Automobile transport

І. Language

Ex. 1. Remember the following words and word combinations:

Ex. 2. Read the following international words and guess their meaning.

idea, magic, automatically, technical, machine, principle, project, characterize, effect, friction, mechanism, energy, thermal, chemical, type, form, enthusiasm, mechanic, system, steel, academy.

Ex. 3 Translate the following word combinations into Ukrainian:

horseless carriage, extraordinary creation,magic wheel of solid gold, jet of steam, war purposes, practicable project, complete lack of understanding, self-propelled vehicle

ІІ. Reading

Ex.4. Read and translate the text A “ The motor car: an ancient dream ”.

Text A

The motor car: an ancient dream

The dream of the motor car, the 'horseless carriage', is perhaps as old, as man himself. We must go back through the centuries to find the first traces of the idea and the dream which was to become one of man's greatest adventures. Some have found the first hints in Homer's Iliad, in his description of Vulcan's extraordinary creations in preparation for the Council of Olympus. Among them was a magic wheel of solid gold that responded automatically to the god's commands.

Ideas with a more technical basis are found in the studies of Hero of Alexandria, who describes a machine of his own invention moving under its own power. This consisted of a hollow sphere out of which issued a jet of steam, anticipating the principle of a modern jet engine.

In 1472, Roberto Valturio described a machine designed for war purposes which was to be moved by means of large windmills transmitting their motion through cranks and gears. Of course, this was not a practicable project, few of the designs of those days were, all of them being characterised by a complete lack of understanding of the effects of friction. Some of these mechanisms were designed to employ the muscular energy of their passengers, Leonardo da Vinci made studies to this end. Such machines, all moved by energy, neither thermal nor chemical in origin, make up in themselves a chapter of technical history. Another machine of this type was constructed in 1649 by a German, Johannes Hautsch of Nuremberg, in the form of a dragon. A number of men concealed in the interior constituted the 'engine' and it aroused the enthusiasm of the Crown Prince of Sweden, who bought it.

Then, in 1748, another strange vehicle appeared, built by a French mechanic, Jacques de Vaucanson. This utilised a system of steel springs similar to those used in large clocks. A chronicler of the time reports that the driver could cause the carriage to move or stop without the use of horses and that His Majesty congratulated the constructor and ordered a similar vehicle for his own use. It is also reported, however, that many members of the French Academy agreed that such a mechanism could not work. One could hardly say that the worthy academicians were wrong. The defect, however, was not in the principle of a self-propelled vehicle, as history has shown, but in the means chosen to power it.

ІІІ. Language

Ex.5. Match word and word combinations in column A with those in column B:

Ex.6. Find in the text nouns for these verbs:

To describe, to create, to prepare, to machine, to invent, to move, to construct.

Ex. 7. Fill in the blanks using the following words:

a) motor car, b) are found c) purposes, d) to employ e) vehicle f) dragon

1. In 1748, strange ______ appeared, build by a French mechanic, Jacques de Vaucanson.

2. The dream of the ______, the ” horseless carriage “, is perhaps as old, as man himself.

3. Ideas with a more technical basis ______ in the studies of Hero of Alexandria.

4. In 1649, the machine was constructed by a German, Johannes Hautsch of Nuremberg, in the form of a _____.

5. In 1472, Roberto Valturio described a machine designed for war _____.

6. Some mechanisms were designed _____ the muscular energy of their passengers.

Ex.8. Find the right ending of the sentences and translate these sentences:

1. We must go back through the centuries to find …..

a) the third traces of the idea

b) the second traces of the idea

c) the first traces of the idea

2. Hero of Alexandria described a machine of his own invention moving ….

a) under its own pressure

b) under its own power

c) under its own weight

3. The vehicle utilized a system of steel spring similar to those used ….

a) in small clocks

b) in large cars

c) in large clocks

4. The driver could cause the carriage to move or to stop ….

a) without the use of dogs

b) without the use of horses

c) with the use of horses

5. His Majesty congratulated the constructor and ordered a similar vehicle ….

a) for his own use

b) for your own use

c) for their own uses

ІV. Comprehension

Ex. 9. Agree or disagree with the following statements:

1. The dream of the motor car became one of man`s greatest adventures.

2. The machine of Roberto Valturio consisted of a hollow sphere out of which issued a jet of steam.

3. All moved machines by energy, neither thermal nor chemical in origin, make up in themselves a chapter of technical history.

4. The Crown Prince of Sweden did not buy the machine in the form of a dragon.

5. Many members of the French Academy agreed that a mechanism of machine could work.

6. The defect of French machine was not in the principle of a self-propelled vehicle, but in the means chosen to power it.

Ex. 10. Answer the questions:

1. Where were the first hints of the motor car found?

2. What did Hero of Alexandria invent?

3. How was a machine designed for war purposes to be moved in 1472?

4. Who constructed the machine in the form of a dragon?

5. Why did the Crown Prince of Sweden buy the machine of German inventors?

6. Why did His Majesty order a strange vehicle for his own use?