction? 
2. Can you provide a synonym, antonym, and/or variant for each item? 
3. What does the abbreviated (shortened) expression stand for?  
 

# 
expression 
part of 
speech 
synonym 
antonym 
variant 
shortened 
form  
expansion 

1. 
also 
 
 
 
 
 

2. 
ammo 
 
 
 
 
 

3. 
expandable  
 
 
 
 

4. 
one 
 
 
 
 
 

5. 
refer 
 
 
 
 
 

6. 
scattered 
 
 
 
 
 

7. 
terminally 
 
 
 
 
 

 

Task 1.5. Match the words with their meanings. 
1. charge  
a. start off, start, begin, commence, initiate  

2. aware  
b. get, receive, obtain, gain, have  
3. embark  
c. informed, familiar, cognizant, conversant  
4. acquire  
d. staff, manpower, panel, contingent  

5. personnel  
e. load, filling, cartridge, filler 

Task 1.6. Search the text to find the equivalents for the following    
Russian expressions. 

1. отправиться в путешествие  
2. может означать все  
3. направлять удар  
4. таким образом  
5. обычные боеприпасы 

Task 1.7. Write down the Russian equivalent for each cognate (‘false 
friend’) as it is used in the text. You might want to check their meaning/ 
pronunciation in a dictionary. 

1. unique  
2. navigate  
3. origins  
4. collective  
5. nature 
 
v. READING COMPREHENSION 

Task 1.8. What is the main purpose of the text?  
1. To outline the origins and usage of the term.  
2. To inform the reader about the term’s long cultural evolution.  
3. To show the complex nature of terminology. 

Task 1.9. Are the statements below True or False?  
1. The term munitions was borrowed into English from Latin.  
2. The words ammunition and munitions are cognates, i.e. they share the 

root morpheme.  
3. Propellants never include incendiary compounds.  
4. Projectiles can be referred to as carriers.  
5. The term ammunition can express opposite meanings, e.g. ‘consumable weapons’ and ‘weapon components’. 

Task 1.10. Complete the sentences by adding expressions from the text. 
1. To better understand the world of modern ammunitions, …  
2. The term’s collective meaning refers to…  
3. The synonymous term munitions signifies….  
4. Only after the cartridge had been invented,….  
5. In a nutshell, ammunition can be defined as …. 

Task 1.11. Answer the following questions.  
1. Why should one be aware of the different meanings expressed by the 
term in question?  

2. What form of the term is commonly used in colloquial English?   
3. What kind of projectile was used with slings?  
4. Are grenades considered expendable weapons or a component part of 
other weapons?  
5. Does the term ‘ammunition’ refer to shaped charge forms of attack? 
 
vi. GRAMMAR FOCUS 

Question Formation 

Task 1.12. Read & study the grammar topic explanation on pp. 58–60. 

Task 1.13. Write one special question for each paragraph & then 
transform the questions into general ones. 

 
vii. SPEAKING 

Task 1.14. Translate in writing & then discuss the sentences produced. 
1. Прежде чем начать исследовать эту тему, необходимо иметь четкое представление о происхождении данного слова.  

2. В самом широком значении слово ammunition может означать все, 
что может быть использовано в бою, включая камни, копья и стрелы.  
3. Только после того, как изобрели патрон, данный термин стал 
также означать сборку снаряда и взрывчатого вещества в одной упаковке.  
4. В настоящее время, у данного термина есть три основных значения.  
5. Самые разные культуры внесли свой уникальный вклад в развитие этой технологии. 

Task 1.15. Summarize each paragraph in a couple of sentences. Write 
them down & retell your text. 
 
 
 
 

MODULE II 

General Description 

Unit 2. Ammunition Types & Designs 

i. VOCABULARY 

Task 2.1. Study the Vocabulary List. 

01 alter, v   
менять(ся), изменять(ся) 

02 anti-personnel, adj  
противопехотный, против живой силы 

03 armor-piercing, adj  
бронебойный 

04 build, n  
конструкция, внешний вид 
05 fragmentation weaponry, nn  осколочные, фугасные боеприпасы 
06 fighting, adj  
боевой (о военной технике) 

07 harden, v  
делать твердым, закалять (о стали) 
08 high-explosive, adj  
взрывоопасный, фугасный 

09 hurl, v  
метать, швырять 

10 infantry, n  
пехота 
11 in mid-air, adv  
высоко в воздухе 

12 kinetic energy penetrator, nn  бронебойный оперённый подкалиберный  
 
снаряд (стреловидный снаряд  

 
кинетического действия) 
13 machine gun, nn  
пулемёт, автомат 
14 rifling, n  
нарезное оружие 
15 round, n  
снаряд, патрон, выстрел, залп 

16 sling-shot, n  
катапульта, рогатка 

17 tracer shell, nn  
трассирующий снаряд 

18 tumble, v  
вращаться, переворачиваться (o пуле) 

19 whilst, conj  
в то время как 

ii. BEFORE YOU READ 

Task 2.2. Brainstorm the topic by answering the questions below. 
1. Do any internationally recognized standards for classifying ammunition exist? 
2. What role if any does ammunition coloring play? 
3. What is the main factor that informs the ammo design? 
4. What is the tracer ammunition used for? 
5. Why is lubrication applied in armor-piercing ammunition? 
 
iii. TEXT 

Task 2.3. Read the text & check your answers to the questions above. 

Ammunition Types & Design 

Ammunition Types. Ammunition comes in a great variety of sizes and 

types often designed to work only in specific weapons systems. However, 
there are internationally recognized standards for certain ammunition types 
that enable their use across different weapons and by different users. Modern ammunition can also vary significantly in quality but is usually manufactured to very high standards. There exist also specific types of ammunition developed to have a specialized effect on a target, such as armorpiercing shells and tracer ammunition used only under certain circumstances. Ammunition is commonly colored in a specific manner to assist in the 
identification and to prevent the wrong ammunition types from being used 
accidentally. The most common types of ammunition include small arms 
and shells used by artillery, tanks and naval armament, as well as aircraft 
and anti-aircraft systems. 
Ammunition Design. Ammunition design has evolved throughout history, while different forms of weapons were being developed and various 
effects required. Generally, the design of the ammunition is to a great extent 
determined by its purpose, e.g. anti-personnel ammunition is often designed 
to break up or tumble inside the target, in order to maximize the damage 
done. Main battle tanks (MBTs) use kinetic energy penetrators (also known 
as KE-penetrators) to combat other main battle tanks and armored fighting 
vehicles. Tanks also use high-explosive fragmentation (HE-frag) weaponry 
for soft targets such as infantry. Historically, ammunition was of relatively 
simple design and build (e.g. sling-shot, stones hurled by catapults), but as 

weapon designs developed (e.g. rifling) and became more refined, the requirement for more specialized ammunition increased. 
Some examples of such specialization and variety include the following 
munitions. Anti-personnel shells containing shrapnel are designed to explode in mid-air, so their fragments will spread over a large area. Armorpiercing rounds are specially hardened and tend to be sharp and narrow, 
often with lubrication to easily penetrate armor, while smoke ammunition 
covers an area with a fog that screens people from view. Incendiary projectiles include white phosphorus, which burns fiercely. Tracer ammunition 
emits light as it travels, allowing the gunner to see the path of bullets in 
flight 
while 
using 
a 
machine 
gun. 
More 
generic 
ammunition 
(e.g. 5.56×45mm NATO or popular types of military rifle and machine gun 
ammo of 5.45 mm and 7.62 mm) can often be altered slightly to give it a 
more specific effect (e.g. tracer, incendiary), whilst larger explosive rounds 
can be altered by using different fuzes. 
 
iv. DEVELOPING ACADEMIC VOCABULARY 

Task 2.4. Find the following expressions in the text & answer the 
questions. 
armament, certain, e.g., HE-frag, significantly, view, while 
 
1. Is it a noun, adjective, adverb, numeral, pronoun, verb, preposition or 
conjunction? 
2. Can you provide a synonym, antonym and/or variant for each item? 
3. What do the two abbreviations stand for?  
4. Can you provide the original Latin expansion for the penultimate item?  
 

# 
expression 
part of 
speech 
synonym 
antonym 
variant 
shortened 
form  
expansion 

1. 
armament 
 
 
 
 
 

2. 
certain 
 
 
 
 
 

3. 
e.g. 
 
 
 
 
 

4. 
HE-frag 
 
 
 
 
 

5. 
significantly  
 
 
 
 

6. 
view 
 
 
 
 
 

7. 
while