Automobiles and automobile maintenance

Text A

New words and word combinations:

1) trackless – безрельсовый; 2) truck – грузовик; 3) self-propelled vehicle – самоходное транспортное средство; 4) framework – каркас; 5) body – корпус; 6) ignition – зажигание; 7) cooling – охлаждение; 8) intake – впуск; 9) compression – сжатие; 10) power-ход; 11) exhaust – выпуск; 12) top dead centre – верхняя мертвая точка; 13) bottom dead centre – нижняя мертвая точка; 14) fuel – топливо; 15) a throttle – дроссель; 16) lubrication system – система смазки; 17) to indicate – показывать; 18) brake – тормоз; 19) steering system – рулевое управление; 20) torsion bar – пружина; 21) air suspension – пневматическая подвеска.

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Components of the automobile

Automobiles are trackless, self-propel led vehicles for land transportation of people or goods, or for moving materials. There are three main types of automobiles. These are passenger cars, buses and lorries (trucks). The automobile consists of the following components: a) the engine; b) the framework; c) the mechanism that transmits the power-engine to the wheels; d) the body.

Passenger cars are, as a rule, propelled by an internal combustion engine. They are distinguished by the horse-power of the engine, the number of cylinders on the engine and the type of the body, the type of transmission, wheelbase, weight and overall length. There are engines of various designs. They differ in the number of cylinders, their position, their operating cycle, valve mechanism, ignition and cooling system.

Most automobile engines have six or eight cylinders, although some four-, twelve-, and sixteen-cylinder engines are used. The activities that take place in the engine cylinder can be divided into four stages which are called strokes. The four strokes are: intake, compression, power and exhaust. "Stroke" refers to the piston movement. The upper limit of piston movement is called top dead centre, TDC. The lower limit of piston movement is called bottom dead centre, BDC. A stroke constitutes piston movement from TDC to BDC or from BDC to TDC. In other words, the piston completes a stroke each time it changes the direction of motion.

An automobile, powered by a petrol engine, begins to operate when the driver turns a flywheel connected to the engine crankshaft. As the crankshaft revolves, a mixture of fuel and air is drawn from a carburetor into the engine cylinders. The ignition system provides the electric sparks that ignite this mixture. The resultant explosions of the mixture turn the crankshaft, and the engine starts moving. By regulating the flow of the fuel and air with a throttle, the driver controls the rotational speed of the crankshaft.

Cooling, electrical Ignition and lubrication systems are of great importance for the good performance of a car. The lights, radio and heater add to the flexibility, comfort, and convenience of the car The Indicating devices keep the driver informed as to engine temperature, oil pressure, amount of fuel, and battery charging rate. Brakes are of drum and disk types. The steering system consists of a manually operated steering wheel which is connected by a steering column lo the steering gear from which linkages run to the front wheels. It is difficult to turn the steering wheel, and special hydraulic power mechanisms are used to lessen this effort. Suitable springings are used against shocks. These are leaf springs, coil springs, torsion bars and air suspensions.

Text B

New words and word combinations:

1) chassis– ходовая часть, шасси, рама; 2) a drivetrain – трансмиссия; 3) a torque – крутящий момент; 4) domain – сфера; 5) Longitudinal– продольный; 6) lateral – боковой; 7) engine – двигатель; 8) damping – коэффициент торможения; 9) springing – амортизация; 10) steering – рулевое управление; 11) consolidated – объединенный.

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