Unit 9 Wheels
【单词】
Lesson 1
benefit /'benɪfɪt/ vi. & n. 得益，好处
flat /flæt/ adj. 平的
therefore /ˈðeəfɔː(r)/ adv. 所以，因此
convenient /kən'viːnɪənt/ adj. 方便的，便利的
parking /'pɑːkɪŋ/ n. 停车场
convenience /kən'viːnɪəns/ n. 方便，便利
hopeful /'həʊpfʊl/ adj. （人）抱有希望的
neighbourhood /'neibəhud/ n. 街坊；邻近地区
wherever /weər'evə/ conj. 无论在何处，无论到哪里
thief/θiːf/ n. 贼，小偷
chip /tʃɪp/ n. 集成电路片，硅片
insert /ɪn'sɜːt/ v. 插入，嵌入
indeed /ɪn'diːd/ adv. 当然，确实
fed up 不愉快的，厌烦的
consequence /'kɒnsɪkwəns/ n. 后果，结果
arrest /ə'rest/ vt. 逮捕；拘留
bone/bəʊn/ n. 骨头
work out 锻炼身体，做运动
argue /'ɑːɡjuː/ vi. 争辩；争吵
Lesson 2
baggage /'bæɡɪdʒ/ n. 行李
platform /'plætfɔːm/ n. 站台，月台
belt /belt/ n. 带子
ambassador /æm'bæsədə/ n. 大使
sensitive /'sensɪtɪv/ adj. 敏感的；善解人意的
grey/ɡreɪ/ adj. 灰色的，灰白的
gentle /'dʒent(ə)l/ adj. 和善的，温和的
fierce /'fɪəs/ adj. 凶狠的，凶恶的
vocabulary /və'kæbjʊlərɪ/ n. 词汇；词汇量
interpreter /ɪn'tɜːprɪtə/ n. 译员，口译者
schedule /'ʃedjuːl/ n. 时间表；进度表
timetable/'taɪmteɪb(ə)l/ n. 时间表
foolish /'fuːlɪʃ/ adj. 愚蠢的
responsibility/rɪspɒnsɪ'bɪlɪtɪ/ n. 负责，责任，职责
rely on 依赖，依靠
hostess /'həʊstɪs/ n. 女主人
air hostess 空中小姐
non-smoking /nʌn-'sməʊkɪŋ/ adj. 禁止吸烟的
case /keɪs/ n. 大箱子
suitcase /'sjuːtkeɪs/n. 手提箱，皮箱
pull up （车辆）停止，停车
pull out （火车）驶离车站，出站
content /kən'tent/ n. 容纳的东西；目录
Lesson 3
petrol /'petr(ə)l/ n. (英)汽油
gas/ɡæs/ n. 气体；煤气；汽油
solar/'səʊlə/ adj. 太阳的，太阳光的
racer /reɪsə/ n. 赛车手
sunlight /'sʌnlaɪt/ n. 阳光，日光
kindergarten /kɪndə'ɡɑːt(ə)n/ n. 幼儿园
so far 迄今为止
take place 举行；发生
northwest /nɔ:θ'west/ n. 西北，西北方
southeast/,saʊθ'iːst/ n. 东南，东南方
chapter /'tʃæptə/ n. 章节
impression /ɪm'preʃ(ə)n/ n. 印象，感觉
reliable /rɪ'laɪəb(ə)l/ adj. 可靠的
golf/ɡɒlf/ n. 高尔夫球(运动)
operator /'ɒpəreɪtə/ n. 操作人员，接线员
appreciate /ə'priːʃɪeɪt/ vt. 感谢；欣赏
essay /'eseɪ/ n. 散文
shopping /'ʃɒpɪŋ/ n. 购物
Lesson 4
carbon monoxide 一氧化碳
highway /'haɪweɪ/ n. 公路
construction /kən'strʌkʃ(ə)n/ n. 建筑；建筑物
pavement/'peɪvm(ə)nt/ n. 人行道
crossroads /'krɒsrəʊdz/ n. 十字路口
mount /maʊnt/ n. 数量
physical /'fɪzɪk(ə)l/ adj. 身体的；物质的
motor /'məʊtə/ n. 马达，发动机 adj. 机动车辆的
figure /'fɪɡə/ n. 数字，数目
go up 上升
engine /'endʒɪn/ n. 发动机，引擎
per /pə/ prep. 每；每一
centigrade /'sentɪɡreɪd/ n. 摄氏(度)
admit /əd'mɪt/ v. 承认，供认
addicted /ə'dɪktɪd/ (to) adj. 沉溺于……的
on average 平均；通常
occupy /'ɒkjʊpaɪ/ v. 占用（空间、面积、时间等）
somehow/'sʌmhau/ adv. 以某种方式
whichever /wɪtʃ 'evə/ pron. 无论哪个
suit /sjuːt/ vt. 适合
Communication Workshop
damage /'dæmɪdʒ/ vt. & n. 损害，损失
nowhere /'nəʊweə/ adv. 无处，任何地方都不
crossing /'krɒsɪŋ/ n. 交叉路口，人行横道
tunnel /'tʌnl/ n. 地道；隧道
plus/plʌs/ prep. 加，加上
frequent /'friːkwənt/ adj. 时常发生的
fare /feə/ n. 票价，车费
【课文】
Lesson 1 On Your Bike
Return of the white bikes!
People have been enjoying the benefits of cycling in Amsterdam for years. It is a good city for cycling because it is flat and therefore is convenient for bikes. There are also plenty of places for bicycle parking and most streets in the city centre have a bicycle path. Today some people call Amsterdam the "City of Bicycles" because of the convenience for bicycles there.
In the 1960s, a group of cycling fans had an idea. They believed that it would be better for everybody if cars weren't allowed in the city centre and only bicycles were. They were hopeful that this would help to save energy, reduce pollution and provide free public transport. The group painted hundreds of bicycles white and placed them in lots of neighbourhoods around Amsterdam for people to use. Anyone was allowed to take them and use them for short journeys. Wherever someone finished a journey they would leave the bike there for someone else to use. The problem was that it didn't work—thieves took all the bicycles within weeks!
However, more than thirty years later, the "white bike" is back in town—this time with a computer chip to record its every move! To take a bicycle, you have to insert a special card. The new "white bike" is not actually white but is an unusual design with bright colours. The bikes are parked at special parking places and people who want to use them have to take them to another special parking place that has enough room.
There is already less traffic in central Amsterdam, because both locals and tourists have been using the white bikes. Indeed, thanks to the good ideas of lots of people, like the cycling fans in the 1960s, many people around the world have been enjoying city centre streets without cars for many years.
Lesson 3 Clean Machines
Solar Car Racing
Q: Solar racers have been coming to Australia for years for the World Solar Car Challenge. We interviewed Marie Logan from Brisbane. Well, the first question I have for you is simple. What is a solar car?
A: Solar cars are cars that use the sun's energy for power. That means they don't use petrol, gas or any other fuel, just the sunlight.
Q: And why are people interested in solar cars?
A: People have been worried about pollution caused by fuels like petrol and gas for a long time now. Solar cars are clean and safe, so there is a lot of interest in them.
Q: You've been designing solar racing cars for a long time. When did you start?
A: Well, I've been interested in cars since kindergarten. When I was at university, I started designing my car. I've designed five or six different cars so far. And I've been taking part in races for about four years.
Q: How many races have you taken part in?
A: Let me think. Six. We've won two of them!
Q: Where do these races take place?
A: Well, the one I like best crosses the whole of Australia from northwest to southeast. It's about 4,500 km long!
Q: Wow! How long does that take?
A: These days the fastest cars can do it in six days.
Q: And what have you been doing recently?
A: I've been building a new car with a team from Queensland University. We've done a lot of work on it, but we haven't finished yet.
Q: And you've been writing a book about solar cars.
A: Well, so far I've only written the first few chapters! I want people to have a good impression of solar cars.
Q: But a lot of people think that solar cars are too slow or not very reliable. How can you persuade them of the advantages of solar cars?
A: Solar cars are getting better all the time. They have reached speeds of nearly 80 k.p.h. In tests, one car we built has averaged over 40 k.p.h., even in cloudy weather.
Q: You've been working hard—good luck in the race!
A: Thanks a lot.
Lesson 4 Car Culture
The Road to Destruction
"This morning it took me forty minutes to get to work. More road construction works on the A10!" "Oh really? It took me over an hour. There was an accident on the M11."
"You're both lucky. It took me two hours! You don't have to use the M25."
How often have you heard these conversations? How often do we get stuck in traffic jams? How often do we arrive at work or school stressed out, tired and angry? For many people in Britain, the answer is every day. But anger and stress are nothing compared to the real costs of the motor car. Here are some figures:
·In the last ten years, the number of cars on the roads in Britain has gone up by 30%.
·There are now 25 million cars in this country.
·Over three thousand people die every year in road accidents in Britain.
·In London, car engines produce 99% of all carbon monoxide in the atmosphere.
·Twenty-five thousand deaths per year are caused by air pollution.
·Some types of cancer are related to traffic pollution.
·Traffic is one of the major causes of global warming and climate change. The average global temperature is about 0.5 degrees centigrade higher than it was 100 years ago.
We know that cars are bad for us. So why do we carry on using our cars so much? We all make excuses: "The buses are terrible." "The trains are always late!" "I haven't got time to walk." I'm talking about myself, too. I admit: I'm addicted to my car. When I asked Jenny Trowe of Greenpeace for advice about how to give up, she told me six things:
1. Use your legs. Over 25% of car journeys are under two miles—short journeys we could easily walk or cycle. Leg power can save you money, keep you fit and help you live longer. And regular exercise cuts the risk of heart disease by 50%!
2. Use public transport. On average, about forty people travel in one bus, while the same number occupy thirty-three cars. Sometimes it can take a little bit longer, but so what? You can relax on the bus or train, read a book, talk to someone, meet the love of your life—who knows?
3. Think before you go. Do you really have to go to that shopping centre on the other side of town? What about the shops around the corner? Before you get into your car, think about whether you really need to make that journey.
4. Share cars. If you've really got to use a car, share journeys with someone else. It is much cheaper and kinder to the environment.
5. Don't believe advertisements! Nearly a quarter of all the advertisements on TV are about cars. You see an attractive man or woman driving a fast car through beautiful countryside. It's not true! That new car won't make you more attractive. And you won't be driving on an empty country road. You'll be stuck in a traffic jam in a city or on a highway!
6. Take action somehow! We often think there is nothing we can do about the noise, pollution and danger of traffic. There is. If your street's full of heavy traffic, talk to your neighbours about it. Write to the papers. Go to the city government. Ask for a speed limit. Ask for a pedestrian area. Do whichever of these things that suit you. Don't just sit around and complain!
All quite simple, isn't it? Six easy ways to improve our environment. Well, I'm sorry I must finish this article. I've got to pick up my daughter from school at four o'clock. Then I've got to drive to Sainsbury's to do the shopping. After that I have to take my son to a party. And tomorrow we're driving over to see my mother. The traffic's going to be awful, but what can we do?
Culture Corner
America on the Wheel
Although the motor car was invented in 1889 by a German man called Gottlieb Daimler, it was an American man called Henry Ford who created the motor car as we know it today. In 1908, Ford began production of the Model T Ford, the motor car that would change the world forever. The Model T Ford was the first mass production car in the world. Before 1908, when Ford's cars became available to the public, it was only the very rich who could afford to own a car. Ford found a way to mass-produce the motor car cheaply, making it possible for many more people to own one. The Model T Ford was simple, practical and cheap. It was a huge success. Between 1908 and 1927, Ford made and sold over 18 million Model T cars.
By the 1930s, people in America wanted something more than the Model T Ford. They didn't want cars to just be practical; they wanted them to look beautiful too. Soon car companies, like Ford, were forced to change their car production to suit the public's needs. Stylish cars became popular in America.
By the 1950s, cars with much more interesting designs were being produced. Some of the car companies, like Cadillac, based their designs on airplanes.
In the 1960s, the American public became bored with the choices offered by American car companies. Around this time a lot of stylish but cheaper cars were coming out of Europe, made by companies like BMW and Mercedes. American-made cars stopped being as popular and the rule of the American car was ending.
Today cars are a very important part of American culture. Wherever you go in America you can find highways, multi-storey car parks,drive-in cinemas and drive-through fast food restaurants, all built to suit the needs of car owners.
Motor cars have changed America and the world. Cars, buses and taxis make our lives so much simpler. Travelling from place to place is now so much cheaper and easier. Roads now connect the biggest cities to the smallest towns so it's possible to go anywhere at anytime. And it all began with the American Model T Ford.