III. Listen to Bryan Lynn reporting this story for VOA Learning English. First, you learn the following words by yourselves. Then listen to the tape. While listening, try to complete the passage. Words in This Story advantage – n. something good that can help you succeed autonomous – adj. independent, existing separately from other things fleet – n. a group of vehicles owned and controlled by one organization terrain – n. a particular type of land demonstrably – adj. able to be proven or shown embrace – v. to accept a new idea or way of doing something pedal – n. a control on a piece of equipment that you push with your foot 1. passenger n. 乘客,旅客; 行人 例句:The passenger were shepherd across the tarmac to the airliner. 旅客们被引领走过柏油碎石跑道上飞机。 2. equip vt.装备,配备; 使具备 例句:Your training will equip you for your future job. 你的训练使得你能够胜任将来的工作。 3. interact vt.互动; 相互作用; 互相影响 例句:You have to understand the way they interact. 你得理解他们相互交往的方式。 4. cooperate vi.合作,配合,协助 例句:This fully demonstrates their willingness to cooperate. 这充分表明他们愿意合作。 5. consider vt. 考虑; 认为; 以为 例句:There are two components to consider. 有两个组成部分需要考虑。 短语讲解: 1. Each car will have a driver in front, as a safety measure, to take control of the vehicle if needed. take control of 控制 例句:There must be someone who can take control of these naughty children 应该有人能管住这些淘气的孩子。 2. It is exciting for the American public to be able to see up close what this technology looks and feels like. be able to 能够; 能 例句:They may be able to help with childcare so that you can have a break 他们可以帮忙照料孩子,这样你就可以歇一歇了。 3. Uber also announced a $300 million deal with an automobile manufacturer, Volvo, to cooperate on self-driving technology and supply vehicles. deal with 应付; 对待; 惠顾 例句:Anti-riot squads were called out to deal with the situation. 防暴队奉命出动以对付这一局势。 4. And that’s a really new way of thinking about mobility in the American transportation system. think about 考虑...; 捉摸... 例句:I want you to have time alone to think about yourself. 我想让你有机会单独想想自己。 To many people, it is still just a dream to use a driverless car. But this dream is now becoming a reality for people in the American state of Pennsylvania. The ride-sharing service Uber will start using (1) t he city of Pittsburgh. Many companies – including Google, Apple and the big U.S. carmakers - are currently testing driverless vehicles. But this is the first time the American public will actually get to use them. Free rides for Uber testers The ride service will start out with Ford Fusions (2) . People using Uber will request the cars through their smart phones. (3) . Each car will have a driver in front, as a safety measure, to take control of the vehicle if needed. Nidhi Kalra is an information scientist with the not-for-profit RAND Corporation. She says Uber’s driverless service will (4) . It will also give many people the chance to experience self-driving cars for the first time. “It is exciting for the American public to be able to see up close what this technology looks and feels like. From a technical perspective, I think the advantage that Uber will have now is to understand how users interact with the autonomous vehicle technology that they are developing.” Uber Chief Executive Officer Travis Kalanick said the project is (5) . But he added that a lot of work is needed in the development of autonomous vehicles. “We're catching up fast, but we need to get to No. 1 quick,” he told the Associated Press. “We've got to be laser-focused on getting this to market, because it's not a side project for us. This is everything.” Uber teams up with Volvo Uber also announced a $300 million deal with an automobile manufacturer, Volvo, to (6) . In the future, Volvo vehicles will be part of the driverless fleet in Pittsburgh. Kalra believes driverless cars will be used by car-sharing services in other cities in the coming years. “By 2020, I would expect that somewhere in the country – and maybe multiple places in the country – a public user is able to call an autonomous vehicle to take them from point A to point B.” But she said companies like Uber and its main competitor, Lyft, will (7) . These include laws regulating self-driving technology, (8) , climate and terrain – (9) . As for the users, Kalra said they are likely to accept autonomous driving technology very fast. “If the technology is demonstrably safe, and it behaves in a way that they expect drivers to behave, then I think people will get comfortable very quickly - because it offers so many other benefits.” Major U.S. automakers are hoping the public will quickly (10) . Self-driving cars to affect sales model Ford recently announced plans to(11) . At first, the car – which will have no steering wheel or pedal controls – will be sold to car-sharing services like Uber and Lyft. Later, it will go on sale to everyone. Kalra thinks the increasing development of self-driving vehicles and popularity of ride-sharing services means(12) . “And so that’s the other trend. Is that it’s suggesting that Detroit automakers are looking at a slightly different business model - where they are selling you the ability to get around, rather than just sell you a car. And that’s a really new way of thinking about mobility in the American transportation system.” I’m Bryan Lynn.