7. Ответьте на вопросы по тексту:

1. Why was it a Detroit farmboy Henry Ford who literally transformed the world?

2. What kind of car did Henry Ford built?

3. What did each worker add in the Ford factory?

4. Why do modern assembly lines use robots?

5. What made the Model T so cheap?

6. Where is the booming confidence of the American nation in those years reflected in?

7. What did the 1950s see?

8. Составьте аннотацию на текст (2 - 3 предложения).

9. Составьте реферат на текст (10 - 15 предложений).

10. Составьте план текста и перескажите текст.

ВАРИАНТ 7

I.Прочитайте и переведите текст:

High Performance

Road Race

The famous Mille Miglia (1000 miles) was an endurance race for road cars run over 1600 km of winding public roads in Italy. The 300SL excelled several times in the race and, in 1955, won outright.

Space Frame

Designers of GTs sought to keep weight to a minimum. Mercedes succeeded by making the 300SL's unique chassis from tubular steel. The frame was light and strong - but its high sides were the reason for the "gullwing" doors.

1957 Mercedes-Benz 300SL "Gullwing"

With futuristic bodywork matched by advanced engineering that gave the car 230 kmh (144 mph) performance, the Mercedes-Benz 300SL was a true classic.

Formula one racing cars are the ultimate speed machines, worlds apart from everyday road cars. Their open, one-seater bodies are made of new ultra-light materials and are so low slung they almost scrape the ground. The "fuselage" and wings are aerodynamically shaped to keep the wheels firmly on the road. Vast, wide tyres give extra grip at high speeds. And enormously powerful engines propel them around the track at speeds in excess of 300 kmh (190 mph). Motor racing is so fiercely competitive that designers are always trying new ideas to give their cars the edge in performance. But each car has to comply with strict rules laid down for Formula One cars, covering everything from the size of the fuel tank to the shape of the floor-pan. To keep up with new developments, the rules must be updated almost every season, and the ingenuity of designers is tested to its limits as they try to adapt their designs to the new rules - and still beat their rivals.

Finishing School

The 500 cc events that started up in the 1950s have proved an ideal way into racing for many a budding Grand Prix driver.

Air Pressure

Racing car bodies are not only streamlined to cut down air resistance; they are also shaped so that the air flowing over the car helps keep it on the road. The front and rear wings act like upside down aeroplane wings to push the wheels on to the ground.

Ground Effect

In 1979, many racing cars had "skirts" almost touching the ground -so that, at high speed, air rushing under the car sucked it on to the ground. This "ground-effect" improved road-holding so much that skirts were soon banned because drivers were going too fast. Now cars have a "waist" to give the same effect.

1979 Ferrari 312 t4

One of the most successful modern Grand Prix cars, the Ferrari 312 took first Niki Lauda and then, in 1979, Jody Scheckter to the world drivers' championship.

Hybrid Japanese Electric Vehicles

Hybrid electric vehicles have been developed by auto manufacturers independently, as a promising option for replacing internal combustion engine vehicles. To date, several hybrid buses and passenger car have been commercialized.

In 1997, Toyota Motor Corporation launched its originally designed production hybrid passenger car Prius. The price is 2.15 million yen, only 25 percent higher than a comparable gasoline vehicle. The Prius is powered by both gasoline engine and electric motor independently or jointly, doubling the fuel efficiency to 28 km per liter compared with a conventional Corolla. The company developed hybrid system combines parallel and series hybrid systems, allowing the engine simultaneously to provide propulsion and to operate an electric generator charging the nickel-metal hydride batteries with a power split device. The vehicle also achieved lower emissions, half of carbon dioxide and one tenth of nitrogen oxides compared to a gasoline car.

Nissan Motor's hybrid electric vehicle will use series hybrid system comprising a newly developed compact electric motor, lithium-ion batteries, and a gasoline engine which is solely used to generate electricity. The vehicle can cover 660 km, and runs 50 km on pure electric drive. The company claims that its hybrid system doubles fuel efficiency, and reduces nitrogen oxide, hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide by 95%, and carbon dioxide 50% comparing with a gasoline version.

To promote development of a vehicle of high fuel efficiency with low emissions, the Ministry of International Trade and Industry initiated a 7-year hybrid vehicle development program from fiscal year 1997. The program also aims to develop a power unit and power control system for hybrid vehicles, alternative fuels, infrastructure for clean fuels, and light weight materials, with a budget of 210 million yen for the initial year.

Public interest in the electric vehicle has become higher and higher, to which the latest electric vehicles can respond in terms of performance, pleasure of driving, fuel efficiency, as well as zero emissions and low noise. The second-generation electric vehicles powered by long-life batteries also have far less running costs than conventional vehicles. These vehicles may hold the key to electric vehicle market expansion for the coming several years. Further improvement in vehicle performance, however, is indispensable especially for К class* mini vans and trucks, for these are the major vehicles to have been and to be introduced by the major users such as municipalities and utility companies.

Class К is the Japanese specific classification for vehicles which are less than 3.295 m long and with an engine displacement of 660 cc or less.