Directions: Read the passages carefully and answer the question. Much has been said and written about the declining numbers of and disappointing lack of diversity among American college students majoring in engineering. Among the factors cited to explain this phenomenon are the lack of exposure of high school students to the very idea of engineering and the fact that many have insufficient mathematics and science background to gain entrance to engineering school, even if they do identify the profession as a possible career. This is unfortunate, for the ideas of engineering should be integrated into the curricula not only of high schools but also of middle and primary schools. Our children are being done a disservice by not being exposed properly throughout their education to engineering activities identifted as such. After all, even pre-school children have the prerequisites in their play for appreciating exactly what engineering is: design. Indeed, design is everywhere around them throughout their school day, even in their before-school and after-school activities. It needs only to be pointed out to them that they are designing something, and therefore being engineers of sorts, in virtually everything that they do. The writer recognizes the fact that engineering.............