Cars, two

The car has brought many benefits to everyday life. But it has also brought many problems. These include traffic congestion, noise, and pollution. Cars are a leading source of serious accidents.

Lawmakers and engineers continually work on producing safer and clearer automobiles, and introducing better regulations.

General

11. List the benefits and drawbacks, advantages and disadvantages of car ownership and driving.

12. What would happen if the price of fuel decreased by half? What would happen if the price of fuel (gasoline, petrol) doubled, or tripled?

13. Do you know people who can afford very little in life—nevertheless they have and drive a car?

14. Drivers in my city often burn rubber (screech their tires) and rev up and race down the street. Yes or no? If yes, who are they? Why do they do this?

15. Do you encounter moving vehicles that play very loud music? Who are they?

Economics

16. Does your country manufacture or assemble cars (trucks, lorries, buses)? Is it a particular city or region?

17. Where you live, are many people employed in automobile-related professions, i.e. mechanics, auto dealers, factory workers, truck (lorry) drivers, deliverers.

18. Daniel had always read and heard about how country Z were desperately poor. It therefore came a big shock to him to see so many German cars when he visited country Z—far more than in his own, prosperous country!

When Sarah visited country L, which is characterized as “Third World”, dirt poor, and where people lived on $2 a day, and fuel was prohibitively expensive, she was aghast by the endless traffic. There were cars, cars, cars everywhere!

19. Regarding the automobile, what do you think of the Netherlands? Describe Holland with regards to cars.

Time Periods

20. (According to your great-grandparents) what was life like before the widespread ownership and usage of cars?

21. Could life more or less go on as usual in the absence of privately owned vehicles?

22. What will cars of the future be like?