SCIENCE DAILY

Alternative fuel vehicle

Alternative Fuel Vehicle refers to a vehicle that runs on a fuel other than traditional gasoline or
diesel; any method of powering an engine that does not involve petroleum.
Due to a combination of heavy taxes on fuel, particularly in Europe, tightening environmental laws,
particularly in California, and the possibility of further restrictions on greenhouse gas emissions, work on
alternative power systems for vehicles has become a high priority for governments and vehicle
manufacturers around the world. Current research and development is largely centered on "hybrid" vehicles
that use both electric power and internal combustion.
Other R&D efforts in alternative forms of power focus on developing fuel cells, alternative forms of
combustion such as GDI and HCCI, and even the stored energy of compressed air. The use of alcohol as a
fuel for internal combustion engines, either alone or in combination with other fuels, has been given much
attention mostly because of its possible environmental and long-term economical advantages over fossil
fuel. Both ethanol and methanol have been considered for this purpose.
While both can be obtained from petroleum or natural gas, ethanol may be the most interesting because
many believe it to be a renewable resource, easily obtained from sugar or starch in crops and other
agricultural produce such as grain, sugarcane or even lactose.
Since ethanol occurs in nature whenever yeast happens to find a sugar solution such as overripe fruit, most
organisms have evolved some tolerance to ethanol, whereas methanol is toxic.
Other experiments involve butanol, which can also be produced by fermentation of plants. A hybrid vehicle
uses multiple propulsion systems to provide motive power.

This most commonly refers to gasoline-electric hybrid vehicles, which use gasoline (petrol) and electric
batteries for the energy used to power internal-combustion engines and electric motors.
These power plants are usually relatively small and would be considered "underpowered" by themselves,
but they can provide a normal driving experience when used in combination during acceleration and other
maneuvers that require greater power. A hydrogen car is an automobile which uses hydrogen as its primary
source of power for locomotion.
These cars generally use the hydrogen in one of two methods: combustion or fuel-cell conversion.
In combustion, the hydrogen is "burned" in engines in fundamentally the same method as traditional
gasoline cars.
In fuel-cell conversion, the hydrogen is turned into electricity through fuel cells which then powers electric
motors.
With either method, the only byproduct from the spent hydrogen is water.
A small number of prototype hydrogen cars currently exist, and a significant amount of research is
underway to make the technology more viable.
A solar car is an electric vehicle powered by solar energy obtained from solar panels on the car.
Solar cars are not a practical form of transportation; insufficient power falls on the roof of a practically
sized and shaped vehicle to provide adequate performance.
Source: http://www.sciencedaily.com/articles/a/alternative_fuel_vehicle.htm
 LA ORACIÓN BÁSICA

OBJETIVOS:

 Identificar la estructura de la oración básica y sus partes.

 Responder preguntas de comprensión lectora.

I. ACTIVIDADES DE PRE-LECTURA

1. ¿Conoce Ud. cómo funcionan los vehículos de combustible alternativo?

2. ¿Qué es un vehículo hibrido?

GLOSARIO:
Greenhouse gas emissions: gases de efecto invernadero
Power: energía, potencia
Underpowered: baja potencia
II. ACTIVIDADES DE LECTURA

A. Lea el texto y responda, EN ESPAÑOL, las siguientes preguntas.

1. ¿Qué se denominan vehículos de combustible alternativo?

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2. ¿Por qué el gobierno y los fabricantes de vehículo han centrado la atención en los vehículos
híbridos?
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3. ¿Qué es un vehículo hibrido?

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4. ¿Por qué algunos organismos han desarrollado algo de tolerancia al etanol?

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_________

B. Complete los siguientes enunciados EN ESPAÑOL:

1. …ethanol may be ___________________________________ because

_______________________
 _____________________________________________, easily obtained from sugar or starch in
crops and_________________________________________________________________.

2. This most commonly refers to__________________________________________, which use

gasoline (petrol) and electric batteries for
______________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________.

3. A small number of _______________________________________________ currently exist, and

_______________________________________is underway to make the technology more viable.

4. Solar cars are not _________________________________; insufficient power falls on the roof of
______________________________________________________________ to provide adequate
performance.

III. ACTIVIDADES DE POST-LECTURA

Subraye el sujeto, encierre en un círculo el verbo y en un paréntesis el complemento en cada una de

las siguientes oraciones. Luego dé el significado de la oración.

1. Other R&D efforts in alternative forms of power focus on developing fuel cells, alternative
forms of combustion such as GDI and HCCI, and even the stored energy of compressed air.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_________

2. Both ethanol and methanol have been considered for this purpose.
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___

3. A hybrid vehicle uses multiple propulsion systems to provide motive power.

_____________________________________________________________________________
___

4. These cars generally use the hydrogen in one of two methods: combustion or fuel-cell
conversion.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
______
5. In combustion, the hydrogen is "burned" in engines in fundamentally the same method as
traditional gasoline cars.
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
______

6. With either method, the only byproduct from the spent hydrogen is water.
_____________________________________________________________________________
___

7. Solar cars are not a practical form of transportation.

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___

PALABRAS A RECORDAR:

Due to: debido a

Any: cualquier(a)
As: como
Largely: en gran parte
Other: otro(a/s)
Such as: tal (es) como, como por ejemplo
Even: incluso
Either… or: bien sea… o
Mostly: en su mayor parte

Over: por encima de

Since: debido a, desde que
Both: tanto…como
While both: mientras que ambos
Whereas: mientras que
Relatively: relativamente
Whenever: siempre que, cuando
Most: mayoría
With either: con cualquiera de los…