UNIT 10? Practice 2

Reading Passage 2-world Solar challenge

A

　　Bored by the vroom-vroom of V8s and Indie 500? Find out instead about the World Solar Challenge. This is a car race with a difference! Based in Australia, it is advertised as ‘the ultimate challenge in sustainable energy'. About 40 teams of enthusiasts with an interest in alternative energy solutions compete feverishly every two to three years. They come from research institutions, universities and technical colleges and businesses, plus a few representing the major car manufacturers. First they have to build a car that is capable of crossing Australia from Darwin to Adelaide powered only by sunlight, then they need to race the 3000 kms in the glare and dust storms of this difficult north-south route to prove that their design is the best. This race is a testing ground for young engineers who are passionate about sustainability and vehicle design. It is also a wonderful meeting place of minds, out in the Australian wilds, with great camaraderie both within and between the teams.

B

　　The solar challenge has been running since 1987, with the next race scheduled for 2009. The concept was dreamed up by the Danish-born adventurer, Hans Thostrup. He considered the race to be a contribution to the search for sustainable transport alternatives for future generations. The first race consisted of a field of 23 cars, with the winner achieving an average speed of 67 kph. By 1993, one car travelled 803 kilometres in one day and the event had become a resounding success. In 1996, for the first time ever the winner finished in four days; however, 32 of the other competitors took up to six more days to cross the finish line. In 1999, an Australian team won for the first time. The Dutch University of Technology team, Nuna, won the next four races, averaging 90 kph under new design rules in 2007, compared to their winning average of 103 kph under the old design rules in 2005.

C

　　Until 2007, apart from overall specifications concerning vehicle dimensions and brake efficiency, there were few restrictions on the design of the cars, which tended to be weird and wonderful. With solar power becoming a realistic option, the organisers looked at relating the solar challenge more closely to practical transport solutions. Thus, for the 2007 race, some new design rules were established. The driver now has to be in a normal sitting position, rather than reclining as had been the rule, and must be able to get in and out of the vehicle unaided. This means that there is a loss of aerodynamic advantage; in other words, the car is less streamlined. The number of solar cells permitted has also been cut by 25 per cent, which means that power generation capacity is also reduced. These changes were partly due to safety concerns; the solar cars were able to exceed the road speed limits in South Australia and the Northern Territories. Overall, the aim is to design cars that could, with a little modification, eventually be used on a day-to-day basis. Over its 20 year history, this race has already functioned as a test area for various vehicle components, such as tyres, battery packs and recharging systems, as well as other aspects of car design.

D

　　A number of basic rules? cover? actual? race procedures. The solar cars are expected to obey local traffic regulations as they are using public roads. The daily travelling times are fixed, with racing only allowed between 8am and 5pm. Each team must register at least two but no more than four drivers, who should meet a minimum weight requirement. Batteries can be fully charged for the start of the race, but may not be replaced during it. There are now two classes of solar cars, the Challenge class (new rules) and Adventure class (old rules); direct sunlight is the only source of energy permitted for these. However, there is also a companion race for fuel-efficient vehicles, which can run on low carbon fuels, ethanol and other alternatives to petrol-based fuel, including a mix of waste oil and water.

E

In a world where countries feel themselves held to ransom by the oil companies, the World Solar Challenge is the premier R & D (Research and Development) event in the search for sustainability. It is no longer the only one, though, as a number of similar events have been set up in other parts of the world. These challenges promote technical excellence as well as providing a direct practical component to engineering and other related areas of study. In fact, due to the power of this integration of technical and scientific expertise across a range of disciplines, almost 100 of the world's top educational institutions are now involved in such solar car projects. A network of bright young people is thus being created, who will probably be the leaders in their fields in the future. Peak oil suddenly seems less of a monster!

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Flowchart-Timeline Completion

　　Complete the flowchart below. Choose NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS or A DATE or A NUMBER from the reading passage.

　　1987: First race, 35.????? cars, winner: average speed of 67 kph.

　　? ↓1993: record single day distance established: 36. ______ kms.

　　 ?????↓37. ______: winner finished in 4 days, other cars took up to 38. ______ days.

　　????????? ↓1999: winners were 39. ______, for the first time.

　　????????????? ↓2001-2007: Nuna, a 40. ______ university team won all four races.

　　????????????? ↓2009: next World 41. ______ Challenge race.