Passages

Passage Three

It is widely believed that German invented the first car in 1885. It was actually a tricycle with a petrol motor at the rear. Soon, members of the royal family and other wealthy people took up motoring as a sport. Many of the early cars had 2 seats. There were no petrol pumps and few garages, so every driver had to be his own engineer for the frequent breakdowns.

By 1905, cars began to look like cars of today, with head lamps, wind screen, rubble tires and number plates. Henry Ford's Model T introduced in America in 1909 was cheaper because it was made on the assembly line. It brought cars closer towards the reach of ordinary people. With the popularity of the car, registration became a must in 1903 with the motor car act. Competency tests were introduced in 1935. 

Today, the legal driving age for a car in the UK is 17. You are not allowed to drive a car unsupervised until you have passed a driving test. In 1958, Britain celebrated the opening of its first motor way – the Preston Bypass. Until then, no one really understood what a motor way was, not even the laborers who were building it. The bypass held a new era in motor travel and was greeted with excitement and optimism. Service stations came with the motor way and the legend of the transport cafe was born. Of course, the service station has diversified greatly. But whether it’s an English-cooked breakfast or a coffee and a sandwich, one thing has remained the same: the prices.

Q22. What does the speaker say about the first motor car?
Q23. What was the problem with the early cars in Britain?
Q24. Why did Henry Ford's Model T cars cost less?
Q25. What do we learn about the Preston Bypass?