Unit 13: Motorsport

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Aims and Objectives

In this lesson you are going to learn vocabulary and phrases concerning cars and F1 racing. You will also practice comparisons.

The grammar focus of this unit is:

Vocabulary

Vocabulary Practice

Exercise not available in this language version.

Comprehension

Exercise 1: Multiple Choice Questions

Chose the correct answer.

Recording:
Transcript:
TV REPORTERHow's the rally going, Kimi?
KIMIIt's been OK today but the first day was really bad, I didn't drive very well and I missed one corner, so we lost maybe ten seconds.
TV REPORTERAre you enjoying it then?
KIMIYeah, it's good fun, I think second time around it should be much easier so we can push a bit harder.
TV REPORTERYou are very competitive, there must be goals you have set or people you want to beat.
KIMII will definitely test my speed at some places. I think it doesn't matter what sport you are at you always want to have competition. We'll try to stay on the road and hopefully we'll have some good times.
TV REPORTERWell, good luck then.
KIMIThanks.
  1. The first day of the rally
    a. 
    b. 
    c. 
    ?
  2. Second lap will be
    a. 
    b. 
    c. 
    ?
  3. According to Kimi
    a. 
    b. 
    c. 
    ?

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice Questions

Chose the correct answer.

Recording:
Transcript:
LEILANII really like this car particularly, because it is an electric car therefore a zero emission vehicle.
JOURNALISTHow could we start using these on a larger scale?
LEILANIWe need to replace gas stations with electric power stations which would have solar panels on the roof. I think it would work, we just need to start doing that now.
JOURNALISTSo what is stopping it at the moment?
LEILANIIt's actually the oil industry. It is so powerful, they spend millions of dollars on lobbying every year.
JOURNALISTYou are a NASCAR racer therefore you must be burning a lot of fossil fuels.
LEILANIYes, but even car racing can get much greener. For example NASCAR has just opened a 3 MW solar farm at Pocono raceway.
  1. Leilani likes the car because
    a. 
    b. 
    c. 
    ?
  2. Electric vehicles are difficult to use in the US because
    a. 
    b. 
    c. 
    ?
  3. The major obstacle according to Leilani is
    a. 
    b. 
    c. 
    ?
  4. Leilani is
    a. 
    b. 
    c. 
    ?

Exercise 3: Exposed Cloze

Use the correct word or expression from the list below to fill in the gaps in the sentences.

  • circuit
  • ends
  • place
  • popular
  • season
  • watched
Transcript:

Formula 1 is the world's most popular motor sport. It began in 1950 at Silverstone circuit in England. Today the F1 racing takes place all over the world. The season usually starts in Melbourne Australia and ends on some of the Asian tracks. It is also one of the most watched sports on television.

Formula 1 is the world's most ? motor sport. It began in 1950 at Silverstone ? in England. Today the F1 racing takes ? all over the world. The ? usually starts in Melbourne Australia and ? on some of the Asian tracks. It is also one of the most ? sports on television.

Exercise 4: Exposed Cloze

Use the correct word or expression from the list below to fill in the gaps in the sentences.

  • contenders
  • of
  • prevented
  • sensational
  • talent
  • unexpected
Transcript:

Button's unexpected title triumph in 2009 was partly the product of circumstances that prevented other contenders from overcoming his sensational head start, but ultimately it was Jenson Button's talent and tenacity that took him to the top.

Button's ? title triumph in 2009 was partly the product ? circumstances that ? other ? from overcoming his ? head start, but ultimately it was Jenson Button's ? and tenacity that took him to the top.

Grammar Practice

Exercise 1: Selections

Is it logically correct to form comparatives or superlatives from the following adjectives?

  1. a. 
    b. 
    ?
  2. a. 
    b. 
    ?
  3. a. 
    b. 
    ?
  4. a. 
    b. 
    ?
  5. a. 
    b. 
    ?
  6. a. 
    b. 
    ?

Exercise 2: Substitution

Use "I prefer.... to...

Example:

(driving / flying) I prefer driving to flying.


  1. ?

  2. ?

  3. ?

  4. ?

  5. ?

  6. ?

Exercise 3: Substitution

Use as..., as...

Example:

Staying at home / travelling to Berlin (not amusing)
Staying at home is not as amusing as travelling to Berlin.


  1. ?

  2. ?

  3. ?

  4. ?

  5. ?

  6. ?

Exercise 4: Cloze

Rather or quite?

Transcript:

The weather is quite warm but rather windy.
Lizzy is quite intelligent, isn't she?
The exhibition was quite interesting.
I was rather disappointed with the services they offered.
The underground system of London is rather complicated.
The journey was quite interesting but rather long.

The weather is ? warm but ? windy.
Lizzy is ? intelligent, isn't she?
The exhibition was ? interesting.
I was ? disappointed with the services they offered.
The underground system of London is ? complicated.
The journey was ? interesting but ? long.

Exercise 5: Cloze

Fill in the gaps in the text below. For each gap there is only one correct answer.

Transcript:

Travelling to Burma > Travelling to Italy (interesting)
Travelling to Burma is more interesting than travelling to Italy.

Spending time with my friends > dine in an expensive restaurant (far rather)
I'd far rather spend time with my friends than to dine in an expensive restaurant.

Penniless developer > millionaire (be / much sooner)
I'd much sooner be a penniless developer than a millionaire.

Winning the F1 championship < being in good health (nowhere near)
Winning the F1 championship is nowhere near being healthy.

Watching the F1 racing on TV < being at the race track (nothing like)
Watching the F1 racing is nothing like being at the race track.

Watching Formula 1 cars being driven < driving them (not as much)
Watching the Formula 1 cars being driven is not as much fun as driving them.

Example:

Lamborghini > Porsche (way, good)
Lamborghini is way better then Porsche.

Travelling to Burma > Travelling to Italy (interesting)
Travelling to Burma is ? travelling to Italy.

Spending time with my friends > dine in an expensive restaurant (far rather)
I'd ? time with my friends than to dine in an expensive restaurant.

Penniless developer > millionaire (be / much sooner)
I'd ? a penniless developer than a millionaire.

Winning the F1 championship < being in good health (nowhere near)
Winning the F1 championship ? healthy.

Watching the F1 racing on TV < being at the race track (nothing like)
Watching the F1 racing ? at the race track.

Watching Formula 1 cars being driven < driving them (not as much)
Watching the Formula 1 cars being driven ? fun as driving them.

Dictation

Exercise 1: Dictation

Listen to the complete recording first. Then go to the textbox and use the ‘>’ key to listen to the text section by section. Type what you hear into the textbox. For detailed instructions, read the Exercise Help.

Recording:
Transcript:

Widespread use of engines is contributing to the global greenhouse effect.

?

Exercise 2: Dictation

Listen to the complete recording first. Then go to the textbox and use the ‘>’ key to listen to the text section by section. Type what you hear into the textbox. For detailed instructions, read the Exercise Help.

Recording:
Transcript:

Pocono speedway solar farm is the largest solar farm in Pennsylvania. All the tools, computers, air-conditioners and other devices are powered by the sun.

?

Checklist

Now, after finishing this lesson you should be able:

To talk about cars and traffic.

To understand common vocabulary and phrases concerning cars and F1 racing.

To use various ways to compare things.

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