The Electric Auto Is on Its Way

Words in Use (Lesson 12)

• ignite
• abolish
• urban
• population
• frank
• pollute
• reveal
• prohibit
• urgent
• adequate
• decrease
• audible

Read the following passage to see how the new words are used in it.

The Electric Auto Is on Its Way
Ignite gasoline and you have noise and smoke; turn on an electric motor and you abolish two headaches that are dreaded* by urban populations. Automobile manufacturers are frank about the way their motors pollute the air, and that is why there are frequent* hints that the big companies will soon reveal a practical electric car. So far, lack* of knowledge of storing electricity in the car prohibits wide production of electric autos, but recently* Congress called urgently for adequate research into the battery or fuel cell problem. Electric autos would be inexpensive* to run and would decrease air pollution.* It might be weird,* however, to live in the quiet surroundings of a city where autos that used to be noisily audible would be whisper-quiet.