Vocabulary notes

truck грузовой автомобиль

van (авто) фургон

to refer to иметь отношение к чему-либо; ссылаться на…

relaxing break отдых, передышка

feature особенность, признак

car safety features средства безопасности автомобиля

drive in(s) сервис (не выходя из автомобиля)

to trace (to) восходить к источнику или периоду в прошлом

approximately приблизительно, приближённо

output продукция; выпуск

showroom демонстрационный зал для показа образцов товара

employment занятие; работа

major важный, главный

to reduce уменьшать, сокращать

to result from происходить в результате; проистекать

EXERCISES

I. Read the following text and translate it into Russian.

II. Give Russian equivalents of the following:

no longer live lonely lives; for a relaxing break; has brought about many features; out-of town; shopping centers; horse-drawn carriage; huge roads; horseless carriage; can be traced to Europe; half of the world’s output; to set up car industries; problems of noise and pollution; safety features; seat belts.

III. Put about 15 key questions to the text and answer them.

IV. What are the questions to which the following are the answers? (Use the text).

1. Ways of life changed greatly in many countries.

2. The car became a major form of transportation first in the United States.

3. Only rich people could afford cars.

4. Many developing nations want to set up car industries.

5. The car has also brought many problems.

6. Problems of car use have been addressed in a number of ways in recent years.

V. Retell the text.

Impact on society

The car has given many people freedom of movement. It enables them to decide where they want to go and when. The car influences where people live and work and how they spend their leisure time.

When the first cars were produced, only the well-to-do could afford them. Soon, however, prices declined as production increased in response to the growing demand. The lower prices put the car within reach of more and more people. Well-off urban residents found car ownership cheaper then keeping a horse and carriage. The growth in car ownership led to the building of more and better roads, which further increased travel.

Although cars were first bought mainly by affluent city dwellers, it was country people who became the first large-scale group of car owners. Many were farmers or residents of small towns that served farmers, in the early 1900s, those people became the first mass group of car buyers. Cars and trucks enabled farmers to sell their goods faster and farther away, and to travel more often and in greater comfort than ever before.

Before the development of cars, urban workers walked, cycled, or rode on railway trains or horse-drown vehicles to their jobs. But as roads improved and car ownership expanded during the 1920s, people increasingly moved to the suburb because of the freedom provided by car ownership. By the mid-1950s, even factories had begun to relocate in the suburbs.

Economic impact. Such industrialized nations as the United or no car production — for example, Norway and New Zealand — the widespread use of cars has become vital to the economy. Filling stations, motels, restaurants, and other businesses that serve car travelers are of major importance to the economic well-being of all industrialized countries and increasingly of developing ones. In addition, many developing nations have begun making motor vehicles or parts to stimulate industry and to provide the vehicles needed for growth. For example, China has promoted broad-based car manufacturing, and the Philippines has expanded parts production for export to car manufacturers in other countries.

Environmental impact. As cars burn petrol, they release hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen oxides into the air and so pollute it. Air pollution endangers people’s health and damages crops and livestock. Cars produce terrible pollution in many of the world’s big cities. Especially severe pollution occurs in such cities as Los Angeles, Mexico City, Tokyo, and Madrid, where the streets and roads are choked with traffic.

In many countries, steps have been taken to control air pollution caused by cars as well as by other sources. Agencies that enforce these regulations set emission standards that limit the amount of pollution new cars may produce.

Car manufacturers have made great progress in reducing the emission of major pollutants by meeting the increasingly strict environmental standards. For example, since the 1960s the emission of hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide by American-built cars has been reduced by 96 per cent and nitrogen oxides by 76 per cent. The reduction has been achieved largely with the installation of a catalytic converter in the exhaust system of cars. The device changes carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons into carbon dioxide and water vapor.