Kinds of transportation

1. There are three kinds of transportation: (1) land, (2) water, and (3) air. Land transportation depends mainly on wheeled vehicles, especially automobiles, trains, and trucks. Ships and boats are the most important water vehicles. Air transportation depends almost entirely on airplanes.

2. Each kind of transportation can further be classified according to whether the vehicles are engine powered or engineless. Most engine-powered vehicles have gasoline, diesel or jet engines. The majority of engineless vehicles are powered by the muscles of human beings or animals or by natural forces, such as the wind or flowing water.

3. Engine-powered transportation has many advantages over engineless transportation. It is usually faster, more dependable, and can carry greater loads. However, such transportation is costly. Most kinds of engine-powered vehicles cost from several thousands to many millions of dollars, depending on the type of vehicle. In most cases, each type of vehicle also requires certain supporting facilities. Automobiles require roads. Trains must have tracts. Airplanes require airports. Ships need docks and ports. All these facilities are expensive to build and maintain. Every form of engine-powered transportation also requires a source of energy. The combined cost of the vehicles, supporting facilities, and energy makes engine-powered transportation extremely expensive.

4. Land transportation is the most common kind of transportation by far. In many cases, it is the only suitable or available transportation.

5. Engine-powered land transportation. Automobiles, buses, motorcycles, snowmobiles, trains, and trucks are the chief engine-powered land vehicles. All these vehicles ride on wheels.

6. Engineless land transportation. Walking is the most elementary means of engineless transportation. Carrying a load on one's back or head or using animals to carry loads is also elementary. Animals used for this purpose are called pack animals. People use pack animals mainly in regions that lack modern roads. Such regions include many deserts, mountainous areas and jungles.

3). Дайте письмові відповіді на наступні запитання до тексту:

1. What are the main kinds of transportation?

2. What types of engines do most engine-powered vehicles have?

3. How are the majority of engineless vehicles powered?

4. What are the advantages of engine-powered transportation over engineless one?

5. What makes engine-powered transportation expensive?