125

Inglés 2 - EST
PASSIVE VQ.ICE
1 Label the parts of the car.

~
'--

British English American English

aeria l antenna
bonnet hood
boot trunk
indicator turn signa!
number plate license plate
petral cap or flap gas tank lid
tyre tire
windscree n windshield
wi ng fe nder

2 Complete the sentences uslng words from exerclse 1.

1 You open the ___ ~e~t___ to look at the engine.

b_on~n
2 The _ _ _ _ _ _ _ absorb small impacts in an accident.
3 Don't forget to retract the ________ befo re using the car wash .
4 Can you put my suitcases in the ________ , please?
5 When it starts rain ing, you need to switch on th e _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ __ _ _ _

6 'What model is that?' ' I don't know, 1can't see the ________ from here .'

7 lt is important to inflate the ________ to the correct pressure for better fuel
consumption.
...
8 'The Mercedes star is a well-known _ _ _ _ _ __ _

Source: English for the Automobile lndustry, Oxford Business English

135
 EST
Inglés 2

PRESENTATION

Í Listen to a manager of a car assembly plant showing sorne visitors

round. As you listen, number these photographs in the right order.

D Fitting the windscreen D_, Testing the brakes D Hanging the doors

D Fitting the mechanical components O Testing the car on the track O Constructing the car body

D Fitting the wheels O Painting the body O Constructing the chassis

2 Now use the pictures to describe the process.

A The car body is constructed.
B What happens next?
then?
after that?
A The doors are hung.

Source: Business Objectives, Student's Book.

136
INGLES 2 - EST

Assembling a car
Read the website of an automaker and complete it with the past participles given in the box:

-delivered -tested -taken done started painted "Checked installed welded connected c1dded

First, the parts are 1) delivered by truck or rait to the detivery a rea of the car assembty ptant. From here,
sorne parts are 2) _ _ _ _ _ _ _ to the body shop, and other parts are transported to the chassis
line, The parts are carried around the plant by forktift trncks
or conveyor belts.
In the body shop, the panets are 3) _ _ _ _ _ _ to the
frame to form the body of the car. This is 4)
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ by more than 400 robots.
Then the body is taken to the paint shop. Here it is cleaned
and S) _ _ _ _ _ _ _ by robots. Special dothing is worn
by the robots to protect the paint. After this, the body is
manually 6) _ _ _ _ _ _ _ forfaults.
Next, the painted body moves along a conveyor belt to the trim line, where many parts are 7)
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ to it. For exampte, the instrument panet, the aír conditioning system, the heating
system, and the electrical wiring are 8) _ _ _ _ _ _ _ here. The windscreen is inserted by robots
using laser guides.
Meanwhile, in the chassis line, components are added to the chassis. First, the chassis is turned upside
down, to make tl;,e work easier. Then, the fuel system, ·the transmission, the suspension, the exhaust
system, the axles and the drive shaft are installed. Next, the chassis is turned over right-side up, the
engine is towered into the chassis and 9) _ _ _ _ _ _ _ to it.
Now the chassis and the body move simultaneously to the final assembly line. Here the body is attached
to the chassis, and ali the final parts are added, including the tyres and the radiator. The car's central
computer is also installed here.
Lastly, the finished car and ali electrical systems are 10) _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . The car is filled with fuel
and the engine is 11) _ _ _ _ _ _ _ for the first time. The car is put on special rollers to test the
engine and the wheels. [f it passes the test, the car is finalry driven out ofthe assembly part.

Language: to + verb is used to express the pu.rpose of .an action.

Why are metal panels welded to the frame?
To make the car body.

Read the above text again and match the actions with their purposes:

1) Workers put the finished car on rollers a) to protect it from rust.

2) Robots use iaser guides b} to instaH the fuet system easHy.
3) Workers check the body c) to test the movement of the wheels.
4) The car body is painted d) to insert the windscreen.
5) The chassis is turned u psi de down e) to look for faults.
6) Forkfüt trucks are used f) to carry sorne parts around tlie piant.

Source: Adapted from Technical English 2A, Student's Book.

137
 1
Escuel a Superior Técnica
Inglés 2

GRAMMAR SUMMARY CHART - PASSIVE VOICE

Active The plant produces two hundred trucks every mont~-- -- -

Passive Two hundred trucks are produced every month .

Active Workers built this road last year.

Passive This road was built last year.

Active The company wi/1 rep/ace the old machinery next year.
Passive The old machinery wi/1 be replaced next year.

Active They must so/ve this proble111 immediately.

Passive This problem must be so/ved immediately.

Active They should complete t heworks by next month.

Passive The works should be completed by next month.

Active We cannot repair this PC.

Passíve This PC cannot be repaired.

• Format ion
The passive voice is formed with the verb &o be+ past participlel:
The car brakes are tested by a computer program.
56 employees were hired last month.
3,000 cars wi/1 be produced next month.

• Use
We use passive voice when:
➔ the agent is too obvious, unknown or not important:
The bridge wi/1 be repaired next week.

➔ we want to stress the action rather than the agent:

I was given the job.
The p/ant must be modernized.

➔ when describing the stages of a process: .

First solar radiation is co/lected. Then it is transformed into energy and...

➔ in scientific writing:
Three milliliters of water must be added to the mixture.

• lf necessary, we can use "by'' to say who or what is responsible for the action:
The candidate was interviewed by the Personnel Manager.
The equipment was damaged by exposure to water.

• When there are two objects, two passive forrns are possible:
They gave me the íob.
a) I was given the job.
b} The job was given to me.

NOTE: the first of these exarnples is much more usual than the second one.

Source: Adapted from Macmillan English Grammar in Context, Simon Clarke Macmillan.

138
EST - Inglés 2

3 Look at a factory manager's description of the process of making car

bumpers. The steps are in the wrong order. Number them in the
correct order.

·We don't keep_stocks of the finished bumpers. We

operate a 'just intime'. system~

0 The computer arranges the production schedule.

0 .... befare we packthem in crates.
n
L--1 First we receive the arder ...
¡--¡
LJ .. . and we deliver them to .the customers.
D ... where we manufacture the bumpers.
D ... and we fe_ed it into the computer.
D We test the bumpers ...
D Finally we load them into lorries ...
1D Next a conveyor belt takes the raw materials to the
factory floor ...

The whole process only takes about nine hours from start
to finish.

b4!d Listen to check your answers.

4 Now describe the process more formally, as shown below.

First an order is received and f ed into ...

Use these words to show the order of events:

First Next befare Finally

DESCRIBING A PRO
;;..C
.:.cE;..;.
S.;..
S _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

Firstly/The firs t ste p is/To begin wi th ... A~er that ... Fin ally ...
Second ly ... The n ... The last ste p/s ta ge is ...
Th e next step/stage is ... Following that ...

Source: Business Objectives, Student's Book, Unit 14, page 144.

139
 EST- Inglés 2

SKILLS WORK

Writing 1 You are examining the possibility of leasing your company's fleet of
lorries. Read this advertisement for Lex Van Contracts. Which
services· are the most useful?

Lex Van Contracts take away the -headaches of running the company fleet
and allow you to get on with running tllé business.
* We advis<:: customers on the most cost-effective and efficient ·
- -

vehicles for theirspecífic needs.

* We inspect every vehicle before delivery.
* We arrange signwriting.
* We replace tyres, batteries and exhausts when necessary.
* We service the vehicles at any time of the day or night.
* We provide a 24--hour recovery sérvice.
* We deal with all the paperwork:
* We record the service history of our custoiners' fleets on our
computer.

2 You decide to recommend Lex Van Contracts to your board. Write a

report on all the services they qffer. Use the Passive in your report.

MEMORANDUM
Date: To: Helen Williams, General Manager
From: Research Assistant Subject: Fleet Leasing

As requested, I have been exa:mining -the possibilityof leasing our fleetof lorries and I
have found a suitable leasing company. Lex Van Contracts have an excellent reputation in.
the fleet leasing market. They provide a number of valuable services.

1 CUstomers are advised on the most cost-effective and efficient vehicles for their needs.
:g!very vehicle
3 Signwri ting .................................................... ........................................•........... .......................... •...................
4 Tyres, batteries, and exhausts ..............................................•..... .. , .................................................... .... .
5 The vehicles .................................................. .................................... , ... , .................................................... .... .
6 A 24-hour recove:ry servic e .................................................... .................. ...................... .......................... .
7 All the paperwork ....... .................................................... .......................................... ........... .... , .................. .. .
s- The service history ....................................., ................................................. ........................ ...................... .

These services will offer substantial savings of administrative time and money. I
therefore recormnend we invite Lex to run the company fleet.

.
Source: Business Objectives, Student's Book, Unit 14.

140
Inglés 2 - EST

PRACTICE:

l. Pairwork: Ask and answer questions about a car assembly plant using the
information below.

Method: How?
Destination: Where?
Location: Where?
Purpose: Why?
Time: When?

Example:
l. deliver car parts a) method: truck or rail
b) desfination: delivery area
1 a} How are the car parts delivered? They're delivered by truck or raíl.
1 b} Where are they delivered? They're delivered to the delivery orea.

2. carry parts a) destination: different parts of plant

3. weld panels to the frame
4. check the car body
5. insert windscreen
6. take chassis and body
b) method: by conveyor belts
a) location: body shop
b) purpose: to make the body of the car
a) time: after painting
b) purpose: to check for faults in the paint
a) destination: at the front of the car body
b) method: by laser guides
a) destination: final assembly line
b) purpose: to attach the body to the chassis

2. Write fuU sentences using the passive.

Example: The car parts are delivered to the defivery orea by truck or raíl.

3. Rewrite this set of instructions as a paragraph describing a process. Use the

passive form of the verbs.

o Open the bonnet of the car. Locate the battery.

o Loasen the battery cables and remove them from the posts.
o Always remove the negative cable first, then the positive.
o Wipe away corrosion from the top of the battery.
o Apply petroleum jelly to the inside of the termina Is.
o Reattach the cables.
o Close the bonnet.

First the bonnet of the car is opened and the battery is located. Then ...

Source: English for the Automobile lndustry, Oxford Business English.

141