Dirty Transport The new age of transportation Technology is changing all forms of transportation People are using trains, cars, buses and planes more than ever before Distances are shortening Experts are planning systems to reduce congestion These are just some of the latest means of transport: High-speed trains Hybrid vehicles Electric cars Rocket planes And these are some of the questions which arise about the future: How much will people travel in the future? Which forms of transportation will they use? Where will traffic be heavier? Will new roads attract more traffic? The Maglev (magnetic levitation) train is a fast and light means of transport, which does not burn fuel Magnetic levitation uses magnets and special motors to lift and propel trains on a cushion of air and, consequently, does not cause pollution In Shanghai, the Maglev takes eight minutes to cover a distance of thirty kilometres that separates the main station from the airport Today, there are electric cars in the streets of Japan, USA and Europe These battery-powered vehicles have zero emissions: they emit no pollutants Because of advances in technology, there is an increase in energy storage and a reduction in cost Besides, these cars require lower maintenance than internal combustion cars These are some of the advantages that led to the introduction of more electric cars in the market — and in the streets! Also, experts are making a car that converts gasoline into hydrogen, carbon dioxide and water with a transformer This fuel cell car is non-pollutant as well Thanks to technology, aerospace engineers can now develop a rocket plane This hypersonic vehicle can take off as an ordinary plane, then accelerate into orbit around the planet, and finally return through the atmosphere and land as a common aeroplane A space flight passenger travelling in this plane will sit in the position of the co-pilot and will be able to have a view of the Earth There will be prior flight tests before these rocket planes carry tourists and payloads around the world © Shanghai Maglev Activities 1 State if the following sentences are true (T) or false (F) a Maglev trains are not functioning yet b The Maglev is as fast as any other train c All battery-powered cars are fuel cell cars d Today, people have electric cars in Japan, USA and Europe e Fuel cell cars are good for the environment f Rocket planes take off and land as conventional airplanes English Toolkit - Technology Photocopiable © Ediciones Santillana S.A / Richmond 2011 Module 1B Module 1B 2 Answer the following questions a Is the Maglev train common now? b Where can we find electric cars? c Why are electric cars ecological? d What is a fuel cell car? e How does a rocket plane operate? a zero b hypersonic c rocket d electric e magnetic f carbon g fuel levitation planes dioxide vehicle cars cell emissions 4 Complete the following sentences with the phrases in the previous activity a Maglev means b c  d  are zero-emission cars cars convert gasoline into hydrogen, water and will carry passengers and packages around the world 5 Read the text again, ask some questions and get your partner to answer them a What forms of transportation are moving people as never before? b Who ? c What ? d Where ? e When ? f Why ? 6 Correct the wrong ideas a Maglev trains not exist b There are not electric cars in Japan, USA and Europe c Electric cars produce pollution d People not use fuel cell cars yet e The rocket plane functions like an aeroplane f Rocket planes carry passengers and packages g We have the Maglev in Argentina English Toolkit - Technology Photocopiable © Ediciones Santillana S.A / Richmond 2011 Match the following words to make phrases