Transportation

1. Transportation is the act of moving people or goods from one place to another. Transportation takes people where they need or want to go, and it brings them the goods they need or want. Without transportation, there could be no trade. Without trade, there could be no towns and cities. Towns and cities are traditionally the centres of civilization. Therefore, transportation helps make civilization possible.

2. Throughout most of history, transportation was extremely slow and difficult. In prehistoric times, people travelled mainly on foot. They transported goods on their backs or heads or by dragging them along the ground. About 5000 B.C. people began to use animals to haul loads. By 3000 B.C., wagons and sailing vessels had been invented. The use of animals, wagons, and sailing vessels enabled people to transport loads farther and more easily than before. But the speed of transportation improved only slightly over the centuries. Inventors produced the first engine-powered vehicles during the late 1700's and the early 1800's. This development marked the beginning of a revolution in transportation that has continued to the present. Today, jet airliners carry travellers nearly as far as, or faster than, the speed of sound. Trains, trucks, and giant cargo ships haul goods to buyers in almost all parts of the world. Automobiles provide convenient transportation for millions of people.

3. Although engine-powered transportation has benefited people in many ways, it has also created problems. For example, it uses great quantities of fuel and so strains the world's energy supplies. Automobiles jam many streets and highways, making travel slow. In addition, their exhaust fumes pollute the air. Such problems are so difficult to solve that governments have become increasingly involved in transportation.

3) Дайте письмові відповіді на наступні запитання до тексту:

1. In what way does transportation help make civilization possible?

2. How did people transport goods in prehistoric times?

3. What marked the beginning of a revolution in transportation?

4. At what speed do airliners carry passengers today?

5. What problems has engine-powered transportation created?

ВАРІАНТ 2

І. Перепишіть та перекладіть наступні речення. Підкресліть в кожному з них присудок та визначте його видо-часову форму і стан:

1. Engine-powered land transport includes automobiles, buses, motor-cycles, trains and trucks.

2. The new airport will have been built by the end of the year.

3. He cut himself when he was repairing his car.

4. I have never driven a car before.

ІІ. Перепишіть та перекладіть наступні речення. Знайдіть і підкресліть в кожному з них Participle I або Participle IІ:

1. People can travel at different speeds depending on the type of vehicle.

2. Having many advantages over other means of transportation, air transport has become very popular over the last decades.

3. Knowing the English well, he can translate newspaper articles without dictionary.

4. Having built new docks and ports, the country began to develop successfully its water transportation.

ІІІ. Перепишіть та перекладіть наступні речення. Підкресліть в кожному з них інфінітив в одній з його форм:

1. You should drive carefully to prevent road accidents.

2. To maintain roads in proper condition in this area the local government will have to find additional resources.

3. They were glad to have been given a chance to travel abroad.

4. The new equipment to be installed in the docks will make loading easier.

ІV. Перепишіть та перекладіть наступні речення, звертаючи увагу на переклад неозначених та заперечних займенників:

1. Will you travel anywhere this summer?

2. No traffic was allowed along this street because of the accident.

3. Nothing interesting was discussed during this meeting.

4. I believe that one day somebody will find a new reliable and cheap source of energy.

V. Перепишіть та перекладіть наступні речення, звертаючи увагу на переклад займенників, які означають кількість:

1. Much load can be carried by a modern truck.

2. A little is known about the invention of the wheel.

3. Few ships specialize in transporting passengers; most of them specialize in hauling cargo.

4. A lot of people gathered on the platform to meet the delegation of sportsmen.