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 / 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
►

To print, use "shrink to fit" mode
Pour imprimer, ajuster à la page

© Christian Lassure - EFT
March 23rd, 2006 / 23 mars 2006

page d'accueil                   sommaire textes                    corrigé