People are using trains, cars, buses and planes more than ever before.. These are just some of the latest means of transport: 3 High-speed trains 3 Hybrid vehicles 3 Electric cars 3 Rock
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English Toolkit 1 - Technology
Technology is changing all forms of
transportation People are using trains,
cars, buses and planes more than
ever before Distances are shortening
Experts are planning systems to reduce
congestion These are just some of the
latest means of transport:
3 High-speed trains
3 Hybrid vehicles
3 Electric cars
3 Rocket planes
And these are some of the questions
which arise about the future:
The new age of
levitation uses magnets and special motors to lift and propel trains on a cushion of air and, consequently, does not cause pollution In Shanghai, the Maglev takes eight minutes to cover a distance of thirty kilometres that separates the main station from the airport
Today, there are electric cars in the streets of Japan, USA and Europe These battery-powered vehicles have zero emissions: they emit no pollutants Because of advances
in technology, there is an increase in energy storage and
a reduction in cost Besides, these cars require lower maintenance than internal combustion cars These are some of the advantages that led to the introduction of more electric cars in the market — and in the streets!
Also, experts are making a car that converts gasoline into hydrogen, carbon dioxide and water with a transformer
This fuel cell car is non-pollutant as well
Thanks to technology, aerospace engineers can now develop a rocket plane This hypersonic vehicle can take off as an ordinary plane, then accelerate into orbit around the planet, and finally return through the atmosphere and land as a common aeroplane A space flight passenger travelling in this plane will sit in the position of the co-pilot and will be able to have a view of the Earth There will be prior flight tests before these rocket planes carry tourists and payloads around the world
b The Maglev is as fast as any other train
c All battery-powered cars are fuel cell cars
d Today, people have electric cars in Japan, USA and Europe
e Fuel cell cars are good for the environment
f Rocket planes take off and land as conventional airplanes
Activities
1 State if the following sentences are true (T) or false (F).
3 How much will people travel in the future?
3 Which forms of transportation will they use?
3 Where will traffic be heavier?
3 Will new roads attract more traffic?
© Shanghai Maglev
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English Toolkit 1 - Technology
3 Match the following words to make phrases.
2 Answer the following questions.
4 Complete the following sentences with the phrases in the previous activity.
a Is the Maglev train common now?
b Where can we find electric cars?
c Why are electric cars ecological?
d What is a fuel cell car?
e How does a rocket plane operate?
1 levitation
2 planes
3 dioxide
4 vehicle
5 cars
6 cell
7 emissions
a zero
b hypersonic
c rocket
d electric
e magnetic
f carbon
g fuel
b are zero-emission cars
c cars convert gasoline into hydrogen, water and
d will carry passengers and packages around the world.
5 Read the text again, ask some questions and get your partner to answer them.
a What forms of transportation are moving people as never before?
6 Correct the wrong ideas.
b There are not electric cars in Japan, USA and Europe
c Electric cars produce pollution
d People do not use fuel cell cars yet
e The rocket plane functions like an aeroplane
f Rocket planes carry passengers and packages
g We have the Maglev in Argentina