Exercise 1.Read and guess the meanings of the new words. If you have some difficulties use the dictionary at the end of this book

1) engine, chassis, body. The main structural components of a motor car are engine, chassis, and body.

2) petrol (gasoline) engine. A petrol (gasoline) engine is the most popular for light passenger vehicles.

3) capacity. The engine in heavy vehicles is usually a large capacity diesel.

4) pulling power, reliability, low fuel consumption. The main requirements for a diesel are high levels of pulling power, reliability, and low fuel consumption.

5) transmission, drive lines, steering systems. Chassis embraces transmission, drive lines, and steering systems.

6) clutch, gearbox, propeller shaft, drive shafts, half-shafts. Transmission includes clutch, gearbox, propeller shaft, main shaft, differentials, final drive shafts or half-shafts.

7) front and rear axles, suspension. Drive lines consist of frame, front and rear axles, suspension, and wheels.

8) layout. Motor cars may have three types of drive layout.

9) rear-wheel drive, front-wheel drive, four-wheel drive. Vehicles may contain rear-wheel drive, front-wheel drive, and four-wheel drive layout.

10) accessible. When the rear wheels act as the driving wheels, spacing out the main components makes each unit accessible.

11) to intrude. When the rear wheels act as the driving wheels, the transmission components intrude into the passenger compartment.

12) to distribute. Four-wheel drive arrangement distributes the drive to all four wheels.

13) to reduce wheel spin. It reduces the risks of wheel spin.

14) springs, shock absorbers, linkages. The suspension system involves springs, shock absorbers, and linkages.

15) wheel steering, brake steering. The steering systems involve wheel steering and brake steering.

16) vehicle’s handling. The suspension system contributes to the vehicle’s handling for good safety and driving pleasure.

17) to isolate. The suspension system keeps vehicle occupants comfortable and well isolated from road bumps, vibration, etc.

18) integral chassis frame and body. Most modern cars are built with integral chassis frame and body.

19) stiff. The frameless or integral arrangement provides a stiff light construction to the motor car.

20) suitable. This frameless or integral arrangement is suitable for mass-produced vehicles.

21) to withstand. A suitable body shell can withstand various frame stresses.

22) unitary. A small passenger vehicle uses a lightweight unitary construction.

23) to locate. A light unitary construction contains relatively light vehicle systems and components.

24) sufficient. A light unitary construction provides sufficient space for a driver and passengers.

Exercise 2.Read the international words, mind the stress.

Motor, structure, system, component, design, construction, chassis, transmission, differential, popular, diesel, act, compactness, modern, acceleration, risk, shock, active, comfortable, vibration, integral, mass, stress.

Exercise 3.Read the sentences, point outthe Verbals, the Modal Verbs and their equivalents. Give the Russian equivalents. If you have some difficulties use the grammar reference at the end of the book.

1. They have to provide the necessary tools. 2. This structure should fulfil a number of requirements. 3. The structure must contain all the systems and components. 4. They are able to arrange all the components. 5. The suspension system is to keep the vehicle occupants comfortable. 6. Being rather stiff the frameless or integral arrangement can withstand various frame stresses. 7. The front-wheel drive is to be rather compact. 8. The four-wheel drive is to reduce the risks of wheel spin. 9. Producing high levels of pulling power the engine in heavy vehicles is usually a large capacity diesel. 10. Spacing out the main components in RWD layout makes each unit accessible.

Exercise 4.Make up your own sentences according to the models.

Model A: He can drive this motor car. He must drive this motor car.

He is able to drive this motor car. He has to drive this motor car.

1. He can arrange these components. 2. He can provide the proper model design. 3. He must provide the proper model design. 4. The four-wheel drive arrangement must distribute the drive to all four wheels. 5. She must handle the vehicle very carefully.

Model B: The suspension system serves to keep vehicles occupants comfortable.

The suspension system serves for keeping vehicles occupants comfortable.

1. The suspension system serves to contribute to the vehicle’s handling. 2. The rear wheels in RWD layout serve to drive wheels. 3. A vehicle structure serves to provide a location for all the necessary vehicles systems and components. 4. A vehicle structure serves to fulfil a number of requirements. 5. A large capacity diesel serves to produce high levels of pulling power.

Exercise 5.Read the text, try to focus on its essential facts and choose the most suitable heading given below for each paragraph.

1) Engine

2) Suspension System

3) Integral Chassis Frame and Body

4) Motor Car Components

5) Transmission and Drive Lines

MOTOR CAR STRUCTURE

A structure of a vehicle has to fulfil a number of requirements. The prime purpose of the vehicle structure is to provide a location for all the necessary vehicle systems and components. The purpose of the vehicle will also dictate the size and weight of the vehicle systems and components and therefore the structure will be designed accordingly. The main structural components of a motor car are engine, chassis and body. Chassis embraces transmission (clutch, gearbox, propeller shaft, main shaft, differentials, final drive shafts or half-shafts), drive lines (frame, front and rear axles, suspension and wheels), steering systems (wheel steering and brake steering).

Motor car components

The usual source of power for a motor car is an internal-combustion engine. A petrol (gasoline) engine has traditionally been the most popular for light passenger vehicles. The engine in heavy vehicles is usually a large capacity diesel, the main requirements for which are an ability to produce high levels of pulling power, reliability, and low fuel consumption.

The power of the engine is transmitted through the transmission and drive lines to the drive wheels. For the rear-wheel drive (RWD) layout, the rear wheels act as the driving wheels. Spacing out the main components in this layout makes each unit accessible but a drawback is the intrusion of the transmission components into the passenger compartment. The compactness of the front-wheel drive (FWD) layout has made it very popular on modern cars, especially on small cars. The arrangement of four-wheel drive (4WD) is safer because it distributes the drive to all four wheels and during acceleration it reduces the risks of wheel spin.

The suspension system involving springs, shock absorbers and linkages serves a dual purpose: contributing to the vehicle’s handling for good active safety and driving pleasure, and keeping vehicles occupants comfortable and reasonably well isolated from road bumps, vibrations, etc.

Most modern cars are built with an integral chassis frame and body. This frameless or integral arrangement provides a stiff light construction to the motor car, which is particularly suitable for mass-produced vehicles. A suitable designed body shell can withstand various frame stresses. A lightweight unitary construction contains relatively light vehicle systems and components, and provides sufficient space for a driver and passengers.

Exercise 6. Share your vision about motor car components using the following phrases: to my mind, in my opinion, if I am not mistaken, as far as I remember, it seems to me, etc.

1. What is the prime purpose of the vehicle structure?

2. What determines the size and weight of the vehicle systems and components?

3. What are the main structural components of a light passenger vehicle?

4. The usual source of power for a motor car is an internal-combustion engine, isn’t it?

5. What engine is the most popular for light passenger vehicles? Why?

6. What engine is the most popular for heavy vehicles? Why?

7. Chassis includes transmission, drive lines, and steering systems, doesn’t it?

8. What components does transmission embrace?

9. Can you name the drive lines units?

10. What is the difference between rear-wheel drive, front-wheel drive, and four-wheel drive layout? Which drive layout is safer? Why?

11. Which system isolates vehicles occupants from road bumps and vibrations?

12. Does a lightweight unitary construction provide sufficient space for a driver and passengers?

13. Have you any ideas how to improve a motor car structure?

14. Have you ever driven a car?

15. Which motor car body do you prefer?

Exercise 7. Complete logically the following sentences.

1. A structure of a vehicle fulfils ….

2. The vehicle structure provides….

3. The purpose of the vehicledictates ….

4. The main structural components of a motor car are ….

5. An internal-combustion engine is….

6. A petrol engine is….

7. A large capacity diesel is….

8. The power of the engine is transmitted….

9. The steering systems consist of ….

10. Most modern cars are built….

Exercise 8. Translate the following sentences from Russian into English. You will have a story on the topic as a pattern.

1. Главные структурные компоненты автомобиля: двигатель, шасси и кузов. 2. Источник энергии для автомобиля – двигатель внутреннего сгорания. 3. Бензиновый двигатель – самый популярный для легких пассажирских транспортных средств, двигатель в тяжелых транспортных средствах в большинстве случаев – мощный дизельный двигатель. 4. Шасси состоит из трансмиссии, ходовой части и системы управления. 5. Трансмиссия включает сцепление, коробку передач, карданную передачу, главную передачу и приводные валы или полуоси. 6. Ходовая часть вмещает раму, передний и задний мосты, подвеску, колеса. 7. Энергия двигателя предается через трансмиссию и ходовую часть к ведущим колесам. 8. Система подвески, включающая пружины, амортизаторы и направляющий аппарат, служит двойной цели: улучшает безопасность и надежность управления автомобилем и предоставляет пассажирам комфорт и уберегает их от изъянов дороги, вибраций и т.д. 9. Системы управления состоят из рулевого управления и тормозной системы. 10. Большинство современных автомобилей сконструированы с несущем кузовом.