Effects-of-the-Automobile-on-Societies

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Effects-of-the-Automobile-on-Societies Unit 8 Text A Effects of the Automobile on Societies

I. Background information 1. Zoning It is a device of land use regulation used by local governments in most developed countries. The word is derived from the practice of designating permitted uses of land based on mapped zones which separate one set of land uses from another. Zoning may be use-based (regulating the uses to which land may be put), or it may regulate building height, lot coverage, and similar characteristics, or some combination of these. 2. Surface runoff It is the water flow which occurs when soil is infiltrated to full capacity and excess water, from rain, snowmelt, or other sources flows over the land. This is a major component of the hydrologic cycle. Runoff that occurs on surfaces before reaching a channel is also called a nonpoint source. If a nonpoint source contains Unit 8 72

man-made contaminants, the runoff is called nonpoint source pollution. A land area which produces runoff draining to common point is called a watershed. When runoff flows along the ground, it can pick up soil contaminants such as petroleum, pesticides (in particular herbicides and insecticides), or fertilizers that become discharge or nonpoint source pollution. 3. Margaret Thatcher She was born in Grantham, England, 13 October, 1925 and was the Prime Minister of Great Britain from 1979 to 1990. Margaret Thatcher was the United Kingdom’s first woman prime minister, and she held the office of PM for longer than anyone in the 20th century. Elected in 1979, Thatcher shored up a Conservative-led government, favored privatization plans, led the country through the Falklands War with Argentina, and did it all with a stern no-nonsense flair that earned her the nickname "The Iron Lady." Although Thatcher was elected to three consecutive terms, widespread discontent and political disputes within her party forced her to resign in 1990. She was succeeded by John Major. Unit 8 73

II. Language points 1. ...the automobile rapidly developed from an expensive toy for the rich into the de facto standard for passenger transport in most developed countries. (para.1) The automobile is no longer a luxury for the rich. It has become the usual and practical transportation means in most developed countries. 2. In developing countries, the effects of the automobile have lagged, but are emulating the impacts of developed nations. (para.1) In countries whose economies are not so developed, the effects of the automobile are not as strong as in developed countries, but are approaching. 3. The effects of automobiles on everyday life have been a subject of controversy. (para.2) As to the influence of automobiles on our daily life, people have different ideas. 4. …the modern consequences of heavy automotive use contribute to the use of non-renewable fuels, a dramatic increase in the rate of accidental death, social isolation and the disconnection of community, rise in Unit 8 74

obesity, the generation of air and noise pollution, and the facilitation of urban sprawl and urban decay. (para.2) In modern society, because of the frequent use of the automobile, people have started to use energy that can’t be generated within a short period of time, more and more people die in the accidents, people become separated from each other with less contact with the community, more people suffer from the problem of being overweight, air and noise pollution appear, and the use of the automobile pushes the haphazard extension and deterioration of cities 5. …increasing use of automobiles has reduced the roles of walking, horses and railroads. (para.3) Due to the frequent use of automobiles, people resort less to walking, using horses and railroads to transport them. 6. Aside from industries, one of the most visible effects the automobile has had on the world is the huge increase in the amount of surfaced roads. (para.4) Apart from industries, one of the most obvious influences of automobiles is that people build a lot of roads.