My topic today is “The Car and Air Pollution.” In particular, I want firstly to discuss the ways in which the car causes air pollution; and secondly, how we can control or reduce air pollution from the car.
First, then, how does the car cause air pollution? 1. What happens is that the car’s internal combustion engine is a kind of chemical factory on a small scale. It uses a mixture of petrol and air, and this mixture explodes and burns, to produce the energy which propels the car. 2. But while this is happening, many complicated chemical reactions are taking place. In particular, part of the petrol-air mixture is not completely burned up, and so the exhaust gases from the engine contain some very dangerous chemicals, such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, lead and hydrocarbons.
This is the situation, then, and it’s going to get much worse, unless we do something about it. So let’s focus our attention now on ways of controlling or reducing the amount of air pollution caused by the car.
First, we can discourage the use of cars. For example, we can put higher taxes on petrol, and on cars themselves, especially on larger ones that use a lot of petrol.
3.Second, we can encourage alternative methods of transport, both between and within urban areas. For instance, we can make train and bus services cheaper and more convenient. And we can build a mass transit system in large cities, particularly an underground railway system.
Next, we can use a different and cleaner fuel for the internal combustion engine.
Fourth, we can replace the internal combustion engine with other designs. There are several possibilities being researched at present, such as electric, gas turbine, and “steam” engines gas turbine, and steam engines. However, each of these designs has its own disadvantages.
4.Last but not the least, we are trying to control the emissions from the internal combustion engine much more strictly. This, for example, is a catalytic (催化式) converter, which converts the most dangerous ingredients of the car exhaust into water and harmless gases.
As I’m sure you can see, there are problems with each of these ways; but at least they’re a step in the right direction. Probably the best answer is a synthesis of all five.
Directions:Read the following passage, and then translate the underlined parts numbered from (1) to(4) , from English into Chinese. Please write your answer on the ANSWER SHEET.
