10. Прочитайте тексты и найдите автомобильные термины и фразы, связанные с организацией дорожного движения. Обратите внимание на перевод следующих слов.

phosphorescent– фосфоресцирующий, светящийся

tape– лента, полоса, полоска

fair– ярмарка

buckle– пряжка

tag– ярлык

lens– линза

dippedheadlamp– фара ближнего света

Stepping to safety

Italian shoe manufactures have come up with new idea to give pedestrians more safety at night. Strips of phosphorescent tape are placed on the shoe bottoms to serve as safety reflectors. Every time a walker picks up a foot to step forward, his sole will grow in the dark, giving drivers warning. The device will be introduced at the Shoe Fair at Vigevano, Italy, center of the Italian Shoemaking industry.

Safe bags

Life-saving bags for children are orange and have fluorescent buckles. Children also carry reflective tag to keep them safe on the roads in the dark. Little “lenses” on the surface of the tag reflect light from a vehicle’s headlamps back to the driver. With dipped headlamps a pedestrian with a tag is visible to a driver at 148 yards. Without a tag he is only visible at 29 yards, especially if he wears dark clothing.

11. Прочитайте и переведите текст об истории дорожной разметки. Обратите внимание на незнакомую лексику.

HISTORY OF ROAD MARKING

longitudinal – продольный

reputedly– как известно, как предполагается

substantial– существенный, важный

delineate– очерчивать

roadwaytransitions– переходы

obstructions– затруднения, препятствия

pertinent– уместный

inclusion– включение

bead– капля, шарик, бусина

Among the earliest pavement markings was the longitudinal center stripe which reputedly appeared first in Wayne County, Michigan, in 1911. The most common design of the stripe has 15-ft dashes separated by 25-ft spaces. Other dash-space combinations range from 9-15 to 70-70. A few agencies employ continuous lines. Width of line usually is 4in., although 3-6-in. stripes appear. Colour generally is recommended white, but some agencies use yellow. Patterns and colour for pavement markings differ among highway agencies, but there is substantial progress toward uniformity.

Today painted or built-in pavement markings are one of the most helpful instruments for traffic direction and control. Stripes are employed to delineate roadway center lines, lane boundaries, no-passing zones, pavement edges, roadway transitions, and the approach of obstructions, streetcar clearances, turns, stop lines, crosswalks, railroad crossings, and parking-space limits. Symbols, words, or numbers convey pertinent information such as that about speed limits and the nearness of schools.

Most agencies employ specialized mechanical equipment and trained crews for pavement striping. Some units are capable of covering 60 to 70 miles per day. Hand painting by spray or brush is necessary in tight quarters. Paints are fast drying, but almost all states use signs or protective devices to prevent vehicles from tracking them. In 15 states, motorists crossing newly painted lines are subject to arrest. Normal service life of stripes is 6 to 9 months.

A variety of paint mixtures are employed for striping. Worthy of particular notice is the strong trend toward the inclusion of glass beads to increase night visibility. In1950morethanhalfofpaintappliedwasbeaded.