The Era of the automobile

Vocabulary Notes

adaptable – адаптируемый, приспосабливаемый

attain – достигать

battery – аккумулятор, батарея

cease – переставать, прекращать

claim – заявление, заявлять

display – дисплей, показ; показывать

distinguish – отличать

distinguished – выдающийся

dramatically – заметно

embody – воплощать

employee – наёмный сотрудник

employer – работодатель

employment – занятость, применение, использование

gasoline – бензин, газолин

inaugurate – ознаменовать

luxury – роскошь

means – средства

promote – способствовать, продвигать вперёд

progress – двигаться вперёд, развиваться; прогресс

peddle – торговать(вразнос)

power – питать энергией

promotion – внедрение, продвижение

properly – должным образом

rear – задняя часть; задний

rearward (s) – направленный назад

road maintenance, improvement and construction – поддержание, обслуживание и строительство дорог

seat – сиденье, седло клапана; усаживать

self-moving vehicle – самодвижущееся транспортное средство

seek (sought) – искать

spare – запасной

substantially – главным образом

sundry – разнообразный

underdeveloped – слаборазвитый

wagon – фургон

wheel – колесо, руль; везти, поворачивать

Read and translate the text and do the following exercises.

T e x t 4A

WHERE DOES THE WORD “AUTOMOBILE” COME FROM?

The word automobile is not English. It consists of two words: autos and mobilis. Autos is a Greek word meaning “self”, mobilis-a Latin word meaning “movable”. The two words taken together mean “self-moving”. Thus, an automobile means a self-moving vehicle. The synonyms of automobile are: auto, car, auto-car, motor-car.

Automobile is a four-wheeled automotive vehicle designed for passenger transportation, commonly, propelled by an internal combustion engine.

The modern automobile consists of about 14,000 parts, divided into several structural and mechanical systems. These include the steel body, containing the passenger and storage space, which sits on the chassis or steel frame; the internal combustion gasoline engine, which power the car by means of a transmission; the steering and braking systems, which control the car’s motion; and the electrical system, which includes a battery, alternator , and other devices. Subsystems involve fuel, exhaust, lubrication, cooling, suspension, and tires.

Though experimental vehicles were built in the 18th and mid-19th century, not until the 1880s did Gottlieb Daimler and Karl Benz in Germany begin separately to manufacture cars commercially. In the U.S., James and William Packard (1863–1928, 1861–1923) and Ransom Olds (1864–1950) were among the first auto manufacturers, and by 1898 there were 50 U.S. manufacturers. Some early cars were operated by steam engine, such as those made from 1902 by Francis E. and Freelan O. Stanley. The internal combustion engine was used by Henry Ford when he introduced the Model T in 1908; Ford would soon revolutionize the industry with his use of the assembly line.

In the 1930s European manufacturers began to make small, affordable cars such as the Volkswagen. In the 1950s and 60’s, U.S. automakers produced lager, more luxurious cars with more automatic features. In the 1970s and 80’s Japanese manufacturers exported their small, reliable, fuel-efficient cars worldwide, and their increasing popularity spurred U.S. automakers to produce similar models.

The role and importance of an automobile arise from the fact that it can move along roads unprovided with rails. In fact, it substantially differs from a street car (tram) and a railway car (train). In fact, it often replaces street cars, railway cars, and other agencies (средства) of transportation and communication. In short, the automobile is a vehicle well adapted for ordinary road conditions.

The automobile has long since ceased to be a matter of luxury or sport and has become a decisive factor in the economic development of many countries. This accounts for the fact that the world at large uses a great number of automobiles. In some countries where automobiles are found in millions they are playing a most important part in the solution of many problems of transport.

The development of automobiles is also accountable to a lager extent for the progress in road maintenance, improvement and construction.

Notes to the text:

alternator – генератор

spur – стимулировать

the world at large – повсюду

Exercise 1. Find in the text synonyms to the word automobile.

Exercise 2. Are the statements true or false? Correct the false statements.

1 An automobile means a self-moving vehicle.

2 Only electric automobiles are equipped with the electrical system.

3 The movement of the car is controlled only by two systems: the braking and the steering ones.

4 The first cars were operated by the simplest types of internal combustion engines.

5 Karl Benz was the first in Germany to introduce a car with a steam-engine.

6 Ford contributed much to automation in car manufacturing.

7 An automobile doesn’t differ from a street car and a railway car.

8 The automobile plays an important part in the economic development in many countries.

9 Automobiles solve many problems of transport.

Exercise 3. Put the following events in chronological order:

a) Cars with internal combustion engine were launched. b) The earliest attempts to build cars were taken. c) The Eastern cars became more popular than the American ones. d) A car with a steam engine was introduced. e) An assembly line for producing cars was invented.

Exercise 4. Retell the text using the answers to the questions.

1 What is the origin of the word automobile?

2 Which inventors influenced the history of an automobile?

3 How did the assembly line improve car manufacturing?

4 Which major systems are there in a car?

5 Why is an internal combustion engine better than a steam one?

6 What fact does the role and importance of the automobile arise from?

7 Why does the automobile play an important part in the economic development in many countries?

Exercise 5. Translate the words and their derivatives. Explain the meaning of the words:

consist, consists, consisted, consisting

mean, meant, meaning, means, meaningful

move, moving, moved, movement, moves

take, takes, took, taken, taking

provide, providing, provided, provides, unprovided

differ, differed, different, differs, differing, difference

adapt, adapted, adapting, adaptable, adaptability, adaptation

develop, develops, development, developed, underdeveloped

find, finding, found, foundling, finds.

Exercise 6. Translate the following words and word combinations.

Two words taken together, self-moving vehicle, unprovided with rails, agencies of transportation and communication, well adapted for ordinary road conditions, a matter of luxury, a decisive factor, economic development, the world at large, a great number of, to a lager extent, road maintenance improvement and construction, four-wheeled vehicle, steam engine, braking system.

Exercise 7. Complete the word combinations and translate them into Russian:

The world at _______, a great ________ of, to a ________ extent, road _______, improvement and construction, two ________ taken together, self-moving ________, ________ with rails, economic ________, ________ of transportation and communication, a _______ factor, road _______, a matter of _______, well _______ for _______ road conditions, a four-wheeled vehicle designed ______, cars operated by _______, invention of ______ for producing cars.

Exercise 8. Translate the following words and word combinations into English:

разрабатывать расчёт средство с тех пор переставать роскошь

состоять из означать двигаться брать сам транспортное средство

автомобиль важность возникать из обеспечивать главным образом различаться

Exercise 9. Write a dictation:

consist of motor-car develop

mean importance account

move arise from agency

take provide since

self substantially cease

vehicle differ luxury

Read the text and do the tasks that follow.

T e x t 4B

The Electric

An electric automobile is a battery-powered motor vehicle. The history of an electric car dates back to the 1880s. In 1888, Scientific American described an English electric car­riage. An ordinary four-passenger "'dog cart", the vehicle was elec­trified by Immisch & Company of London for the Sultan of Turkey. It had a 1-hp motor connected by chain to a rear wheel. The mak­ers claimed that the twenty-four-cell battery (stored under the seats) could "propel the vehicle at a speed of about ten miles an hour for five hours."

Initially, electric cars were used for private passenger, truck, and bus transportation in cities, where their low speeds and limited battery range were not drawbacks, and the cars became popular for their quietness and low maintenance costs. Twenty-eight percent of the 4,192 American automobiles produced in 1900 were electric. In the New York automobile show of that year more electrics were on display than gasoline or steam vehicles. Some of America's most distinguished inventors, including Thomas Edison, were promoting electrics or taking part in their development. And the first American firm to manufacture cars by hundreds was churning out well-designed electrics.

Until 1920 electric cars were competitive with gasoline-powered cars and mass production made them cheaper to produce. In Europe electric vehicles have been used as short-range delivery vans. Renewed interest in electric cars beginning in the 1970s, spurred especially by new consciousness of foreign oil dependency and environmental concern, led to improvements in speed and range. Recent laws, particularly in California, have mandated commercial production. "Hybrid" cars employing both electric and internal combustion engines and providing the best features of both technologies have recently become commercially available.

Experimental vehicles have used solar fuel cells. Fuel cells are capable of converting chemical energy of a fuel directly into electricity. Fuel cells are more efficient than most other energy-conversion devices. They are especially being developed for use in electric automobiles, in the hope of achieving enormous reduction in pollution.

Notes to the text:

a dog cart – высокий двухколёсный экипаж с поперечными сиденьями и местом для собак под сиденьями

twenty-four-cell battery – аккумулятор на 24 батареях

churn out – выпускать

Exercise 1. Find in the text synonyms to the word to produce.

Exercise 2. Are these statements true or false? Correct the false statements.

1 The history of an electric car dates back to the 1920s.

2 First electric vehicles were rather noisy, but soon they became quieter.

3 It was more expensive to produce electric cars than common cars at the beginning of the 20^th century.

4 Electric cars were primarily used for transportation within city limits.

5 In the New York automobile show in 1900 there were more gasoline and steam vehicles than electric cars.

6 Americans faced an energy crisis at the end of the 19^th century.

7 The attempts to combine two types of engine (electric and gasoline) failed.

8 Electric cars are environment-friendly.

Exercise 3. Translate the words and their derivatives. Explain the meaning of the words:

energy, energize, energized, energetic, energizes

charge, chargeable, recharge, rechargeable

distinguish, distinguished, distinguishing, distinguishable

promote, promotion, promoter, promoting, promoted

electrify, electrified, electric, electrical, electrification

rear, rearward, rearwards, rear view, rear view mirror

attain, attainability, attainable.

Exercise 4. Fill in the blanks with the correct words:

cost fuel cells wheel

features achieved distinguished

pollution vehicle available

1 I won’t buy this car because of its… .

2 What arе the … of this car?

3 They … very good results.

4 An ordinary four – passenger … was electrified.

5 A 1-hp motor was connected to a rear… .

6 Many … inventor took part in the development of electrics.

7 Hybrid cars have become commercially … .

8 … are more efficient than other energy-conversion devices.

9 A lot of people speak about the … , but do little.

Exercise 5. Indicate which of the features are advantages of the electric cars (A) and which are disadvantages (D):

1 low speed

2 low maintenance costs

3 environment-friendliness

4 limited battery range

5 quietness

Exercise 6. Translate the following words and word combinations into Enqlish:

бензин отличать способствовать электрифицировать

задний обычный достигать должным образом

снабжать энергией перезаряжать аккумулятор показывать

Exercise 7. Write a dictation:

energize gasoline rear

recharge distinguish ordinary

battery promote properly

display electrify available

Read the text.

T e x t 4C

THE ERA OF THE GASOLINE-POWERED AUTOMOBILE

Inventors on both sides of the Atlantic discovered during the 1880s that technologies for making self-propelled carriages and wagons had progressed dramatically. Soon sundry vehicles powered by steam, internal combustion engines, and electricity were rolling across Germany, France, and the United States.

The first practical internal combustion engine was built by Etienne Lenoir, a Belgian living in France. Patented in 1860, his water-cooled contraption burned coal gas and was noisy and inefficient; even so, for two decades it had many buyers. Lenoir's engine was a clear proof of concept to other inventors, especially in Eu­rope.

Nikolaus Otto, a German, was one of many inspired by Lenoir's technical and commercial success. Me­chanically gifted, Otto sought to improve the Lenoir en­gine, and in the late 1870s he did. Otto's four-cycle design embodied features that would become standard in gasoline automobile engines.

The cars of that time were very small, two-seated cars with no roof, driven by an engine placed under the seat. Motorists had to carry large cans of fuel and sep­arate spare parts, for there were no repair or filling stations to serve them.

The Otto engine and the many clones it spawned, though intended to replace small steam engines in in­dustry, inaugurated the era of the gasoline-powered automobile. Clearly, the compact internal com­bustion engine was a most suitable technology for the self-propelled ve­hicle.

Karl Benz, also a German, em­ployed his own Otto-type engine to power a three-wheel carriage in 1885. These tri-wheelers, with a one-cyl­inder engine that developed 0.8 hp, were put on the market in 1887, per­haps the earliest commercial auto­mobiles.

In 1891 Benz added a four-wheel motorized carriage to his company's offerings. These automobiles were sold well and were widely imitated. In the early 1890s, for example, Panhard et Levassor as well as Peugeot in France were peddling cars to the public. Henry Ford, however, was still a long way from building automobiles.

Notes to the text:

Water-cooled contraption – устройство водяного охлаждения

Spawn – порождать, плодиться

Offering – предложение

Exercise 1. Find in the text synonyms to the word vehicle.

Exercise 2. Fill in the blanks according to the contents of the text. Translate the sentences.

Inventors on both sides of the Atlantic during the 1880s that technologies_______had progressed dramatically.

Patented in 1860, his water-cooled contraption__________and was_____and_____.

Otto's four-cycle design that would become standard in engines.

Motorists had to carry_____________and separate________, for there were no or to serve them.

The compact internal combustion engine was a most for the _______.

Karl Benz his own Otto-type engine a three-wheel carriage in 1885 .

Exercise 3. Retell the text using the answers to the questions.

1 Who built the first practical internal combustion engine?

2 Who improved the Lenoir engine?

3 What era did the Otto engine inaugurate?

4 Who introduced the first commercial automobile?

Exercise 4. Translate the words into Russian:

inventor discover carriage wagon progress dramatically

sundry combustion electricity contraption noisy inefficient

decade concept success seek improve embody

clone repair spawn replace to power offering

feature imitate peddle spare inaugurate suitable

Exercise 5. Translate the following words into English.

десятилетие	черта	клон
концепция	подражать	ремонтировать
успех	торговать	порождать
искать	запасной	замещать
исправлять	ознаменовать	питать энергией
воплощать	подходящий	предложение
изобретатель	разнообразный	неэффективный
открывать	сгорание	драматично
экипаж	электричество
фургон	хитроумное приспособление
прогресс	шумный

Exercise 6. Translate the words and their derivatives. Explain the meaning of the words:

invent, inventor, invented, inventing, invents

discover, discovery, discoverer, discovered, discovers

improve, improvement, improved, improving, improves

embody, embodiment, embodied

replace, replacement, replaced, replacing, replaces

employ, employment, unemployment, employer, employee

power, powerful, powerless

imitate, imitation, imitative, imitator

peddle, peddler, peddling

Exercise 7. Translate the sentences. Explain the reasons for the changes in translation suggestions depending on changes in the predicate:

Motorists must carry large cans of fuel and separate spare parts.

Motorists carry large cans of fuel and separate spare parts.

Motorists carried large cans of fuel and separate spare parts.

Motorists are to carry large cans of fuel and separate spare parts.

Motorists will carry large cans of fuel and separate spare parts.

Motorists can carry large cans of fuel and separate spare parts.

Motorists had to carry large cans of fuel and separate spare parts.

Read the text and find words and word combinations which mean:

1 a new idea or product 2 reduce 3 basis 4 joining 5 position 6 for each car 7 whole, complete 8 very great

9 large number, quantity 10 at a very high level, suddenly 11 put together or fit the parts of 12 take, send to 13 every year 14 the same 15 a person who takes part in a race for the first place

T e x t 4D

Mass Production

Car manufacturer Henry Ford laid the foundation for the revolu­tionary change in the entire motor vehicle industry.

The key for mass production was not the moving assembly line, It was the complete interchangeability of parts and the simplicity of attaching them to each other. These were the innovations that made the assembly line possible. Taken together, they gave Ford tremen­dous advantage over his competitors.

Ford's first efforts to assemble his cars, beginning in 1903, were to set up assembly stands on which a whole car was built. Each assem­bler performed many jobs on one car and had to get the necessary parts for it.

The first step Ford took to make this process more efficient was to deliver the parts to each work station. Now each assembler remained in the same place all day. Later in 1908 Ford decided that each assembler would perform only one task and move around the factory from car to car. In 1913 cars were placed on a moving assem­bly line. Each assembler performed one task only and remained sta­tionary. This innovation cut cycle time from 2.3 minutes to 1.19 minutes, thus dramatically improving productivity.

Ford's discovery simultaneously reduced the amount of human effort needed to assemble an automobile. What is more, the more vehicles Ford produced, the more the cost per vehicle fell. In the early 1920s Ford produced 2 million identical vehicles a year.

Ford's mass production was adopted in almost every industrial activity in America and Europe.

Exercise 1. Fill in the gaps forming well-known word combinations or terms.

……….. time the cost …………..

vehicle ………. ………… production

assembly ……… ………… manufacturer

……… effort ………… industry

Exercise 2. Answer the questions.

1 Who laid the foundation for the revolutionary change in the automobile industry?

2 What was the key for mass production?

3 When did Ford begin to assemble his cars?

4 What steps did Ford take to make the process of assembling more efficient?

5 How did Ford’s discovery influence human labour?

6 Was Ford’s mass production a success? Why?

U N I T 5