CHEVROLET: THE AUTOMOTIVE DYNASTY
| The year 1997 marked Chevrolet's 85th year of building and selling automotive products. Over that time Americans bought more Chevrolets than any other make. When it was first incorporated, the company was the result of joining together the talent of two remarkable individuals. Swiss-born Louis Chevrolet was a race-car driver who loved nothing more than driving at high speed. His partner was William Durant, who was one of the original founders of General Motors. The first product of their efforts was the Chevrolet Classic Six, a large and powerful car for its model year, 1912. The car sold for $ 2.150 and recorded sales of 2.999 in 1912. The car continued in production for another two years, until 1914, the same year that the famous "Bowtie" Chevrolet logo appeared on cars. According to the legend, the design was inspired by the pattern on wallpaper in a Paris hotel room. Durant spotted the pattern while travelling in France in 1908 and removed a small piece of the paper to carry in his wallet. Whatever the source, the Bowtie proved to be a durable and winning logo. In 1918, during World War I, Chevrolet was sold to General Motors, making it a major part of a world automotive power. It was in the same year that trucks rolled off a Chevrolet production line. Right through the 1930s, Chevrolet based itself on one key principle — provide "quality at low cost". When the 25th-millionth General Motors vehicle rolled off the assembly line in Flint, Michigan, on January 11, 1940, it was a Chevrolet. In fact, Chevrolet accounted for more than 15 million of that total. Chevrolet maintains its principle of quality at low cost. Through this principle, the company successfully established itself as the vehicle of choice for several generations of Americans. Today, with rapid advances in materials, technology, and manufacturing techniques, Chevrolet continues to adhere to the innovative spirit of William Durant and Louis Chevrolet. It has made the Bowtie as familliar as hot dogs and apple pie. Durant and Chevrolet would be proud. |
3.2. READING COMPREHENSION TEST 1A.
Choose the correct variant on the basis of what is stated or implied in the text
that you have just read.
1. The Chevrolet Company was the result of
(A) a bancrupcy
(B) efforts made by two individuals
(C) a successful sales operation
(D) ideas from many generations of Americans
2. The founders of the company
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(A) both liked to drive at high speed
(B) were different in character and life style
(C) produced the first car in 1914
(D) were Swiss-born engineers
3. The famous Bowtie logo
(A) came into being by chance
(B) proved to be strange-looking and funny
(C) was designed according to some legend
(D) appeared in France
4. Chevrolet bases itself on
(A) building modern assembly lines
(B) rapid advances in technology and manufacturinj techniques
(C) familiar designs
(D) "quality at low cost" principle
5. The company established itself as
(A) the world automotive power
(B) familiar as hot dogs or apple pie
(C) the vehicle of choice for not one generation
(D) a durable and winning logo
6. The word "through" in Line 26 is closest in meaning to
(A) with the idea of
(B) inside
(C) over
(D) using
IV. CLASSROOM TEXT-BASED ACTIVITIES
4.1. CHOOSE THE RIGHT TRANSLATION.
1. Over that time Americans bought more Chevrolets than any other make.
a)за это время американцы купили больше "шевроле", чем любые другие сделали.
b)за это время американцы купили больше автомобилей "шевроле", чем машин других марок.
c) через этот период американцы купили больше автомобилей
"шевроле", чем машин других моделей.
2. Whatever the source, the Bowtie proved to be a durable and winning logo.
a) каким бы ни было происхождение эмблемы, "галстук-бабочка" зарекомендовал себя как знак надежности и успеха.
b) каким бы ни был источник, "галстук-бабочка" доказал способность быть длительной и побеждающей эмблемой.
c) откуда бы она ни появилась, эмблема "галстук-бабочка" доказала, что она рассчитана на долгое время и на победу.
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3. Through this principle, the company successfully established itself as the vehicle of
choice for several generations of Americans.
a) через этот принцип компания успешно установила себя как автомобиль выбора для нескольких американцев.
b) благодаря этому принципу, автомобили компании пользовались неизменным успехом у многих поколений американцев.
c) базируясь на этом принципе, компания успешно установила себя как производитель автомобилей для нескольких поколений американцев.
4.2.TRANSLATE LINES 11-25 AT SIGHT.
4.3. MATCH THE HALVES
4.4. STRUCTURE AND WRITTEN EXPRESSION TEST 1B.
Choose the one word or phrase that best completes the sentence.
1. The Chevrolet Company_____ by two remarkable individuals in 1912.
(A) was incorporated
(B) incorporated
(C) be incorporated
(D) incorporates
2. One of____ was Louis Chevrolet who was a race-car driver.
(A) their
(B) them
(C) they
(D) theirs
3. It was William Durant______ was also one of the original founders of General Motors
(A) that
(B) who
(C) which
(D) whom
4. The company_____ the innovative spirit of its founders.
(A) was maintained
(B) has maintained
(C) has maintain
(D) maintain
5. The Bowtie logo is as______ as hot dogs or apple pie.
(A) unfamiliar
(B) great
(C) little known
(D) famous
6.____ rapid advances in technology and materials today.
(A) there is
(B) they are
(C) there take place
(D) theirs are
V. CONVERSATION PRACTICE
5.1. SAY IT DIFFERENTLY.
1. Two talented people started Chevrolet Company in 1912.
2. They united their efforts in making automobiles.
3. The first vehicle was made in 1912.
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4. They used their famous emblem on Chevrolet cars.
5. The company consolidated its reputation over many years.
6. The founders of the company were talented people.
7. Today the firm makes use of the ideas of Durant and Chevrolet.
8. The Bowtie logo is well-known to every American.
5.2. COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING.
1. In 1997, Chevrolet Company_____
2. Two remarkable individuals______
3. Chevrolet Classic Six was_____
4. The famous Bowtie logo_____
5. In 1918, Chevrolet_____
6. The company maintains______
7. Chevrolet established itself as______
8. The Bowtie logo became_____
9. Durant and Chevrolet would be______
10.The company adheres to the________
5.3. ANSWER THE QUESTIONS.
1. Who founded Chevrolet Company?
2. In what year did it happen?
3. What do we learn about the founding fathers?
4. Louis Chevrolet was a financial genious, wasn't he?
5. Was the first product of the company expensive?
6. How much did Chevrolet Classic Six cost in 1912?
7. The famous logo appeared just by chance, didn't it?
8. What inspired the famous Bowtie logo design?
9. Did the company soon begin to expand production?
10.What is the basic principle of the its activities?
11.How does the company manage to maintain it?
5.4. AGREE OR DISAGREE WITH THE FOLLOWING.
1. Chevrolet began as a very small construction business.
2. The founders of the company were energetic and innovative.
3. The modern logo is the result of many different changes in the original design.
4. Chevy cars were the vehicle of one generation of Americans.
5. The company managed to maintain high quality at high cost.
6. Today Chevy cars are no less popular than apple pies.
7. It is difficult to keep the innovative spirit of its founders in modern times.
8. Chevy cars are durable and enjoy popularity with drivers.
VI. DISCUSSION
6.1. In pairs, RETELL the text (3.1) in short.
6.2. DESCRIBE the history of the Harley-Davidson Motor Company using the picture. Refer to Exercise 7.1 for information.
6.3.DISCUSS the news: one of your friends has just bought a Harley motorcycle. Speak about the shining possibilities!
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6.4.SHARE the impressions: someone you know personally has made a travel to Flint, Michigan. You talked to this person and you knew a lot, didn't you?
6.5.COMMENT on Chevrolet's main principle of "providing high quality at low cost". Do you think it is a good principle to follow?
6.6.STUDY the following company profile. Discuss it with your groupmates. Prepare to transfer the data into a "biography".
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6.7.EXPLORE the history of some other automotive manufacturer. Use alternative sources of information. Prepare to report in class.
6.8.ROLEPLAY a conversation between William Harley and Arthur Davidson that took place about one hundred years ago, in 1901. At that time both were probably discussing their plans for the future.
6.9.VISIT the office of a newly-established local company. Your visit should give you some information to prepare this firm's profile.
6.10.STUDY the ads page of a local paper. Discuss the information one can find there.
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