英語聽力入門 step by step 2000 第三冊Unit 12 Transportation (II)
Unit 12 Transportation (II)
Part I Warming up
A.
1. Running two new express bus routes especially for the company's employees
2. Subsidizing the cost of bus fares and monthly passes
3. Encouraging carpooling
4. A guaranteed ride-home program
A. Tapescript:
High pollution season's got us watching our driving pretty closely, but workers at Martin Marietta are getting really practical help. RTD and Martin Marietta will run two new express routes especially for Martin Marietta employees. With eight morning arrivals and eight afternoon departures, the company is even subsidizing bus fare books and monthly passes as an added incentive to use mass transit. Carpooling is encouraged. And to solve a major concern for people using alternate transportation, there's a guaranteed ride-home program. The company's goal is to double the number of workers using alternate modes to the single occupant vehicle by the end of the year. The program will be studied by the State Health Department. The State Legislature also wants to find out which are the most effective ways to cut vehicle miles traveled and help clear the air.
B.
Symbol c (accident) on Chapel Street, A6, between Bridge Street and Blackfriars Street.
Symbol a (fire) on John Dalton Street at the junction with Cross Street and Albert Square.
Symbol d (burst water main) on Cannon Street, between Deans gate and Corporation Street.
Symbol e (diversion) on Great Ancoats Street, parallel with Henry Street, between Ancoats and Oldham Road.
Symbol b (road-works) on Mosley Street, between Princess Street and Piccadilly Gardens.
Tapescript
A -- Andy N -- Nick
A: And now over to Nick with the latest update on the traffic situation.
N. Thanks Andy. Well, there's a bit of a headache for drivers coming into the city-center this morning. First of all, a serious accident has completely blocked the A6, Chapel Street, in Salford, between Bridge Street and Blackfriars Street. There are already long tail-backs of traffic there and the police say the road won't be open again for another hour or so. Drivers should use Liverpool Road to come into the city-center from the Salford area. Once again, that's an accident blocking the A6, Chapel Street, between Bridge Street and Blackfriars Street, in Salford.
Another emergency, this time in John Dalton Street in the center of town, er where a fire has meant the closing of the road and has also led to restricted access to Albert Square and the southern end of Cross Street, down there near the Town Hall. Avoid that area if you possibly can; it looks like things are pretty snarled up there. John Dalton Street, at the junction with Cross Street and Albert Square; there's a fire, causing serious congestion and delays, of course.
Er, Meanwhile, in Cannon Street, things are pretty wet outside the Cathedral, because.., yes, you've guessed it, there's a burst water main. The Water Authority gentlemen are all out there in their Wellingtons, but the road is, in fact, closed to traffic. That's Cannon Street closed between Deans-gate and Corporation Street, due to a burst water main.
And whilst we're talking about pipes under the ground, just a reminder that the sewer-reconstruction work is still going on in Great Ancoats Street, in Ancoats, with traffic being diverted into Henry Street on the east side of Great Ancoats Street, between Oldham Road and Ancoats.
And, finally, there are road-works starting today in Mosley Street, in the city-center, between Princess Street and Piccadilly Gardens. This section of Mosley Street will be reduced to single-lane traffic controlled by temporary traffic-lights and delays are expected. The work is due to last at least a fortnight. So, try to avoid Mosley Street, if you're in a hurry and, especially, at peak times.
Well, not a very happy picture on the roads in central Manchester this morning, I'm afraid. British Rail report no problems on the trains this morning, however, and things are running smoothly down at the airport, too. We'll have another update on the road situation, after the News, at 9. Meanwhile, back to Andy.
A. Thanks very much Nick...
Part II Parking in Tokyo
1. When your time expires, red lights blink just to make sure that the parking cop gets over there quickly. They have electric eyes. That's what I think is really diabolical.
2. The meter is smart enough to know if your car has had its allowed sixty minutes, so you can't feed the meter and buy another hour.
3. The longer you've been parked illegally, the higher your ticket.
4. I guess people must be then developing real innovative ways to park their cars.
5. You can buy a car elevator for your house, and then you can keep two cars in where you used to have only space for one.
6. You can buy a three-level elevator for your home if you've got three cars in the house.
7. I've always understood that mass transit in Tokyo is great. Why is anybody buying a car living in Tokyo?
8. "Myca, myca." It's the English phrase "my car."
9. It's a pretty big irony that the world's premier automaker is the absolute worst place to have a car.
10. The Japanese auto industry has been trying to build up their domestic market, and they've done it with brilliant success.
Parking in Tokyo: (possible answers)
n parking meter
n ticket
n car elevator / car carousel
n mass transit
n myca
n world's premier automaker
n worst place to have a car
Tapescript
I -- Interviewer R -- Reid
I: In many American cities, finding a place to park your car can be a headache; in Tokyo it's more like a migraine. Parking is forbidden on 95 percent of Tokyo's streets and because landowners can make a lot more money by building apartments or office buildings, the city has few parking garages. Not surprisingly, most drivers park their cars illegally. The government has decided to fight back. Under the city's new parking laws the maximum fine for leaving a car parked illegally overnight is 1,400 dollars. The cheapest fine for a parking infraction runs about 75 dollars. T.R. Reid reports for the Washington Post from Tokyo. He says the city's traffic cops have even enlisted the help of new high-tech parking meters.
R: They yell at the cop. When your time expires, red lights blink just to make sure that the parking cop gets over there quickly. They have electric eyes. That's what I think is really diabolical. They have an electric eye. They see your car the minute it pulls in, so the idea of sitting at the meter for a while and doing some work -- you can't do that because your sixty minutes is already ticking away.
The meter is smart enough to know if your car has had its allowed sixty minutes, so you can't feed the meter and buy another hour. And it keeps ticking after your time is up so that it tells the cop how long you've been there. And the longer you've been parked illegally, the higher your ticket.
I: Is there ... I mean ... I guess people must be then developing real innovative ways to park their cars.
R: There are some really remarkable devices designed to fit more than one car into one parking place: car elevators, car carousels.
I: And these, of course, are businesses. People don't bring them with them, do they?
R: You can buy a car elevator for your house, and what they do is they dig down under the one that -- the tiny little postage stamp where you're allowed to park your car outside your house -- and so there's two level and then just an elevator, and you can keep two cars in where you used to have only space for one.
I: Ahh.
R: You can buy this for a private home. You can buy a three-level elevator for your home if you've got three cars in the house.
I: I've always understood that mass transit in Tokyo -- and the rest of Japan, for that matter --is great. Why is anybody buying a car living in Tokyo?
R: Exactly. I agree all the way. You can get anywhere you want in this town. The reason is people can afford it now. It's a new idea. They have the money, and you gotta do something with this money, and you've already taken several trips to Hawaii. You can't quite afford to buy a house yet, and so buying a car is the thing to do.
I. This car boom- in fact, I gather there's a name for it even.
R. "Myca, myca." It's the English phrase "my car."
I. Well, it's a pretty big irony that the world's premier automaker is the absolute worst place -- in fact, an impossible place -- to have a car.
R. Exactly. And one of the things the Japanese auto industry has been doing, has been trying to build up their domestic market, and they've done it with brilliant success. Of course, they had an incredibly prosperous economy. Now the problem is there's no place for these cars.
Part III The new trends of automobiles
A.
Major point Supporting details
Development of electric cars
Rush hour in Detroit
n cars: home from work
n differences: size, shape, color
n same: gasoline, diesel fuel
Problem air pollution
Solution electric car
Big 3 / research
n cost: SM
n Chrysler: minivan
n Ford: wagon
n GM: Impact
The Impact model
Supporting details
Ignition
n no standard auto ignition
n turn key / push button
Acceleration
n no pumping pistons
n surge of electric power
Design
n sleek
n aerodynamic
n two-seat
n sports
Ride
n smooth
n quiet
Speed
n 46 - 60 - 65 mph
n electronically limited: 75 mph
Technological problem -- battery
Limitations
n heavy: 870 pounds
n energy stored: 1.5 gallons
n limited travel distance
A2. 1. The American auto industry has been looking for ways to rescue its sagging bottom line.
2. Better design and better quality are contributing to the beginning of a turnaround, but long-term success is going to mean major changes for the entire industry.
3. Ensuring that success involves planning for an entirely new type of automobile, one powered by electricity.
4. The electric car is still some distance down the road.
5. In addition to the U. S.-based car companies, automakers around the world are working on electric-vehicle research.
6. All are searching for the technology which will lead to a better electric, car battery.
Tapescript:
The American auto industry has been looking for ways to rescue its sagging bottom line. Better design and better quality are contributing to the beginning of a turnaround, but long-term success is going to mean major changes for the entire industry. Ensuring that success involves planning for an entirely new type of automobile, one powered by electricity. The electric car is still some distance down the road.
It's rush hour in Detroit, and the interstate freeway, 1-94, is jammed with cars heading for home after another workday in the city. Looking down on the freeway from an overpass, one sees cars and trucks of every size, shape, and color. But for all of their differences, these vehicles do have something in common: they're all powered by an internal combustion engine running on gasoline or diesel fuel. But as automobile-related pollution grows worse in major urban areas, governmental officials and environmentalists are pushing automobile manufacturers to design vehicles powered by electricity. You see, electric cars have absolutely zero tailpipe emissions. In Detroit, the big three U.S. car companies have spent millions researching electric vehicles. Chrysler has an electric version of its popular minivan; and Ford, a small electric wagon; but none has attracted as much attention as General Motors' experimental electric car called the Impact.
That's the sound of the Impact starting. There's no standard auto ignition. You simply turn the key and push a button to turn on the electricity.. As the Impact accelerates, there are no pumping pistons, just a surge of electric power. It's a sleek, aerodynamic, two-seat sports car. It's both smooth and quiet. All you hear is wind whistling past and the sound of tires on the pavement.
"We're doing about 46 miles an hour. We're up to 60 now and going to 65. Now we'll slow down a little bit. She's electronically limited at 75."
But as exciting and appealing as the Impact seems, there are still major technological hurdles engineers need to clear before such a car becomes available to the general public. The main problem is with the batteries. They are heavy, and the distance a vehicle can travel between overnight charging is limited.
"The biggest limitation of the battery that we have now is the amount of energy that it can store. The battery weighs 870 pounds. It can only store the energy equivalent of about one-and-a-half gallons of gasoline."
In addition to the U. S.-based car companies, automakers around the world are working on electric-vehicle research. All are searching for the technology which will lead to a better electric-car battery.
B1.
1. Besides gasoline or petrol, what can cars be powered by?
2. Have you ever heard about cars powered by natural gas? Do you know the advantages and disadvantages of using natural gas?
3. Do you think cars powered by natural gas will be a new trend of automobiles in the future? Why or why not?
B2
1. Why is natural gas a good alternative to gasoline, or petrol?
2. What is the Clean Air Cab Company?
3. What are the disadvantages of using natural gas to replace gasoline?
4. How do you refuel the car with natural gas?
B3
1. Why is natural gas better for the environment than petrol?
Much cleaner / comes out as water vapor / does not release carbon monoxide
2. What is the Clean Air Cab Company?
Fleet of taxicabs powered by natural gas / run by two young men
3. What technological innovation is in the 1993 Chevrolet Caprice used in the inaugural parade?
Computerized system to deliver natural gas to engine
4. Why is natural gas safer than petrol?
Does not burn like petrol
5. Why is it a good idea to have a petrol fueling system as a backup for the natural gas system?
Could run out / not many natural gas stations yet
6. What do the environmentalists see as the advantages and disadvantages of this system?
Disadv.: limited resource like coal, etc.
Adv: large reserves still available
7. What is involved in the process of filling up the tank with natural gas?
Put credit card into slot / unlocks gas hose / attaches gas nozzle to car / turns slowly / wait for pressure to rise / takes 4 - 5 minutes
8. How much gas can the tank hold on a hot day? How far can the car travel on a full tank?
3,400 pounds / 253 miles
Tapescript:
The day may soon come when, instead of filling up your car with gasoline or petrol, you'll take the car to a station and fill it up like a bicycle tire, with a compressed gas- natural gas. That'll be a good day, say many environmentalists, because petrol releases pollutants into the atmosphere, whereas natural gas is much cleaner. It comes out of the car mainly as water vapor and with no carbon monoxide.
One of the small companies is right here in Washington, DC. The company is called Clean Air Cab, and it may be the United States' very first fleet of taxicabs powered by natural gas. The founders are a couple of determined young entrepreneurs, Jim Doyle and Todd Ruell.
"This here is a 1993 Chevrolet Caprice, one of six prototypes in the United States that was delivered by General Motors for use in the inaugural parade. It's a computerized system for delivering natural gas to the engine. We're hoping that this is going to be the wave in technology of the future for transportation."
For the moment, all six cabs are parked in a downtown garage. The cabs are shiny white, with signs on them about clean air and natural gas.
"Can we go for a ride?"
"Yeah, let's take that one there, number four. We'll go for a fill-up."
There have been questions about permitting signs saying "powered by clean natural gas" on the outside of the cabs, and questions about natural gas itself. Is it safe? Or does it easily explode? Todd Ruell says not to worry.
"Natural gas dissipates upon impact. It's like popping a balloon: it goes up. It's an inert gas. It dissipates into the atmosphere."
"Yeah, but say you have a fire going as it dissipates."
"If there's a fire going, it wouldn't be because of the natural gas. Impact will not cause the gas to explode. As a matter of fact, you can take a gun and fire at the tank, and the gas would just release and go up into the atmosphere. Whereas gasoline is quite combustible. It will explode. And the bottom line is it is safer than our fuelled cars today."
We drive along to the gas station. The car sounds and feels like any other vehicle. In fact, it can switch from natural gas to petrol with a signal from a built-in computer. That's good because at times you may run out of natural gas and, as yet, there aren't so many stations available with natural-gas pumps, at least in the United States. Environmentalists have mixed feelings about natural gas. On the one hand, it's a fossil fuel, like petrol or coal, with a limited supply. On the other hand, there are large reserves still untapped, and advocates say that natural gas could be a practical fuel, to wean drivers off petrol, and eventually switch to a completely clean and renewable source: hydrogen fuel, made from water.
"We're pulling into the refueling center. '
"As you can see, the fuel pump looks the same as a regular gasoline pump. It just says CNG or Compressed Natural Gas. What we're going to do now is step out and fuel, and you'll see it's quite a simple process."
Todd Ruell has taken out a kind of credit card and put it into a slot. That unlocks the gas hose and pays for the gas automatically. He attaches the gas nozzle to the car tank, turns it slowly, and we wait as the pressure rises.
"Right now, we're at about ... a little over 2,000 pounds. Today ... it is warmer today, so we should get about a 2,500-pound fill. When it is very cold, the gas will compress, so you won't get as much fill as you would on a hot day, when the gas expands. On a hot day, you can get up to 3,400 pounds of gas. As I said, today, we should get between 2,500 --2,600 pounds, which will take us about 253 miles. It takes about four or five minutes to fill up the car, about the same time as it does for gasoline."
Part I Warming up
A.
1. Running two new express bus routes especially for the company's employees
2. Subsidizing the cost of bus fares and monthly passes
3. Encouraging carpooling
4. A guaranteed ride-home program
A. Tapescript:
High pollution season's got us watching our driving pretty closely, but workers at Martin Marietta are getting really practical help. RTD and Martin Marietta will run two new express routes especially for Martin Marietta employees. With eight morning arrivals and eight afternoon departures, the company is even subsidizing bus fare books and monthly passes as an added incentive to use mass transit. Carpooling is encouraged. And to solve a major concern for people using alternate transportation, there's a guaranteed ride-home program. The company's goal is to double the number of workers using alternate modes to the single occupant vehicle by the end of the year. The program will be studied by the State Health Department. The State Legislature also wants to find out which are the most effective ways to cut vehicle miles traveled and help clear the air.
B.
Symbol c (accident) on Chapel Street, A6, between Bridge Street and Blackfriars Street.
Symbol a (fire) on John Dalton Street at the junction with Cross Street and Albert Square.
Symbol d (burst water main) on Cannon Street, between Deans gate and Corporation Street.
Symbol e (diversion) on Great Ancoats Street, parallel with Henry Street, between Ancoats and Oldham Road.
Symbol b (road-works) on Mosley Street, between Princess Street and Piccadilly Gardens.
Tapescript
A -- Andy N -- Nick
A: And now over to Nick with the latest update on the traffic situation.
N. Thanks Andy. Well, there's a bit of a headache for drivers coming into the city-center this morning. First of all, a serious accident has completely blocked the A6, Chapel Street, in Salford, between Bridge Street and Blackfriars Street. There are already long tail-backs of traffic there and the police say the road won't be open again for another hour or so. Drivers should use Liverpool Road to come into the city-center from the Salford area. Once again, that's an accident blocking the A6, Chapel Street, between Bridge Street and Blackfriars Street, in Salford.
Another emergency, this time in John Dalton Street in the center of town, er where a fire has meant the closing of the road and has also led to restricted access to Albert Square and the southern end of Cross Street, down there near the Town Hall. Avoid that area if you possibly can; it looks like things are pretty snarled up there. John Dalton Street, at the junction with Cross Street and Albert Square; there's a fire, causing serious congestion and delays, of course.
Er, Meanwhile, in Cannon Street, things are pretty wet outside the Cathedral, because.., yes, you've guessed it, there's a burst water main. The Water Authority gentlemen are all out there in their Wellingtons, but the road is, in fact, closed to traffic. That's Cannon Street closed between Deans-gate and Corporation Street, due to a burst water main.
And whilst we're talking about pipes under the ground, just a reminder that the sewer-reconstruction work is still going on in Great Ancoats Street, in Ancoats, with traffic being diverted into Henry Street on the east side of Great Ancoats Street, between Oldham Road and Ancoats.
And, finally, there are road-works starting today in Mosley Street, in the city-center, between Princess Street and Piccadilly Gardens. This section of Mosley Street will be reduced to single-lane traffic controlled by temporary traffic-lights and delays are expected. The work is due to last at least a fortnight. So, try to avoid Mosley Street, if you're in a hurry and, especially, at peak times.
Well, not a very happy picture on the roads in central Manchester this morning, I'm afraid. British Rail report no problems on the trains this morning, however, and things are running smoothly down at the airport, too. We'll have another update on the road situation, after the News, at 9. Meanwhile, back to Andy.
A. Thanks very much Nick...
Part II Parking in Tokyo
1. When your time expires, red lights blink just to make sure that the parking cop gets over there quickly. They have electric eyes. That's what I think is really diabolical.
2. The meter is smart enough to know if your car has had its allowed sixty minutes, so you can't feed the meter and buy another hour.
3. The longer you've been parked illegally, the higher your ticket.
4. I guess people must be then developing real innovative ways to park their cars.
5. You can buy a car elevator for your house, and then you can keep two cars in where you used to have only space for one.
6. You can buy a three-level elevator for your home if you've got three cars in the house.
7. I've always understood that mass transit in Tokyo is great. Why is anybody buying a car living in Tokyo?
8. "Myca, myca." It's the English phrase "my car."
9. It's a pretty big irony that the world's premier automaker is the absolute worst place to have a car.
10. The Japanese auto industry has been trying to build up their domestic market, and they've done it with brilliant success.
Parking in Tokyo: (possible answers)
n parking meter
n ticket
n car elevator / car carousel
n mass transit
n myca
n world's premier automaker
n worst place to have a car
Tapescript
I -- Interviewer R -- Reid
I: In many American cities, finding a place to park your car can be a headache; in Tokyo it's more like a migraine. Parking is forbidden on 95 percent of Tokyo's streets and because landowners can make a lot more money by building apartments or office buildings, the city has few parking garages. Not surprisingly, most drivers park their cars illegally. The government has decided to fight back. Under the city's new parking laws the maximum fine for leaving a car parked illegally overnight is 1,400 dollars. The cheapest fine for a parking infraction runs about 75 dollars. T.R. Reid reports for the Washington Post from Tokyo. He says the city's traffic cops have even enlisted the help of new high-tech parking meters.
R: They yell at the cop. When your time expires, red lights blink just to make sure that the parking cop gets over there quickly. They have electric eyes. That's what I think is really diabolical. They have an electric eye. They see your car the minute it pulls in, so the idea of sitting at the meter for a while and doing some work -- you can't do that because your sixty minutes is already ticking away.
The meter is smart enough to know if your car has had its allowed sixty minutes, so you can't feed the meter and buy another hour. And it keeps ticking after your time is up so that it tells the cop how long you've been there. And the longer you've been parked illegally, the higher your ticket.
I: Is there ... I mean ... I guess people must be then developing real innovative ways to park their cars.
R: There are some really remarkable devices designed to fit more than one car into one parking place: car elevators, car carousels.
I: And these, of course, are businesses. People don't bring them with them, do they?
R: You can buy a car elevator for your house, and what they do is they dig down under the one that -- the tiny little postage stamp where you're allowed to park your car outside your house -- and so there's two level and then just an elevator, and you can keep two cars in where you used to have only space for one.
I: Ahh.
R: You can buy this for a private home. You can buy a three-level elevator for your home if you've got three cars in the house.
I: I've always understood that mass transit in Tokyo -- and the rest of Japan, for that matter --is great. Why is anybody buying a car living in Tokyo?
R: Exactly. I agree all the way. You can get anywhere you want in this town. The reason is people can afford it now. It's a new idea. They have the money, and you gotta do something with this money, and you've already taken several trips to Hawaii. You can't quite afford to buy a house yet, and so buying a car is the thing to do.
I. This car boom- in fact, I gather there's a name for it even.
R. "Myca, myca." It's the English phrase "my car."
I. Well, it's a pretty big irony that the world's premier automaker is the absolute worst place -- in fact, an impossible place -- to have a car.
R. Exactly. And one of the things the Japanese auto industry has been doing, has been trying to build up their domestic market, and they've done it with brilliant success. Of course, they had an incredibly prosperous economy. Now the problem is there's no place for these cars.
Part III The new trends of automobiles
A.
Major point Supporting details
Development of electric cars
Rush hour in Detroit
n cars: home from work
n differences: size, shape, color
n same: gasoline, diesel fuel
Problem air pollution
Solution electric car
Big 3 / research
n cost: SM
n Chrysler: minivan
n Ford: wagon
n GM: Impact
The Impact model
Supporting details
Ignition
n no standard auto ignition
n turn key / push button
Acceleration
n no pumping pistons
n surge of electric power
Design
n sleek
n aerodynamic
n two-seat
n sports
Ride
n smooth
n quiet
Speed
n 46 - 60 - 65 mph
n electronically limited: 75 mph
Technological problem -- battery
Limitations
n heavy: 870 pounds
n energy stored: 1.5 gallons
n limited travel distance
A2. 1. The American auto industry has been looking for ways to rescue its sagging bottom line.
2. Better design and better quality are contributing to the beginning of a turnaround, but long-term success is going to mean major changes for the entire industry.
3. Ensuring that success involves planning for an entirely new type of automobile, one powered by electricity.
4. The electric car is still some distance down the road.
5. In addition to the U. S.-based car companies, automakers around the world are working on electric-vehicle research.
6. All are searching for the technology which will lead to a better electric, car battery.
Tapescript:
The American auto industry has been looking for ways to rescue its sagging bottom line. Better design and better quality are contributing to the beginning of a turnaround, but long-term success is going to mean major changes for the entire industry. Ensuring that success involves planning for an entirely new type of automobile, one powered by electricity. The electric car is still some distance down the road.
It's rush hour in Detroit, and the interstate freeway, 1-94, is jammed with cars heading for home after another workday in the city. Looking down on the freeway from an overpass, one sees cars and trucks of every size, shape, and color. But for all of their differences, these vehicles do have something in common: they're all powered by an internal combustion engine running on gasoline or diesel fuel. But as automobile-related pollution grows worse in major urban areas, governmental officials and environmentalists are pushing automobile manufacturers to design vehicles powered by electricity. You see, electric cars have absolutely zero tailpipe emissions. In Detroit, the big three U.S. car companies have spent millions researching electric vehicles. Chrysler has an electric version of its popular minivan; and Ford, a small electric wagon; but none has attracted as much attention as General Motors' experimental electric car called the Impact.
That's the sound of the Impact starting. There's no standard auto ignition. You simply turn the key and push a button to turn on the electricity.. As the Impact accelerates, there are no pumping pistons, just a surge of electric power. It's a sleek, aerodynamic, two-seat sports car. It's both smooth and quiet. All you hear is wind whistling past and the sound of tires on the pavement.
"We're doing about 46 miles an hour. We're up to 60 now and going to 65. Now we'll slow down a little bit. She's electronically limited at 75."
But as exciting and appealing as the Impact seems, there are still major technological hurdles engineers need to clear before such a car becomes available to the general public. The main problem is with the batteries. They are heavy, and the distance a vehicle can travel between overnight charging is limited.
"The biggest limitation of the battery that we have now is the amount of energy that it can store. The battery weighs 870 pounds. It can only store the energy equivalent of about one-and-a-half gallons of gasoline."
In addition to the U. S.-based car companies, automakers around the world are working on electric-vehicle research. All are searching for the technology which will lead to a better electric-car battery.
B1.
1. Besides gasoline or petrol, what can cars be powered by?
2. Have you ever heard about cars powered by natural gas? Do you know the advantages and disadvantages of using natural gas?
3. Do you think cars powered by natural gas will be a new trend of automobiles in the future? Why or why not?
B2
1. Why is natural gas a good alternative to gasoline, or petrol?
2. What is the Clean Air Cab Company?
3. What are the disadvantages of using natural gas to replace gasoline?
4. How do you refuel the car with natural gas?
B3
1. Why is natural gas better for the environment than petrol?
Much cleaner / comes out as water vapor / does not release carbon monoxide
2. What is the Clean Air Cab Company?
Fleet of taxicabs powered by natural gas / run by two young men
3. What technological innovation is in the 1993 Chevrolet Caprice used in the inaugural parade?
Computerized system to deliver natural gas to engine
4. Why is natural gas safer than petrol?
Does not burn like petrol
5. Why is it a good idea to have a petrol fueling system as a backup for the natural gas system?
Could run out / not many natural gas stations yet
6. What do the environmentalists see as the advantages and disadvantages of this system?
Disadv.: limited resource like coal, etc.
Adv: large reserves still available
7. What is involved in the process of filling up the tank with natural gas?
Put credit card into slot / unlocks gas hose / attaches gas nozzle to car / turns slowly / wait for pressure to rise / takes 4 - 5 minutes
8. How much gas can the tank hold on a hot day? How far can the car travel on a full tank?
3,400 pounds / 253 miles
Tapescript:
The day may soon come when, instead of filling up your car with gasoline or petrol, you'll take the car to a station and fill it up like a bicycle tire, with a compressed gas- natural gas. That'll be a good day, say many environmentalists, because petrol releases pollutants into the atmosphere, whereas natural gas is much cleaner. It comes out of the car mainly as water vapor and with no carbon monoxide.
One of the small companies is right here in Washington, DC. The company is called Clean Air Cab, and it may be the United States' very first fleet of taxicabs powered by natural gas. The founders are a couple of determined young entrepreneurs, Jim Doyle and Todd Ruell.
"This here is a 1993 Chevrolet Caprice, one of six prototypes in the United States that was delivered by General Motors for use in the inaugural parade. It's a computerized system for delivering natural gas to the engine. We're hoping that this is going to be the wave in technology of the future for transportation."
For the moment, all six cabs are parked in a downtown garage. The cabs are shiny white, with signs on them about clean air and natural gas.
"Can we go for a ride?"
"Yeah, let's take that one there, number four. We'll go for a fill-up."
There have been questions about permitting signs saying "powered by clean natural gas" on the outside of the cabs, and questions about natural gas itself. Is it safe? Or does it easily explode? Todd Ruell says not to worry.
"Natural gas dissipates upon impact. It's like popping a balloon: it goes up. It's an inert gas. It dissipates into the atmosphere."
"Yeah, but say you have a fire going as it dissipates."
"If there's a fire going, it wouldn't be because of the natural gas. Impact will not cause the gas to explode. As a matter of fact, you can take a gun and fire at the tank, and the gas would just release and go up into the atmosphere. Whereas gasoline is quite combustible. It will explode. And the bottom line is it is safer than our fuelled cars today."
We drive along to the gas station. The car sounds and feels like any other vehicle. In fact, it can switch from natural gas to petrol with a signal from a built-in computer. That's good because at times you may run out of natural gas and, as yet, there aren't so many stations available with natural-gas pumps, at least in the United States. Environmentalists have mixed feelings about natural gas. On the one hand, it's a fossil fuel, like petrol or coal, with a limited supply. On the other hand, there are large reserves still untapped, and advocates say that natural gas could be a practical fuel, to wean drivers off petrol, and eventually switch to a completely clean and renewable source: hydrogen fuel, made from water.
"We're pulling into the refueling center. '
"As you can see, the fuel pump looks the same as a regular gasoline pump. It just says CNG or Compressed Natural Gas. What we're going to do now is step out and fuel, and you'll see it's quite a simple process."
Todd Ruell has taken out a kind of credit card and put it into a slot. That unlocks the gas hose and pays for the gas automatically. He attaches the gas nozzle to the car tank, turns it slowly, and we wait as the pressure rises.
"Right now, we're at about ... a little over 2,000 pounds. Today ... it is warmer today, so we should get about a 2,500-pound fill. When it is very cold, the gas will compress, so you won't get as much fill as you would on a hot day, when the gas expands. On a hot day, you can get up to 3,400 pounds of gas. As I said, today, we should get between 2,500 --2,600 pounds, which will take us about 253 miles. It takes about four or five minutes to fill up the car, about the same time as it does for gasoline."
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