Lesson 2

                                                           Lesson 2

                                               

                                                      Automobiles 1

Exercise 1

Do you know any interesting information about American or British cars? What can you tell about automobiles in your country?

Read the text and learn the differences between American and British cars. Answer the questions after the text.

The British Automobile

British rental cars do not usually come with automatic transmission unless you specifically request it. They are small by American standards but many do have air conditioning. All British cars have signal lights called repeaters on the side of the car. They come on when you signal that you are turning and allow the drivers of cars alongside you to be aware of your intentions. Controls on British cars are generally similar to American cars these days, but of course one drives a car sitting on the right. British cars come with a hand brake for parking, never a foot-operated parking brake.

The American Automobile

All rental cars in the US have automatic transmission and air conditioning as standard equipment, and all but the smallest, known as subcompacts, will have power steering and power brakes. Manual transmission is usually available upon request. Compact cars are probably as big as the average British car. Mid-size and full-size cars will seem quite roomy, but the huge cars that were common in the 1970s are a thing of the past. The SUV (sport- utility vehicle) has taken over the task of moving large families from one place to another. Here are some words of advice for British drivers in the US. It is the law in most states to wear a seat belt when sitting in the front seat of an automobile. In some cars you may not be able to shift out of park without first putting your foot on the brake pedal. You will not find a hand brake in larger cars. These will be equipped with a parking brake pedal, located at the upper far left of the driver's left leg. Once engaged, the parking brake will remain set until it is released manually, usually by pulling the lever marked "brake release" located under the dashboard just above the parking brake pedal. In some cars, the parking brake is automatically released when you shift out of park. The parking brake pedal is equivalent to a hand brake, which is found in some smaller cars. Americans often refer to this brake as the emergency brake. The automatic transmission selector or gearshift is situated either on the steering column or on a console between the driver and passenger seats. Often, the key cannot be removed unless the selector is in park.

•         Are controls on British cars generally similar to American cars?

•         Are compact cars a as big as the average British car?

•         Is there any special law about seatbelts?

•         Is the parking brake pedal equivalent to a hand brake?

Exercise 2

Look at these pictures. Make a description of these cars and their owners. Don't forget to mention : (his/ her age, his/her hobbies,  his/her job)