Flying Cars Nearly Ready For Take-Off
The Scotsman - UK - 9-1-4
1 Some of the world's
leading engineers are trying to advance the technology of travel further
by developing cars that can fly. The new vehicles are seen as becoming
necessary, with motorways growing more clogged, and commuters prepared to
travel further.
2 California-based company Moller
International has built a prototype of its Skycar. The streamlined vehicle
is designed to make vertical take-offs, fly around 700 miles and drive
short distances. Skycars are expected to start at about $1 million and
require pilot's training. It ís not clear when they'll be available, but
more than 100 people have put down a $5,000 deposit.
3 Major corporations are trying to take
the concept on to the mass market. Boeing has created a miniature model of
a sporty red helicopter/car hybrid that is helping the aerospace giant to
understand what it would take to make flying cars. The goal is to make a
flying car that costs the same as a luxury vehicle, is quiet and
fuel-efficient and easy to fly and maintain.
4 Boeing is especially interested in
figuring out how to police the airways if thousands of flying cars enter
the skies. No-one wants to be cut off, tail-gated or buzzed by a student
driver at 1,000 feet. The company’s researchers believe they are less than
two years away from developing a machine which will be at home on the
roads and in the air, while satisfying the legal requirements of both.
5 A three-year feasibility study at
Delft Technical University has convinced entrepreneurs that with a budget
of £10 million, the Aerocar could be ready for production by 2006. The
machine is expected to deliver a top speed of around 140mph in the air and
70mph on the road. 6 In the air, the car would function as a gyrocopter,
using a conventional propeller to provide thrust and helicopter-style
rotors for lift. It would need about 50 metres to take off in, but could
land in a much shorter space. After landing, the rotors and propellers
would automatically fold away, and the machine would use the same engine
to drive its wheels.
© Scotsman.com (http://news.scotsman.com)
EXPLOITATION
First Part (paragraphs 1, 2, 3)
1 - Find out in the text a synonym for
/ Trouver dans le texte le synonyme de
- high-speed road =
- packed with vehicles =
- people driving to work and back =
- aerodynamic =
- to be on the market =
- what would be needed =
- to be silent =
- to save fuel =
- to keep up =
2 - Find out in the text an antonym for /
Trouver dans le texte l'antonyme de
- landing =
- noisy =
3 - Find out in the text a translation for /
Trouver dans le texte la traduction de
- ingénieur de pointe =
- déplacement(s) =
- se déplacer =
- être conçu =
- exiger, demander =
- verser un premier acompte =
- grande société =
4 - Right or wrong ? Justify your answer / Vrai ou
faux ? Justifier sa réponse
1/ Skycars are designed to make horizontal take-offs
►
2/ Skycars are designed to drive long distances
►
3/ Skycars will require no special training
►
4/ Boeing has developed a full scale model of helicopter/car hybrid
►
5/ Boeing’s flying car will use up a lot of fuel
►
Second Part (paragraphs 4, 5, 6)
1 - Find out in the text an equivalent for
/
Trouver dans le texte l'équivalent de
- to regulate =
- demands, obligations =
- to be able to reach (a speed) =
- classic, traditional =
- push, propulsion =
- being airborne =
2 - Find out in the text a translation for
/
Trouver dans le texte la traduction de
- mettre au point une machine =
- être à l’aise =
- une hélice =
- se replier =
- actionner =
3 - Choose the right translation /
Choisir la bonne traduction
- to be cut off : 1/ se faire sectionner en deux 2/ être victime
d’une queue de poisson
- to be tail-gated : 1/ faire un tête à queue 2/ se faire coller
au train
- to be buzzed : 1/ se faire survoler 2/ se faire siffler
4 - Find out in the text an antonym for / Trouver
dans le texte l'antonyme de
- every one =
- a bottom speed =
- longer =
- to land =
5 -
Right or wrong ? Justify your answer /
Vrai ou faux ? Justifier sa réponse
1/ There is no need to police the airways if thousands of flying
cars enter the skies
►
2/ Researchers are a dozen years away from developing a flying car
►
3/ The top speed will be 70 mph in the air and 140 mph on the road
►
4/ The flying car will use a jet engine
►
5/ It will land in a shorter space than take-off in
► |
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© Christian Lassure - EFT
23 mars 2006 / March 23rd, 2006
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