Effects-of-the-Automobile-on-Societies.doc

Unit 8Text AEffects of the Automobile on SocietiesI. Background information1.Zoning It is a device of land use regulation used by local governments in most developed countries. The word is derived from the practice of designating permitted uses of land based on mapped zones which separate one set of land uses from another. Zoning may be use-based (regulating the uses to which land may be put), or it may regulate building height, lot coverage, and similar characteristics, or some combination of these.2.Surface runoff It is the water flow which occurs when soil is infiltrated to full capacity and excess water, from rain, snowmelt, or other sources flows over the land. This is a major component of the hydrologic cycle. Runoff that occurs on surfaces before reaching a channel is also called a nonpoint source. If a nonpoint source contains man-made contaminants, the runoff is called nonpoint source pollution. A land area which produces runoff draining to common point is called a watershed. When runoff flows along the ground, it can pick up soil contaminants such as petroleum, pesticides (in particular herbicides and insecticides), or fertilizers that become discharge or nonpoint source pollution.3.Margaret Thatcher She was born in Grantham, England, 13 October, 1925 and was the Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1979 to 1990. Margaret Thatcher was the United Kingdoms first woman prime minister, and she held the office of PM for longer than anyone in the 20th century. Elected in 1979, Thatcher shored up a Conservative-led government, favored privatization plans, led the country through the Falklands War with Argentina, and did it all with a stern no-nonsense flair that earned her the nickname The Iron Lady. Although Thatcher was elected to three consecutive terms, widespread discontent and political disputes within her party forced her to resign in 1990. She was succeeded by John Major.II. Language points1.the automobile rapidly developed from an expensive toy for the rich into the de facto standard for passenger transport in most developed countries. (para.1) The automobile is no longer a luxury for the rich. It has become the usual and practical transportation means in most developed countries.2.In developing countries, the effects of the automobile have lagged, but are emulating the impacts of developed nations. (para.1) In countries whose economies are not so developed, the effects of the automobile are not as strong as in developed countries, but are approaching. 3.The effects of automobiles on everyday life have been a subject of controversy. (para.2) As to the influence of automobiles on our daily life, people have different ideas. 4.the modern consequences of heavy automotive use contribute to the use of non-renewable fuels, a dramatic increase in the rate of accidental death, social isolation and the disconnection of community, rise in obesity, the generation of air and noise pollution, and the facilitation of urban sprawl and urban decay. (para.2) In modern society, because of the frequent use of the automobile, people have started to use energy that cant be generated within a short period of time, more and more people die in the accidents, people become separated from each other with less contact with the community, more people suffer from the problem of being overweight, air and noise pollution appear, and the use of the automobile pushes the haphazard extension and deterioration of cities 5.increasing use of automobiles has reduced the roles of walking, horses and railroads. (para.3) Due to the frequent use of automobiles, people resort less to walking, using horses and railroads to transport them.6.Aside from industries, one of the most visible effects the automobile has had on the world is the huge increase in the amount of surfaced roads. (para.4) Apart from industries, one of the most obvious influences of automobiles is that people build a lot of roads.7.Many shopping centers and suburbs abandoned sidewalks altogether, making pedestrian access dangerous. (para.5) Many shopping centers and suburbs prefer not to have sidewalks at all, which makes it dangerous for pedestrians.8.This had the effect of encouraging people to drive, even for short trips that might have been walkable, thus increasing and solidifying American auto-dependency. (para.5) This encourages people to drive, even for a short distance that might be suitable for people to walk, which makes Americans more dependent on cars.9.With increased road-building came negative effects on habitat for wildlife, primarily through habitat fragmentation and surface runoff alteration. (para.7) When more and more roads are built, the living space of wildlife is negatively influenced. One major influence is that the living space of wildlife is cut into smaller pieces and the surface runoff is changed.10.Another change brought about by the automobile is that modern urban pedestrians must be more alert than their ancestors. (para.10) Another change brought about by the automobile is that it is more dangerous for people to walk than in the past.11.the loss of pedestrian-scale villages has also disconnected communities. (para.11) Medium-sized villages which are suitable for people to walk in become fewer. The result is that people have less connection to each other and become more isolated.12.Because of the automobile, the outward growth of cities accelerated, and the development of suburbs in automobile intensive cultures was intensified. (para.12) Because of cars, cities developed outward at a faster speed, and the development of suburbs was strengthened. 13.Until the advent of the automobile, factory workers lived either close to the factory or in high density communities farther away, (para.12) Before the automobile came into our life, factory workers lived in places near the factory or in densely-populated areas farther away from the factory.14.The automobile and the federal subsidies for roads and suburban development that supported car culture allowed people to live in low density communities far from the city center and integrated city neighborhoods. (para.12) The automobile and the financial support from the federal government for the construction of roads and suburban development made people able to live in sparsely-populated areas far from the city center and in areas equipped with necessary facilities.15.The developing suburbs created few local jobs, due to single use zoning. (para.12) The developing suburbs provided few job opportunities in the local area because of the single living function of the area. 16.Books centered on motor boys who liberated themselves from the average, normal, middle class life, to travel and seek adventure in the exotic. (para.13) The theme of some books used motor boys as someone who set themselves free from the boring middle class life to travel and seek excitement in unfamiliar environments.17.Car ownership came to be associated with independence, freedom, and increased status. (para.13) Having a car is connected with independence, freedom, and the rising of social status.18.widespread car culture has shifted voters preference to the right of the political spectrum. (para.14) The pervasive car culture has changed peoples interest from politics to cars.19.In Europe, massive freeway building programs were initiated by a number of social democratic governments after World War II, in an attempt to create jobs and make the automobile available to the working classes. (para.15) In Europe, large-scale freeway construction programs were put forward by a number of social democratic governments after the Second World War, the purpose of which was to provide job opportunities and make the working class able to buy the automobile.III. Key to the exercises1. Reading comprehension(1) Peoples frequent use of automobiles lead to the use of non-renewable fuels, a dramatic increase in the rate of accidental death, social isolation and the disconnection of community, rise in obesity, the generation of air and noise pollution, the facilitation of urban sprawl and urban decay. (2) First, increased road-building exerts negative effects on the habitat for wildlife, primarily through habitat fragmentation and surface runoff alteration. Second, new roads built through sensitive habitats can cause the loss or degradation of ecosystems, and the materials required for roads come from large-scale rock quarrying and gravel extraction, which sometimes occurs in sensitive ecological areas. Whats more, road construction also alters the water table, increases surface runoff, and increases the risk of flooding. All these threaten the existence of wildlife.(3) Automobiles are a major source of air pollution and noise pollution. They contribute greatly to the global climate warming by emitting carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Whats more, the increased road-building exerts negative effects on wildlife habitat.(4) Automobiles brought about changes to urban society. First, streetcars, cable cars, and other forms of light rail in the urban areas are replaced by coaches or buses. Second, its more dangerous for pedestrians to walk. Third, people have less contact with their neighbors and become more disconnected.(5) Until the advent of the automobile, factory workers lived either close to the factory or in high density communities farther away, connected to the factory by streetcar or rail. The automobile and the federal subsidies for roads and suburban development that supported car culture allowed people to live in low density communities far from the city center and integrated city neighborhoods. The outward growth of cities accelerated. The suburban society came.2. VocabularySection A(1) favorable(2) sprawl(3) proliferation(4) fragmentation(5) manure (6) sanitation(7) diesel(8) integrate(9) ideology(10) solidifySection B(1) A(2) D(3) B(4) C(5) D(6) B(7) A(8) C(9) B(10) D3. Cloze(1) emphasizing(2) particularly(3) brought (4) alternative(5) moves (6) reliance(7) least(8) sure(9) intact (10) as (11) shadow(12) prospect(13) cigarettes(14) doubt(15) vast (16) suburban(17) mean(18) abandoned(19) right(20) purchasing4. TranslationA. Chinese to English 1) Translate the following sentences into English.(1) The two countries should initiate bilateral dialogues and cooperation on the basis of mutual respect and equality, which will be beneficial to the economic development of both sides.(2)Unless we take all factors into account, we shall be faced for a long time with the social problem of insufficient employment, which is one element that causes social instability.(3)In this century, our country will continue to accelerate the strategic adjustment of the economic structure in an attempt to seize every opportunity to develop.(4)With the advent of biological economic era, many countries put a high value on developing biotechnology industry.(5)The rampant deforestation has broken the panda habitat into isolated areas, which is especially dangerous for pandas existence.(6)Action, gesture, eye, and voice contribute to the greater effectiveness of drama as compared with the novel.(7)Aside from wealth, potential moon travelers will need time to train for the mission and must meet health requirements.(8)In response to an epidemic reported in the area, the government authorities immediately decided to fly in doctors and medical supplies to ease difficulties of the affected areas.2) Translate the following paragraph into English.At a time when most carmakers are struggling to cope with the worst crisis the industry has experienced in living memory, the ambitions of Geely, Chinas biggest privately owned car firm, are breathtaking. The company is simultaneously developing six modern platformsan astonishing number even for a globa