Файл: Л.А. Бердюгина Some facys about Cars (Немного об автомобилях).pdf

10.How many cylinders does it have/has the car got?

How are the cylinders arranged? What is the arrangement of cylinders?

11.What is the displacement of this engine?

12.What distance has the car covered?

13.What fuel does this car use? What fuel does it run on?

14.What is the maximum /top speed of this car?

15.How fast does this car accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h? (It accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in ... sec.)

16.What is the price of this car? How much does it cost? How much is it? How much does it sell for?

17.How many seats (doors, brakes ...) are there in the car? What is the seating capacity?

18.What accessories/options are included?

19.How heavy/long/wide is it? How much does it weigh?

What is the overall length/width/height of the car?

20.How many people/passengers/occupants can /does it carry?

21.Is the car noisy or silent?

22.Could you describe the instrument panel/ dashboard of this car? What is it made of? (wood, plastic)

23.What are the sizes/dimensions of this car?

24.Is this car easy to handle?

25.Are there any electrical devices in the automobile?

26.What devices provide safety?

27.What materials are used for the interior/body of the car? What are the seats upholstered with? (leather, synthetic cloth)

28.Is it a new car or a second-hand one?

29.What is the petrol consumption in town cycle & on highway?

30.How much fuel does it use in town cycle or on highway?

31.How much fuel does the car use for 1 km? What is the mileage of it?

32.What is the tank capacity?

33.What kind of transmission/gearbox is it equipped with?

34.What type of car is it? (coupe, convertible, sport, family, etc.)

35.What make of car do you prefer?

36.What make is the car?

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XXV. Memorize the words.

ENVIRONMENTALISTS WANT TO PREPARE

FOR A FUTURE WITH FEWER CARS.

A. An environmentalist is someone who works to protect the environment: the air, land, and oceans of the Earth. Read the article below.

At a recent meeting of environmentalists, the problem of cars was discussed. Most environmentalists believe that in the future, there will be no more oil. This means that there will be no more gasoline for the cars that so many of us drive every day.

The environmentalists agreed that cars have made our lives much easier and more comfortable. But they believe that it is very important for the people who are working on machines to try and build new ones that will not require gasoline.

“We have always been good at using science to create new machines,” said one environmentalist. “This is very important. Our ability to build and create new forms of transportation will help us face a future without gasoline.”

The environmentalists also discussed the importance of working with businesses to help them prepare for the future. “A world without gasoline means a world with fewer cars,” added one man. “And this is good because it means less pollution. Maybe companies could find a way to pay extra money to workers who take buses or ride bicycles to work.”

Most of the people at the meeting described their deep love for the Earth and their desire to keep it clean. They want to power cars by using solar or

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ronmentalist, Jan Lundberg, left his Mercedes-Benz in Los Angeles and moved to the forests of northern California. There he works on the Auto-Free Times, a newspaper that teaches people how to live without driving. Lundberg travels on foot, on bicycle, or by bus. Before he decided to live without a car, Lundberg worked for the oil companies, studying the prices of gasoline.

6.Lundberg and other environmentalists dream of turning parking lots into parks and replacing cars with bicycles, but most people around the world believe that the car is a necessary part of life in today's world. Still, there is an important question that must be answered: What kind of fuel will we use when gasoline is no longer available? Lundberg believes that by the year 2021, there will no longer be oil for gasoline makers to use. To solve this problem, car companies in Korea, Japan, Europe, and the United States are trying to develop an electric car that will not require gasoline at all.

7.The electric car is not a new idea. It had a success with American women in the early 1900s. Women liked electric cars because they were quiet and did not pollute the air. Electric cars were also easier to start than gasoline-powered ones. But gasoline-powered cars were faster, and in the 1920s they became much more popular.

8.The electric car was not used again until the 1970s, when there were serious problems with the availability of oil. Car companies began to plan for a future without gasoline. The General Motors Company had plans to develop an electric car by 1980; however, oil became available again, and this car was never produced.

9.Today there is a new interest in the electric car, which is partly related to a passion for speed and new technology. In 1977, engineer Paul Mac Cready, designed a human-powered airplane that successfully completed a three-mile flight. A similar airplane crossed the English Channel in 1977, followed by a solar-powered airplane. In 1987, the Sunraycer, a solar-powered car, won a 2,000-mile race in Australia. As a result of this success, the General Motors Company began new work on the development of the electric car. The Toyota Company recently decided to spend $800 million a year on the development of new car technology. Many engineers believe that the electric car will lead to other forms of technology being used for transportation.

10.Cars may change, but their importance will not. Cars are important to nearly everyone, including engineers, businesspeople, environmentalists, and even poets. Poet Curt Brown believes that cars are part of our passion for new places and new experiences. According to Brown, this "very, very comfortable

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flying chair" will continue to bring us travel and adventure, no matter how it changes in the future.

B.Number the following main ideas in the order they appear in the text.

____a. Soon there will be no oil to fuel cars.

____b. Cars, whether gasoline or electric powered, will always be important.

____c. Cars can cause problems.

____d. To some people, cars are more than transportation.

____e. Some environmentalists teach people how to live without cars.

____f. People in the United States need cars to go to school, to work, and to places of entertainment.

C.Complete the sentences with information from the text. What items (пункты) can you add? Discuss them with your partner.

Advantages of the Car

1.Some people enjoy ________________________

2.People can travel____________________________

3.People are closer to _______ _________________

4.Some people make money by___________________

Disadvantages of the Car

1.There are a lot of cars and ___________________

2.Cars use more fuel than _____________________

3.Beautiful land is replaced with__________________

4.Gasoline may no longer be _____________________

D. Read each part of the outline (план) and cross out one detail that is not included in the text. Exchange information with your partner.

1.There are many cars in the world today.

a.Cars were first produced in large numbers by Ford Motors.

b.There are more cars than people in the world today.

c.Many people have jobs that are related to cars.

d.Two and a half million cars pass through New York City each day.

2.Cars have brought us some problems.

a.In some areas the air is no longer clean.

b.Travel is sometimes slow because of traffic.

c.Cars have made changes in the environment.

d.Studies show that gasoline prices are increasing.

3.The car of the future may be electric.

a.The first electric cars were faster than the gasoline-powered cars.

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b.The first electric cars produced less pollution.

c.Electric cars can be used when oil is not available.

d.Car companies are planning to develop the electric car.

4.Cars are very important.

a.Many people need them in their lives.

b.New technologies are being developed because of the cars.

c.Many famous people own valuable (expensive) cars.

d.Cars bring us passion and excitement.

E.Work in pairs. Ask and answer the following questions:

1. What fuel is mostly used in our cars?

2. What public transport uses this kind of fuel?

3. What sources of fuel will be available in the future?

4 What are their advantages (преимущество, достоинство) and disadvantages?

F.Look through the text and answer the following questions:

1.What are the main corner miles (вехи) of electric car history?

2.What are the advantages and disadvantages of electric vehicles?

XXVII. A. Read the text of the new Suzuki car and answer the questions:

1.What new car does Suzuki produce?

2.What is the new model called?

3.What are the versions of the car and how much do they cost?

4.Which model is the cheapest and the most expensive one?

5.What engine is the car powered by (equipped with)?

6.What are the main characteristics of the GL?

7.Could you give the specific features of the GLX (its sizes, instrument panel, seats, etc.)?

8.Who is this car designed for?

New-age offering to suit the family

Suzuki has a smart, new five-door hatchback, providing 1.6 litre power and performance for about £10,000, writes Michael Ford. The new model is called the Liana – the abbreviation of Life in a New Age – and comes in a friendly package which has all the practicalities to satisfy family demands.

Initially there are two versions, a GL and a GLX, both powered by an identical 1.6 litre DOHC, 16-valve all-alloy engine, developing 101

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horsepower and proving very flexible in the manner in which it handles on the road. It comes with either five-speed manual gears or four-speed auto.

Don’t dismiss the lower-priced version, the 1.6 GL, because it comes with surprisingly high levels of equipment like power steering, electric mirrors and windows, safety features, and the clock is kept spot on time by satellite.

The top-of-the-range GLX at £11,495 gets the addition of anti-lock braking with electronic brake distribution, air conditioning, alloy wheels and a CD player.

It measures up at 13ft 9ins, and while taller than most rivals (соперник) at a little over 5ft, is still easy on the eye.

Despite its relatively compact dimensions, it provides adequate place for five adults, with good headroom through the higher roof line.

Engineer appear to have worked on noise reduction to good effect, and the Suzuki should find a ready place as a family favorite.

From behind the wheel, you will either love or hate the liquid crystal instrument display, which includes a digital speedo showing your speed either in mph or kph. The radio and audio system is placed centrally at the top of the instrument panel. Traditionalists would perhaps prefer conventional dials and instruments, but you soon discover the digital system is easier to live with.

Rear seats are split, and either side can be double-folded virtually flat to expand the cargo space. There are also a number of handy storage spaces inside the car for odds and ends (мелочи).

On the road it has an easy feel, drives with enthusiasm and has all the attributes you need in a family car. It’s roomy, well equipped and could top 100 mph in the right conditions.

Prices range from the 1.6 GL at £ 9,995 and GL auto at £10,870 to the GLX at £11,495 and range-topping GLX auto with a price of £12,370.

B. Resume the text.

XXVIII. Read the text about electric cars.

General Motors Introduces First Mass-Produced Electric Cars

Part I. Eight decades after the American auto industry turned away from the electric car in favor of gas-powered vehicles, the giant General Motors Corporation (GM) made a return to the market with the first mass-produced