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Unit XII

I. Read the text: (part I)

The Cаr Culture

America B.C. (Before the Car) was a much different place than it was after all those Fords and Chevys became available to millions of Americans. Soon the average

“man next door”, and his teenage son and daughter as well as his wife, could afford a car. The many effects of the revolution brought about by the mass-produced car and its larger brothers, the truck and the bus, are today familiar to most western industrialized nations. In America, however, this revolution happened earlier and on a much larger scale.

To simply state, however, that America had and has a lot of roads and cars and trucks and buses doesn‟t mean much. Therefore it is worthwhile to look at some current statistics. It is estimated, for example, that today the United States still has two-fifths of all passenger cars in the world: over 121 million.

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The figures show that the United States has developed an enormous modern transportation system, an extensive network of roads and highways which enables Americans to travel freely and comfortably wherever they want without having to give up their independence, consult time-tables, or wait for connections. The American interstate highway system – the non – stop, interconnected “motorways” – stretches for over 43,000 miles. In the U.S. there are more cars and trucks and buses per person than anywhere else. In the Soviet Union, for example, there are 26 people per car, while in the United Kingdom and France there are 3.4 and 2.6 respectively. The U.S. leads with 1.9 people per car.

Looking at these and similar figures, one could easily reach the conclusion that America is one big parking lot, clogged by cars and trucks, stinking of exhaust, covered by concrete, and marred by service stations. Pictures of Los Angeles or New York City frequently show masses of people on busy sidewalks, traffic – packed streets, and crowded subways. These pictures, however, are highly misleading. Urban areas in the United States, towns and cities, large and small, only take up less than 2 percent of the country‟s total land area. It is sometimes forgotten that in the U.S. today – a country over 30 times the size of Italy and over 40 times that of the United Kingdom – one-third of the land is still covered by forests. In twenty of the states, forests make up more than 50 percent of the land area! Maine is 90 percent forested, New Hampshire 87 percent, and West Virginia and Vermont 76 percent. Perhaps the easiest way of countering the view of the U.S. as a densely populated and car – congested country is to note the density figures – the average number of people per square mile – for several countries which also have a lot of cars and trucks.

II. Find the English/Russian equivalents:

-большинство промышленных наций

-в гораздо больших размерах

-просто утверждать

-бетон

-стоянка для машин

-общая площадь земли

-to be familiar to

-to stretch over

-less tan two percent

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-to consult timetables

-to be available

III. Finish up the sentences:

1.A car in America is available …

2.The most famous automobile producers are …

3.Some current statistics shows that America developed …

4.The non – stop, interconnected “motorways” are …

5.If you think that America is one big parking lot it is …

IV. Count how many and what verbs of Passage 1 are used in Past Simple Tense.

Unit XIII

I. Read the text: (part II)

The Car Culture

In France, some 261 people along with their cars and trucks and buses share each square mile. In Italy there are 491, in the U.K. 599, in West Germany 635, and in Japan 840 persons per square mile. In the United States, on the other hand, there is an average of only 66 persons per square mile. In the two states with the largest populations in the U.S., California and New York, the population density is 170 and 375 people per square mile, respectively. Americans may occasionally voice the feeling that their country is becoming overcrowded; this view, however, must appear highly exaggerated to a European observer. While there are a great many cars and trucks in the U.S., there is also an enormous area in which to put them.

The size of the population relative to the size of the country has important implications for transportation. Public, state – supported mass transportation systems

– buses, commuter trains, streetcars, subways – only make sense in economic and practical terms for those parts of the U.S. that are densely settled. For example, over 25 percent of all people in New York use the mass transit, public transportation system. Cities such as Chicago, Boston, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, San

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Francisco are also examples of cities where public transportation plays an important role. Experience has shown, however, that many people still prefer to go by car, and would continue to do so, even if public transportation were more readily available and less expensive. Also, it would appear that the superb, state – supported city and intercity transportation systems in countries such as Japan, West Germany, or the United Kingdom do not seem to have kept many people from buying and using more and more cars. In the U.S. as well, convenience seems to be the most common and most logical answer: cars take you where you want to go and when you want to go there. One argument that is helping to make public transit in some urban areas in the U.S. more attractive is time. For example, during the rush hour, a trip from San Francisco to Oakland takes about 45 minutes by car, but only nine minutes by BART, that is, the Bay Area Rapid Transit system.

II. Find the Russian equivalents:

-relative

-state – supported transportation system

-to make sense

-(less) expensive

-the most common

-rush hour

-suburban bus

III. What is the English for:

-ехать на машине

-играть важную роль

-поездка

-городской транспорт

-перевозить

-проехать большое расстояние

IV. Which of the adjectives are not in the text:

economic, practical, expensive, extensive, large, common, arrogant, timid, foreign, long, urban, clever, attractive.

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V.Write down the plan of the text.

VI. Read the synopsis on the text and learn it:

We can read about the car culture in the U.S.A. It is an industrialized country when an industrial car is a familiar means of transportation.

Passages 2, 3 describe an enormous modern transportation system. It is very convenient.

Passage 4 informs us on the unusual picture of the “automobile” America: heavy traffic, busy sidewalks, crowded subways are true for urban areas only.

The last part of the text tells us about public transportation. The size of the population relative to the size of the country has important implications for transportation system. That‟s why public transport is not popular all over the country.

Unit XIV

I. Read the text:

The Automobile Dilemma

If there is one common problem which most industrialized countries face today it is that of growing traffic congestion, and nowhere is the problem older that in the United States. Today it has more then 100 million cars and trucks on the road, and the world‟s largest automobile industry. And what is perhaps even more interesting, about 85 per cent of all travelling that is done in the USA is done by car.

Public transportation systems had never been very well organized in many US cities, and after World War II even the existing ones could not complete with the flood of new cars and the new highways. Fewer and fewer passengers used trains and buses, which meant that many train services were shut down and bus services reduced. One important reason for this was that the average American, whose dream was to buy a home of this own, could only afford to do so in one of the new suburbs, which were far away from existing railroads and bus lines. In order to get to work and back again he needed a car. And so did his wife who could do her shopping only by car. And if she urgently had to go to the doctor‟s or suddenly felt like visiting a friend, again it could only be done by car. Not surprisingly, public transportation was used less.

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Nowadays almost every American has at least one car, and, as he doesn‟t believe in walking anywhere if he can go in a car, there are drive-in banks, where you can cash a cheque without even turning off your engine, drive-in post – offices, or drive – in cafeterias where a meal is brought to you on a tray that fits neatly on to the door of your car; there is even a drive – in church.

More cars mean that new highways have to be built. The highways, parkways, freeways, turnpikes, speedways, with anywhere from four to ten traffic lanes have made swift motion on wheels possible. Millions of acres of fertile land are being diverted from agriculture and used for transportation. Reduced use of trains and buses forced many people to depend upon automobiles.

Super – highways with over – passes and under – passes and few or no traffic lights, double or treble the rate of traffic movement. They are magnificent for the last driver. But even roads like these don‟t always prevent accidents and one couldn‟t help noticing some typical American safety – signs: “Can your wife afford your funeral?” “This is God‟s country. Don‟t drive through it like hell.” “Only one letter removes danger from anger.”

On the other hand, the negative side effects of the car problem – noise and air pollution and demand for huge parking areas in the centers of cities – persuade people to turn back to public transportation and to use it more.

Public transport of big cities including subways, bus service and taxi cabs. In rush hours in big cities it is better to take subways. In the subway system of any city there are parallel tracks for local and express trains. The local train stops at every station, while the express only at every fifth or sixth one. Another mode of transport which is making a come – back to the streets of New York, Chicago, Seattle, Pittsburgh, Detroit and Los Angeles is the double – decker bus. By carrying twice as many passengers as the normal single – decker, it helps to solve traffic congestion problems of American big cities. Yet everybody agrees that it will be a very hard job to change the driving habits of Americans.

I. Find English and Russian equivalents:

-крупнейшая в мире автомобильная промышленность;

-система общественных перевозок;

-железная дорога и автобусные линии;

-(выключить) заглушить двигатель;

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-сниженный/уменьшенный спрос на поезда и автобусы;

-светофор

-дорожно – транспортное происшествие;

-to face the problem;

-to cash a cheque;

-traffic lane(s);

-to divert from agriculture (into) for transportation;

-over – pass(es) and under – pass(es);

-a fast driver;

-a safety – sign

II. What is the preposition:

a)… more than 100 million cars and trucks … the road;

b)… suburbs were away … railroads and bus lines;

c)You can cash a cheque … even turning … the engine;

d)… forced people to depend (upon) automobiles;

e)… demand … huge parking areas;

f)… rush hours … big cities.

III. Recalling information:

1)What happened to many of the public transportation systems in America after the second World War?

2)Why did so many Americans more to the suburbs and how did this affect public transportation services?

3)What are the negative side effects of the problem?

4)What has made swift motion on wheels possible?

5)How is subway system of any city organized?

6)Why do you think it will be difficult to change the driving habits of Americans?

IV. Form new words or word combination with:

-service

-system

-way

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V. Put these sentences in order according to the text:

Some historical facts are suggested to a reader, i.e. poor organization of public transport and an average dream of an average American to own a home.

The country has the largest automobile industry and hence problem of growing traffic congestion.

The dream could come true only in suburbs.

Nowadays a car is not a means of covering distances, but certain kind of a service (drive – in banks, drive – in post – offices; drive – in cafeterias).

The text is about the automobile dilemma in the USA.

So, a car was the only means of transportation to get to work and back.

The next two passages are devoted to the new highways to be built (parking, freeways, turnpikes, speedways).

Unit XV

I. Read the text:

Cars: Passion or Problem?

For some people, the car is a convenient form of transportation. But for others, the car is an exciting hobby. Some people spend their lives collecting valuable cars. Others drive them in races, including the Mille Miglia in Italy, the Carera Panamericana in Mexico, and the world – famous Indianapolis 500. For many people, cars are more than transportation: they are a source of passion and pleasure. Yet cars can also be a source of many problems.

In 1903, Henry Ford began selling the Model T car for 825$. His company, Ford Motors, was the first to produce cars in large numbers. This made the car available to large numbers of people and helped them to travel long distances quickly and easily. The car has brought people much closer to places of work, study, and entertainment.

Many people also work in car – related industries: fixing cars, washing cars, advertising, and selling car products such as stereos and cellular phones. Most Americans buy a new car every five or six years. This means that one American may own a dozen cars in a lifetime. In fact, there are more cars than people in the United States. In New York City, 2,5 million cars move in and out of the city each day. In

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this traffic, the average speed is sometimes 8,1 miles per hour. This speed could easily be reached by riding a horse instead of driving a car. But New Yorkers continue to drive, just as people do in California, where freeways are often very crowded.

Some environmentalists believe that some forms of public transportation such as buses and trains have not been fully developed in the United States. They try to teach others that public transportation saves fuel and helps to protect the environment. Many people are unhappy with car traffic and pollution, as well as with the use of beautiful land for building new roads. One environmentalist, Jan Lundberg, left his Mercedes – Benz in Los – Angeles and moved to the forests of northern California. There he works on the AUTO – FREE TIMES, a newspaper that teaches people how to live without driving. Lundberg travels on foot, on bicycles, or by bus. Before he decided to live without a car, Lundberg worked for the oil companies, studying the prices of gasoline.

Lundberg and other environmentalists dream of turning parking lots into parks and replacing cars with bicycles, but most people around the world believe that the car is a necessary part of life in today‟s world. Still, there is an important question that must be answered: what kind of fuel will we use when gasoline is no longer available? Lundberg believes that by the year 2021, there will no longer be oil for gasoline makers to use. To solve this problem, car companies in Korea, Japan, Europe, and the United States are trying to develop an electric car that will not require gasoline at all.

The electric car is not a new idea. It had success with American women in the early 1900s. Women liked electric cars because they were quiet did not pollute the air. Electric cars were also easier to start than gasoline – powered ones. But gasoline

– powered cars were faster, and in the 1920s they became much more popular.

The electric car was not used again until the 1970s, when there were serious problems with the availability of oil. Car companies began to plan for a future without gasoline. The General Motors Company had plans to develop an electric car by 1980; however, oil became available again, and this car was never produced.

Today there is a new interest in the electric car, which is partly related to a passion for speed and new technology. In 1977 Paul MacCready, designed a human – powered airplane that successfully completed a three – mile flight. A similar airplane crossed the English Channel in 1977, followed by a solar – powered airplane. In

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1987, the Sunraycer, a solar – powered car, won a 2000 – mile race in Australia. As a result of this success, the General Motors Company began new work on the development of the electric car. The Toyota Company recently decided to spend 800$ million a year on the development of new car technology. Many engineers believe that the electric car will lead to other forms of technology being used for transportation.

Cars may change, but their importance will not. Cars are important to nearly everyone, including engineers, businesspeople, environmentalists, and even poets. Poet Curt Brown believes that cars are part of our passion for new places and experiences. According to Brown, this “very, very comfortable flying chair” will continue to bring us travel and adventure, not matter how it changes in future.

II. Number the following main ideas in the order they appear in the text:

-Soon there will be no oil to cars.

-Cars, whether gasoline or electric powered, will always be important.

-Cars can cause problems.

-To some people, cars are more than transportation.

-Some environmentalists teach people how to live without cars.

-People in the United States need cars to go to school, to work, and to places of environment.