节目资讯
刊物:空中英语教室
日期:2014-04-21
难易度:High
关键字:accelerate, take the wheel, vein, customarily, GPS (global positioning
system), chauffeur
Hello again.
Today's lesson is called "Who's in the Driver's Seat?"
And so far we've learned that the race is on for many companies to produce cars
that drive themselves.
That's right, driverless cars.
This may sound a little bit dangerous to people who like to be in control of
their cars, especially when unexpected things happen.
So why make a driverless car?
Actually, the number one reason is improved safety.
Let's continue with the next part of today's reading.
(Music).
Who's in the Driver's Seat?
Driverless system will feature sensors that detect safety threats that human
drivers might miss.
In that vein, many carmakers already offer systems that alert drivers whenever
they get dangerously close to other cars.
These systems are customarily called forward collision warning systems.
Also, driverless systems have the benefit of increased efficiency.
Driverless cars won't waste as much gas as human drivers do, and guided by
advanced GPS, they'll always take the fastest route.
Once driverless cars become widely available, common people can have their own
chauffeur, and they'll just sit back and relax while their car's computer takes
the wheel!
(Music).
All right.
(Chinese).
And now let's go to our teachers.
Thank you, Michelle.
Well, let's get back to the beginning of this section here.
Driverless systems will feature sensors that detect safety threats that human
drivers might miss.
OK, there's a lot there.
They will feature sensors.
What does that mean?
That means sensors will be a unique and important part of driverless cars.
And a sensor is something that senses things.
Sometimes people have motion sensors installed in different parts of their
houses.
Right. They sense movement, and the movement causes an alarm to go off.
Or a motion sensor could just cause a light to turn on.
So the sensors in driverless cars will sense or detect things that are going on
outside of the car.
They will sense things that drivers may not notice.
And our lesson calls these safety threats.
Safety, of course, is important.
You all know the rule - safety first.
So a safety threat is something that threatens safety or makes a situation more
dangerous.
Sometimes we use the phrase "pose a threat" to describe things that are
threatening.
For example, the snakes in that forest pose a threat because they are venomous.
Or Benjamin likes Mandy, but so does Robert.
And Robert's pretty handsome.
So in Benjamin's mind, Robert poses a threat.
Benjamin is a little afraid that Mandy might like Robert.
Ooh. So you can use that phrase, "to pose a threat," in many ways.
What poses a threat in your life?
If you're driving a car, lots of things might pose threats to your safety.
Driverless systems have sensors that detect some of these safety threats that
human drivers miss.
And if you miss something or don't notice something while driving, you could
accidentally hit something.
Well, right now it's time for us to join the guys in the Information Cloud for a
brief lesson on the word "miss."
You shouldn't miss it.
Let's go there now.
If two cars almost collide but don't, is it a near miss or a near hit?
Now most would say it's a near miss.
Even the U.S. government in its OSHA safety regulations describes a near miss as
an incident in which no property was damaged and no one got hurt.
Slightly different circumstances, however, would have resulted in damage and/or
personal injury.
OK. But there are others who adamantly disagree with this, saying a near miss
really means the two cars almost didn't hit but did.
So taking "near miss" to mean no collision doesn't make sense linguistically.
This quirky English problem can be solved once we nail down a definition for
"near."
Now one meaning is almost happening as in "a near perfect score."
Used in this way, yes, saying "near miss" to describe an accident that almost
happened but didn't is logical.
However, another definition of "near" is close or narrow.
And it's this meaning that we ascribe to "near" in the perfectly correct phrase,
near miss.
So remember, everybody, a near miss is a miss that came close to being a hit.
A far miss is a miss that wasn't even close.
(Chinese).
(Music).
Thanks, gentlemen.
So, did you catch how they used the word "miss" in the Information Cloud?
That's right, they used it as a noun.
Right, whereas in our lesson it is a verb.
OK. There are many things that threaten our safety when driving.
And we read here: In that vein, many carmakers offer systems that alert drivers
whenever they get dangerously close to other cars.
"In that vein," what does that mean, Carolyn?
Well, vein is a word from our Word Bank.
And of course, the veins in our bodies have the purpose of carrying blood to our
hearts.
So the phrases "in that vein" or "in a similar vein" mean that something follows
the same kind of thinking as something else.
Right. And what kind of thinking do both of these sentences have in common?
They're both about safety.
So both of the sentences are in the same vein.
Many carmakers offer systems that alert drivers.
And how do they do this?
"To alert" means to make you attentive to something, maybe the steering wheel
vibrates or maybe the car makes a little beeping noise.
It'll make this noise when you're driving very close or, as our lesson says,
dangerously close to another car.
And these systems are customarily called forward collision warning systems.
They are warning systems that prevent collisions.
Do you remember learning the word "collide" earlier this month?
Beep baseball players sometimes collide with one another.
Another form of that word is collision.
Collide is the verb, and collision is the noun.
It's when you run into something else.
A head-on collision is when you collide with something directly toward you.
Oh, yes. Please do be careful to avoid head-on collisions when driving.
Of course you want to avoid any kind of collision, but head-on collisions are
especially dangerous.
And if you have a driverless car system, maybe that will help to avoid those
collisions.
We read on here: Driverless systems have the benefit of increased efficiency.
How is that?
Well, they don't waste as much gas as humans do, and they're guided by advanced
GPS.
This, of course, makes them more efficient.
Efficiency is getting the job done as fast as possible.
And if your goal is to get somewhere, then a driverless car is the key.
Right, one guided by advanced GPS.
So the GPS will guide or lead your car the way it's supposed to go, and they
will always take the fastest route.
All right.
Well, now it is time for us to review with Linda in the Editor's Summary.
Here we go.
You know, driving can be stressful.
Sometimes it's hard to know when to break and when to accelerate in traffic.
So a few tech companies are working to help drivers with this problem by taking
the wheel themselves.
But it is the improved safety that most people are looking forward to.
Forward collision warning systems will warn drivers when they are too close to
other cars.
And an increased efficiency is another benefit.
The driverless cards won't waste so much gas, and will always take the fastest
route to a place.
I think I need to get one myself because when they become widely available, then
everybody can have one.
I mean, wouldn't you want to relax on your way somewhere?
Thank you, Linda.
And thank you for joining us for this lesson about cars of the future.
It seems like there are many advantages to having a driverless car.
Safety and efficiency were mentioned in today's lesson.
Can you think of any other benefits?
Or are you still a little uncertain about the safety of these cars?
Well, do come back next time because this lesson isn't over.
Well, we'll see you then right here on Studio Classroom.
(Music).