Researchers have found that most drivers think they are better than others behind the wheel. The team interviewed 400 motorists of all ages. They all had to answer questions about what they thought of their own driving skills and how they react in different driving conditions, including terrible weather and congested roads. §1
The results were very similar across all age ranges – the majority of the people interviewed believed their driving skills were better than those of other drivers. Older drivers, for example, were more confident in their abilities than younger ones. §2
The leader of the research, Dr James Gagnon, believes the attitudes found in the survey could be dangerous. Mr Gagnon said that confidence can be a good thing, but it often has dangerous consequences. He stated, “If you think that you are a better driver, you start behaving differently behind the wheel and do not pay as much attention as you should. This might explain why young men tend to have more accidents on the roads than other drivers”. It is time for governments to take things more seriously. Traffic accidents are a huge killer throughout the world. Few drivers really think about how deadly their cars can be in accidents. More severe regulations are needed as people are killed every day on the roads.§3
(BBC NEWS, 2010)
A.Comprehension :
1. Complete the sentence below with (a) or (b)
The text above is … (a) an article from a magazine b) a news report
2. Say whether the following statements are true or false according to the text.
a. The people interviewed in the survey were of the same age.
b. The survey showed that older drivers were less confident in their abilities than younger ones.
c. More severe regulations are needed because people are dying every day in road accidents.
2. Answer the following questions according to the text
a)How many motorists did the team of researchers ask in the survey?
b) What were the questions of the survey about?
c) Can confidence behind the wheel be a danger?
3. What or who do the underlined words in the text refer to?
a) it§3 b) their §3
B.TEXT EXPLORATION
1.Find in the text words that are similar in meaning to the following
a) very bad §1= ……. b) effects §3=…….
2.Find in the text the opposite in meaning to the following
a) empty §1≠ ………… b) minority §2 ≠ …….
3.Complete sentence “b” so that it means the same as sentence “a”
1) a. “It is time for the government to take things more seriously,”he said.
b. He said…………………………………………………………
2)a. He asked me if I drove fast.
b. “………………………………………?” he asked me.
4.Ask questions about the underlined words. (2pts)
a. Young people drive fast .
b. The accident occurred near a school.
5. Sound System:
-Classify the following words in a table a according to the pronunciation of their final “S”
barriers - ages –accidents - countries
WRITTEN EXPRESSION(Choose one topic only )
Topic 1: Imagine you are a journalist. Write a short newspaper story reporting a road accident. Help yourself with the clues below:
Last week /tragic accident /to occur/ a school/ a child / to cross/ the road / driver / to drive fast/ knock down/ killed/ ambulance / hospital /police /to investigate ….etc.
Topic 2: You made a survey about the main causes of traffic accidents. You interviewed 200 people of all ages. Your findings were the following:
- 50% :high speed (driving fast , non- respect of the traffic code)
-20% :careless driving (motorists drive holding mobile phones, listening to music…etc)
- 20% bad weather conditions (rainy, foggy weather…etc)
- 10 % mechanical defects in old cars and vehicles. (failure of low quality parts fitted in vehicles).
Write a short report about the results above and make some recommendations for drivers so as to limit the rate of traffic accidents.
The results were very similar across all age ranges – the majority of the people interviewed believed their driving skills were better than those of other drivers. Older drivers, for example, were more confident in their abilities than younger ones. §2
The leader of the research, Dr James Gagnon, believes the attitudes found in the survey could be dangerous. Mr Gagnon said that confidence can be a good thing, but it often has dangerous consequences. He stated, “If you think that you are a better driver, you start behaving differently behind the wheel and do not pay as much attention as you should. This might explain why young men tend to have more accidents on the roads than other drivers”. It is time for governments to take things more seriously. Traffic accidents are a huge killer throughout the world. Few drivers really think about how deadly their cars can be in accidents. More severe regulations are needed as people are killed every day on the roads.§3
(BBC NEWS, 2010)
A.Comprehension :
1. Complete the sentence below with (a) or (b)
The text above is … (a) an article from a magazine b) a news report
2. Say whether the following statements are true or false according to the text.
a. The people interviewed in the survey were of the same age.
b. The survey showed that older drivers were less confident in their abilities than younger ones.
c. More severe regulations are needed because people are dying every day in road accidents.
2. Answer the following questions according to the text
a)How many motorists did the team of researchers ask in the survey?
b) What were the questions of the survey about?
c) Can confidence behind the wheel be a danger?
3. What or who do the underlined words in the text refer to?
a) it§3 b) their §3
B.TEXT EXPLORATION
1.Find in the text words that are similar in meaning to the following
a) very bad §1= ……. b) effects §3=…….
2.Find in the text the opposite in meaning to the following
a) empty §1≠ ………… b) minority §2 ≠ …….
3.Complete sentence “b” so that it means the same as sentence “a”
1) a. “It is time for the government to take things more seriously,”he said.
b. He said…………………………………………………………
2)a. He asked me if I drove fast.
b. “………………………………………?” he asked me.
4.Ask questions about the underlined words. (2pts)
a. Young people drive fast .
b. The accident occurred near a school.
5. Sound System:
-Classify the following words in a table a according to the pronunciation of their final “S”
barriers - ages –accidents - countries
WRITTEN EXPRESSION(Choose one topic only )
Topic 1: Imagine you are a journalist. Write a short newspaper story reporting a road accident. Help yourself with the clues below:
Last week /tragic accident /to occur/ a school/ a child / to cross/ the road / driver / to drive fast/ knock down/ killed/ ambulance / hospital /police /to investigate ….etc.
Topic 2: You made a survey about the main causes of traffic accidents. You interviewed 200 people of all ages. Your findings were the following:
- 50% :high speed (driving fast , non- respect of the traffic code)
-20% :careless driving (motorists drive holding mobile phones, listening to music…etc)
- 20% bad weather conditions (rainy, foggy weather…etc)
- 10 % mechanical defects in old cars and vehicles. (failure of low quality parts fitted in vehicles).
Write a short report about the results above and make some recommendations for drivers so as to limit the rate of traffic accidents.