This is an abridged article by Christopher Hume from Toronto Star of May 2010
Although volcanic ash from Iceland has paralyzed air traffic across Europe, it hasn't paralyzed Europe. But what if the jet stream flowed west, not east, and smoke was blowing across Canada? The results would be catastrophic.
Why? Because in North America, we have no other serious forms of transportation. Take aviation out of the picture and what's left? The answer, sad to say, is precious little. Other than cars and trucks, we would have few alternatives.
Europe, by contrast, is connected by formidable network of trains, high-speed intercontinental lines, intercity service and local commuter lines.
Despite what Canadians might like to believe, Europeans, whether Germans or Swedes, love their cars every bit as much as we do. But judging from the number of people in Berlin who get around by transit and ride bikes, which have their own lanes throughout the city, it's understood that one of the great advantages of urban life is that you don't have to drive everywhere.
In this way, the New World and the Old World have traded places.
Discussion questions:
1. What does author mind in North America?
2. What does he refer to as "precious little"?
3. What would have happened if the ash had blown west?
4. In which respect is the New World old now?
5. As a new Canadian, what do you think about driving everywhere?
Look at the phrases below and try to reconstruct the text that the author wrote in continuation of the above excerpt:
fall behind
lag technologically
distant past
antique system
sleeping ticket takers
outdated equipment
mechanical failures
Alberta tar sands
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Showing posts with label transportation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label transportation. Show all posts
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Eco-Driver
TASKS
- 1. Which of these features are Fuel Savers or Gas Guzzlers?
Large engine
Overdrive
Trip computer
Power seats
Air conditioning
Tinted glasses
Sunroof
Heated seats
Manual transmission
Tachometer
4-wheel drive
Power locks
Cruise control
(Answers: 2, 3,6,9,10,13 are Fuel Savers.)
- 2. Order the words in this text:
Your the and Planet Help Wallet
fuel just can year by save a you hundreds of dollars, a and reduce Reducing your tanks personal consumption emissions ten by almost tone.
because kilograms litre gasoline carbon every burned in a car's atmosphere releases 2.3 That's of of dioxide into the that's earth's engine.
is change dioxide greenhouse primary Carbon the climate contributing gas to.
Note: This exercise will be made easier if you cut word strips, rather than have them printed on a handout. The three sentences can be in three different colours or in different fonts. You can also give each member of a group of three one sentence.
3. Look at the estimated annual fuel costs for different cars.
Compare the costs (Exercise in reading numbers.)
Which one would you buy? Why? (Discussion, giving opinion.)
| |||
Best in class | 10th best | Median | |
Hybrid | $1,025 | $1,925 | $1,825 |
Compact | $1,575 | $1,850 | $2,268 |
Mid-size | $1,700 | $1,925 | $2,754 |
Full-size | $2,000 | $2,400 | $3,105 |
Van/Minivan | $2,100 | $2,775 | $3,575 |
Based on 20,000 km, $1.25/litre, $1.35 premium | |||
Note: each year, Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) produces a free booklet that compiles fuel efficiency ratings for all new cars. Online fuel consumption ratings can be found at: www.oee.nrcan.gc.ca/transportation
- 4. Insert an article: a, an, the or zero:
Welcome to the Idle-Free Zone
For Individuals
As __ individual, you can be instrumental in reducing __environmental impacts. If every driver of __ light duty vehicle avoided ___ idling by three minutes __ day, collectively over ___ year, we would save 630 million litres of ___fuel, over 1.4 million tonnes of GHG emissions, and $630 million annually in___ fuel costs (assuming fuel costs are $1.00/L).
(Answers: an,0, a, 0, a, the, 0, 0)
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