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SportS car
With its large engine, sleek design, and usually
seating for only two people, a sports car is
designed purely for speed. Some can travel
at over 250 mph (400 km/h).If you could line up all the world’s
cars end to end, they would form a traffic
jam stretching all the way to the moon;
and the line is getting longer, because a
new car is made every second. Most cars
are family cars, used for trips to school, work,
and stores, to see friends, and take vacations. But
there are also a number of special-purpose cars, including taxis, sports
cars, and police patrol cars. Gasoline or diesel engines power modern
cars, just as they did the first cars of the 19th century. But the
cars of today are very different from cars even 30 years
ago. the latest cars have low, sleek shapes that
are attractive and also reduce drag, or air
resistance. other features include
powerful brakes for stopping quickly
and electronic engine control
systems that allow cars to travel
faster and use less fuel.
Some cars have
electric motors
instead of gasoline
or diesel engines.luxury car
large, carefully crafted cars, such as
the world-famous rolls-royce, are
among the most beautiful and
expensive automobiles in the world.typeS of carS
cars have numerous uses, and there are many
different kinds of cars available to suit almost any
task. Most family cars combine a large interior
with speed and fuel economy. However, for other,
more specialized vehicles, speed, luxury, or power
may be the most important design feature.Turning the steering
wheel inside the car
turns a system of gears that
point the front wheels toward the left or right.This car has a manual gearbox, which means
the driver uses the gear lever to change gear.
In some cars, gear changes are automatic.antI-pollutIon devIce
Waste gases from the engine of a car are highly toxic (poisonous).
to keep them under control, most cars have special filters, called
catalytic converters, fitted to the exhaust system. these filters
remove poisonous gases.Tread, or
grooves on
the tires,
improve traction
(grip) in the rain.off-road veHIcle
rugged vehicles
built specially for
driving cross-
country have
powerful engines,
four-wheel drive,
and heavy ridged
tires for extra grip.Suspension springs and shock absorbers soften a bumpy
ride for the passengers and keep the wheels firmly on the
ground as the car travels over uneven surfaces.Pressing on the brake pedal pushes a special
liquid down tubes, which in turn push on pistons at
each wheel. These pistons squeeze the brake pads
against steel disks or drums attached to the wheels,
slowing down the wheels and stopping the car.craSH protectIon
the driver and passengers are
cocooned in a strong steel cage
to protect them in a crash. But
the rest of the car is designed
to crumple easily and absorb
some of the impact. Wearing seat
belts can protect car passengers
from injury in a crash.A car radiator is full of
water. A pump keeps
water flowing around
the engine to keep it
cool. As the car moves
forward, cold air rushes
through the radiator,
cooling the water before its
next circuit around the engine.The
steering wheel
turns the steering
gear via a long shaft.HoW a car WorkS
In most cars, the engine is at the
front and drives the back or front
wheels (or all four wheels) through a
series of shafts and gears. there are
usually four or five different gears;
they alter the speed at which the
engine turns the wheels. In low gear
the wheels turn slowly and produce
extra force for starting and climbing
hills. In high gear the wheels turn
fast for traveling at speed.Cars 97-
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