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Autor: Nelson Palitot | Publicado: 2009-04-16T05:04:00-07:00

   A CAR OF THE FUTUREPre-Reading ActivitiesA: Short DiscussionAnswer these questions with a partner:What kind of vehicle do you think you will be driving in 2010?How different do you think it will be from present-day cars?(You could think about design, engine and speed.)Reading ActivitiesA: ComprehensionRead the questions and look for the answers in the article. (Note: Today's article is divided into different sections.)1. What is the name of the aviation company who will test the car?2. What is special about the car?3. What is the name of the car?4. When will the car have its first test journey?Company Plans To Test 'Flying Car'Wednesday May 26 LONDON (Reuters) - A U.S. aviation company is planning to test a revolutionary new ``flying car'' that will hover above the ground and could change the way people travel in the future.Moller International, of California, plans to take the so-called Skycar on its maiden journey in the next few weeks and could reveal it to the press by the end of the year, New Scientist magazine said on Wednesday.5. How many people will it seat? 6. How many miles per liter of gas will it do?7. What will its highest speed be?The Batmobile shaped vehicle will seat four people, do about five miles per liter of gas, have a top speed of over 370 miles per hour and will take off and land vertically.8. How high will it fly on its first flight?9. How long will it hover before it lands on its first flight?10. How will later flights be different?11. In the future who will be able to fly one of the Skycars?"On its first flight, the Skycar will rise to a height of two meters (six feet) or so, hover for one minute and then land, just like a Harrier jump jet," the magazine said."Later flights will be more ambitious. Once the aircraft receives a license from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) anyone with a pilot's license will be able to fly one in the U.S.," it said.12. Who thought of the idea?13. How much will this Skycar cost?14. How long has he been working on this project for?15. The design is still not perfect. But how much could the car cost in the future?16. In the future who or what will actually fly the car?The vehicle, which will be hand-built and cost about $1 million, is the brainchild of Paul Moller, who founded the company. He has been working on the project for 30 years.Once the design is perfected and mass produced, Moller estimates it could cost about $60,000."The first Skycars will be fly-by-wire vehicles. In other words, while the pilot tells the craft what to do, a computer will actually do the flying, taking the vehicle's rate of turn, and altitude into account when it responds to instructions," the magazine said.Article © 1999 Reuters Limited. Lesson ©2001 http://www.english-to-go.com/B: Matching words and meaningsFind these words in the article and then match them with their meanings:Words Meaningshover goes straight up in the airbrainchild to stay in the air in one placemass produced firstmaiden idea or inventionvertically built by someone without using factory machineshand-built to make large numbers of something using machinesC: Check what you knowThese sentences have information from the article. Put the words in the right order without looking back at the article.1. a / American / an / car / company / few / in / new / next / test / the / weeks / will2. car / four / people / seat / the / will3. 370 / be / hour / its / miles / more / per / speed / than / top / will4. and / will / it / land / off / take / vertically5. $60 000 / about / cost / could / future / in / it / the6. a / actually / car / computer / fly / the / willD: LanguageLook at the following excerpts from today's article. What word is used in the future form?- On its first flight, the Skycar will rise to a height of two meters (six feet).- The first Skycars will be fly-by-wire vehicles.Do you know when to use will or going to to talk about something happening in the future? Most often will is used (see above). We use (be) going to when a circumstance reveals something that is going to happen in the future:- "Look! The Skycar driver has started the engine. He's going to fly it."- It's not a good day to fly. It's going to rain.Complete the following dialogue between Paul Moller and one of his colleagues at Moller International, Gavin Spencer. Fill in the gaps with either will or (be) going to.(In the lunch room) Spencer: Would you like some more coffee, Mr Moller? Moller: Thanks, Gavin...Oh, be careful, you 1. _______________ spill it. Spencer: Sorry sir.....Mr Moller, can I ask you a question? The Skycar seems simple to fly but I'm a little concerned about something. Do you think it 2. _______________ be safe to fly? Moller: Of course. Now pass the salt, please. Spencer: Mr Moller, you shouldn't put so much salt on your food. You 3. _______________ have high blood pressure...Can I ask you another question? Do you really think the Skycar 4. _______________ cost only $60,000? I think it will cost more than that, sir. Moller: Gavin, it all depends on how many Skycars we can mass produce. The more we produce, the less each car 5. _______________ cost. Spencer: Wow. I could talk to you all day about work, Mr Moller. Moller: That's nice, Gavin, but it's 12:59. You 6. _______________ to be late. Spencer: Yes. Good-bye, sir.Post-Reading ActivitiesYou may do one or more of these. A: Share your OpinionAnswer these questions with a partner:1. Paul Moller has been working on this project for 30 years. Would you be able to work for such a long time on a single project?2. If you were married and your husband or wife was a researcher, would you support them in a project like this one?B: RoleplayWork in pairs.Student A: The year is 2004. You are a salesperson representing a company that has just invented a flying car. Student B is someone who is wealthy but only spends money very carefully. Persuade Student B to buy one of the cars.Using the information from today's article, make sure you knowits top speedhow many people it seatshow it takes off and landswho can fly ithow much it costsStudent B: The year is 2004. You want to buy a car and you are interested in the new flying car. Student A is a salesperson, representing the flying car. (You are wealthy but you will only spend your money if you think the car is suitable for you.)You could ask Student A aboutthe car's top speedhow many people it seatshow it takes off and landswho can fly ithow much it costsC: Answering QuestionsYou are Paul Moller, the inventor of the plane. A reporter has faxed you some questions. Answer these questions using information from the article and your own ideas.1. What will you do if the test flight is not successful?Your answer: _____________________________________2. How will you feel if the test flight is successful?Your answer: _____________________________________3. Will anyone be able to fly the car in America?Your answer: _____________________________________4. How much will the handbuilt car cost?Your answer: _____________________________________5. If I want to buy a production-line car, how much will it cost?Your answer: _____________________________________6. What will you do when the car is finished?Your answer: _____________________________________D: Additional ReadingRead the complete article and find more information about the design of the car. After you finish reading, tell someone else what you have learnt.Company Plans To Test 'Flying Car'LONDON Wednesday May 26 (Reuters) - A U.S. aviation company is planning to test a revolutionary new ``flying car'' that will hover above the ground and could change the way people travel in the future.Moller International, of California, plans to take the so-called Skycar on its maiden journey in the next few weeks and could reveal it to the press by the end of the year, New Scientist magazine said Wednesday.The Batmobile shaped vehicle will seat four people, do about five miles per liter of gas, have a top speed of over 370 miles per hour and will take off and land vertically.``On its first flight, the Skycar will rise to a height of two meters (six feet) or so, hover for one minute and then land, just like a Harrier jump jet,'' the magazine said.``Later flights will be more ambitious. Once the aircraft receives a license from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) anyone with a pilot's license will be able to fly one in the U.S.,'' it said.The vehicle, which will be hand-built and cost about $1 million, is the brainchild of Paul Moller, who founded the company. He has been working on the project for 30 years.The car uses two rotary engines and fans placed inside streamlined housings known as nacelles. The fans inside the nacelles create an airflow that generates thrust. Each four-passenger Skycar will have four nacelles to provide the power.``At the rear of each nacelle is a set of vanes that can be angled downwards to generate lift as well as forward thrust,'' the magazine said.Once the design is perfected and mass produced, Moller estimates it could cost about $60,000.``The first Skycars will be fly-by-wire vehicles. In other words, while the pilot tells the craft what to do, a computer will actually do the flying, taking the vehicle's rate of turn, and altitude into account when it responds to instructions,'' the magazine said.Article © 1999 Reuters Limited. Lesson ©2001 http://www.english-to-go.com/TEACHERS' NOTES AND ANSWER KEYReading ActivitiesA: Comprehension - NotesStudents should read the questions and then look for the answers. They should be discouraged from using dictionaries as most questions avoid any difficult words. (Activity B introduces them to some of the difficult words in the article.) You may, however, like to pre-teach the word 'hover', and also the word 'ambitious'. A: Comprehension - AnswersMoller Internationalit fliesthe Skycarin the next few weeksfour peoplefive miles370 miles per hourtwo meters (six feet)one minuteThey will be more ambitious.anyone with a pilot's license.Paul Moller$1 million30 years$60 000a computer B: Matching words and meanings - Answershover-to stay in the air in one placebrainchild-idea or inventionmass produced-to make large numbers of something using machinesmaiden-firstvertically-goes straight up in the airhand-built-built by someone without using factory machines C: Check what you know- AnswersAn American aviation company will test a new car in the next few weeks.The car will seat four people.Its top speed will be more than 370 miles per hour.It will take off and land vertically.It could cost about US$60 000 in the future.A computer will actually fly the plane. D: Language - Answers1. are going to 2. will 3. are going to 4. will 5. will 6. are going toPost-Reading ActivitiesB: Roleplay - NotesBefore beginning the activity you may like to have a quick discussion on what transport in the year 2004 will be like. Will things have changed or will they be the same as today?This activity could also be set in the present with salespeople trying to sell the expensive $1 million car to a wealthy person. C: Answering Questions - NotesStudents use information from the article and their own imagination to answer these questions. After completing the sentences they could work in pairs to conduct an interview.C: Answering Questions - AnswersWe'll do more work on the car and then we'll test it again.I'll be very happy! I've been working on this project for more than 30 years!No, only people who have pilots' licenses.It's expensive! 1 million dollars.It will cost about $60 000.I'll take a holiday.D: Additional Reading- NotesStudents have an opportunity to reread the article including two paragraphs which were left out in the lesson. These focus on the design of the car.You may decide to look at some other difficult words from the article.