Components of the automobile

Automobiles are trackless, self-propelled vehicles for land transportation of people or goods, or for moving materials. There are three main types of automobiles. These are passenger cars, buses and lorries (trucks). The automobile consists of the following components: a) the engine; b) the framework; c) the mechanism that transmits the power from engine to the wheels; d) the body.

Passenger cars are, as a rule, propelled by an internal combustion engine. They are distinguished by the horsepower of the engine, the number of cylinders in the engine and the type of the body, the type of transmission, wheelbase, weight and overall length.

There are engines of various designs. They differ in the number of cylinders, their position, their operating cycle, valve mechanism, ignition and cooling system.

Most automobile engines have six or eight cylinders, although some four-, twelve-, and sixteen-cylinder engines are used. The activities that take place in the engine cylinder can be divided into four stages which are called strokes. The four strokes are: intake, compression, power and exhaust. “Stroke” refers to the piston movement. The upper limit of piston movement is called top dead centre, TDC. The lower limit of piston movement is called bottom dead centre, BDC. A stroke constitutes piston movement from TDC to BDC or from BDC to TDC. In other words, the piston completes a stroke each time it changes the direction of motion.

EXERCISES

I. Read the text and translate it.

II. Answer the following questions:

1. What types of automobiles do you know?

2. How many cylinders do automobile engines have?

3. What components does an automobile consist of?

4. What is a passenger car propelled with?

5. What is a stroke?

III. Retell the text.

Making a car panel

This panel (FIG. 1) fits onto the front right-hand side of a car. It is made by three methods.

First, sheet steel is made. This is done by pushing a piece of steel between two rollers (see FIG. 2), which squeeze the metal and make it longer and thinner. This method is called ROLLING. Not all metals can be rolled. For example, iron cannot be rolled because it is too brittle. But steel can be rolled because it is tough and malleable enough.

Next, the steel is cut into a flat shape (see FIG. 3). This is done by placing the sheet onto a die, and then cutting a hole in it with a punch. The method is called PUNCHING. The steel can be cut easily because it is now very thin.

Finally, the sheet steel is bent and pressed into a rounded shape (like in FIG. 1). This is done by putting the sheet onto a die and then bending the sheet around the die with a press (see FIG. 4). This method is called PRESSING. It is not difficult to press sheet steel because it is thin and malleable.

EXERCISES

I. Read the text and translate it.

II. What are the objects in the diagrams called?

III. Answer these questions:

1. What makes the metal longer and thinner? Why?/Why not?

2. How is this done?

3. What does the punch do?

4. What is the press for?

5. What are the rollers for?

6. Is it easy to roll iron? Why?/Why not?

7. Is it easy to cut sheet steel?

8. What do you think “malleable” means? Choose two brittle / easy to break / easy to squeeze / rigid / easy to bend.