Find the following information in the text as quickly as possible: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. What are SUVs?

What are Navigators, Excursions, Expeditions and Pathfinders? What is SUVOA? What is a Hummer? How far does an SUV travel on a gallon of petrol? How much does petrol (gasoline) cost in the USA? How many litres are there in a gallon?

Match the words with their meanings: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. a. b. c. d. e. f. g. h. fake controversial wealthy patriotic environmentalist reputation slogan violation someone who wants to protect the environment a short phrase used by a political party or movement made to look like something real in order to trick people an action that is in opposition to a law or principle causing a lot of disagreement very rich the opinion people have about how good or bad something is feeling a lot of love and respect towards your country

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Axles of evil
Arnold Schwarzenegger has five. Mike Tyson has four. A third of all cars sold in the US are now sports utility vehicles, or SUVs. But now environmentalists are going to war against the SUV. It's Tuesday night on the Upper West Side in New York and Adam Weinstock has a lot of work to do. As we turn the corner on 68th and Lexington, we see a whole street full of sports utility vehicles. SUVs are half car, half truck and they have names like Navigators, Excursions, Expeditions and Pathfinders - names that provide an image of the great outdoors. But they are parked in the wealthy heart of New York. Weinstock approaches each vehicle critically. "Look at the metal bars on the front of the vehicle, he says. "They're particularly important for all the trees you're going to run into when you drive around New York City." And then he puts a fake parking ticket on them. "Violation: Earth," it says. "Open your eyes, take a few deep breaths, and get honest with yourself Why do you need

such a huge car? This is not a militarized zone." Ron DeFore, the communications director of SUV Owners of America (SUVOA), says if anyone like Weinstock touched his SUV, he would "hire a private detective to find him and have him thrown into jail for damaging private property." He is tired of environmentalists criticising Americans for their choice of vehicle. He believes their arguments about the environment and safety are wrong. His message to them? "Get on with your life and stop complaining." SUVs, and their military equivalent, the Hummer, have made "light trucks" the most successful category the US car industry has ever known and one of the most profitable. But they are also extremely controversial, mainly because of their reputation for using large quantities of petrol. SUVs are hated by environmentalists. SUVs were set alight by protesters in Pennsylvania; in Washington state they have had their windshields smashed; in Massachusetts

they were spray-painted with the slogan: "No Blood for Oil". The message from SUVOA's founder on its website begins: "Is this a Great Country or What? Yes it is." Why? "Because we have the freedom to own and operate the vehicles of our choice and to express our belief that freedom must not be diminished because some people dislike SUVs." During the war in Iraq, Hummer drivers regarded their choice of vehicle as a patriotic act. "When I turn on the TV, I see Humvees everywhere, and I'm proud," Sam Bernstein told the New York Times. American soldiers in Iraq are not driving Audis! According to the environmentalists, SUV drivers do not care about the environment. Once again, it is all about oil. Federal statistics show that four-wheel-drive SUVs average 17.3 miles per gallon and on some larger models that goes down to just 12 miles a gallon. Hummers are even worse. In comparison, the average petrol-fuelled saloon manages 30mpg. Each person in the USA consumes about 4.5 times more energy

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than the world average, so the debate over SUVs is linked to what responsibility America has to the rest of the world and how it should fulfil that responsibility. "You could say that the American way is to do what you want when you want," says Weinstock. "But there's another American way where people work together for the good of

everyone and we try to set an example for the rest of the world." So far the protests have had little effect on the American conscience. Sales of SUVs continue to grow faster than those of any other type of car. One of the reasons that the protests have had such little effect is that while the SUV's

fuel consumption makes a big difference to the environment, it has little effect on the pocket. At about $1.67 a gallon (3.8 litres), gasoline in America is so cheap that an extra five miles to the gallon would save the average American only $135 a year.
Guardian Weekly

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Choose the best answer for each question: 1. a. b. c. 2. a. b. c. 3. a. b. c. 4. a. b. c. 5. a. b. c. Why are SUVs controversial? Because they are big. Because they are like military vehicles. Because they are more damaging to the environment than smaller cars. What does Adam Weinstock do? Hes a parking attendant. He tries to draw attention to the damage caused by SUVs. He damages private property. What is Ron DeFores advice to the environmentalists? Hire a private detective. Choose your own vehicle. Stop complaining. Why did Hummer drivers regard their choice of vehicle as patriotic? Because US soldiers drove Hummers during the war in Iraq. Because they are large military vehicles. Because they dont like environmentalists. How much more fuel does an SUV use compared to an ordinary car? 100% About 40% 4.5%

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Find words in the text which are the opposites of these words: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. poor genuine civilian public heavy unsuccessful tiny expensive ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________ ____________

Fill the gaps using an appropriate preposition: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Environmentalists are going to war ________ SUVs. Some streets in New York are full ________ SUVs. Ron DeFore wants environmentalists thrown ________ jail. He is tired ________ them criticising SUV owners. SUVs have a reputation ________ using a lot of fuel. Some people say SUV drivers do not care ________ the environment. ________ comparison with other vehicles, SUVs use a lot of fuel. Higher fuel consumption makes a big difference ________ the environment.

Should people be allowed to drive vehicles that use large quantities of fuel? Make a list of points for and against driving SUVs.

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Find the Information 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Sports utility vehicles SUVs SUV Owners of America A military vehicle 17.3 miles (or as little as 12 miles) $1.67 a gallon 3.8

Vocabulary Opposites 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. wealthy fake military private light successful huge cheap

Key Vocabulary 5 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. c e f h a g b d Vocabulary - Prepositions 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. against of into of for about in to

Comprehension Check 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. c b c a b

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