新概念汽车实用英语U7.ppt

Automotive Transmission Rather than using a clutch to engage the transmission, a fluid flywheel, or torque converter is placed in between the engine and transmission. It is possible for the driver to control the number of gears in use or select reverse, though precise control of which gear is in use may or may not be possible. * Automotive Transmission Automatic transmissions are easy to use. In the past, automatic transmissions of this type have had a number of problems. * Automotive Transmission They were complex and expensive, sometimes had reliability problems (which sometimes caused more expenses in repair), have often been less fuel-efficient than their manual counterparts (due to slippage in the torque converter), and their shift time was slower than a manual making them uncompetitive for racing. With the advancement of modern automatic transmissions this has changed. * Automotive Transmission Since their inception, automatic transmissions have been very popular in the United States, and some vehicles are not available with manual gearboxes anymore. In Europe automatic transmissions are gaining popularity as well. * Automotive Transmission Attempts to improve the fuel efficiency of automatic transmissions include the use of torque converters which lock up beyond a certain speed or in the higher gear ratios, eliminating power loss, and overdrive gears which automatically actuate above certain speeds. * Automotive Transmission In older transmissions both technologies could sometimes become intrusive, when conditions are such that they repeatedly cut in and out as speed and such load factors as grade or wind vary slightly. Current computerized transmissions possess very complex programming to both maximize fuel efficiency and eliminate any intrusiveness. * Words and Phrases stick-shift 手动式变速器；变速杆 shift knob 排挡杆；开关 * Words and Phrases shifter [?ift?] n. 移动装置；变速拨叉 变速杆；换挡杆 mess up 陷入困境；搞脏；弄乱 * Words and Phrases reverse [riv?:s] n. 倒车档；相反；背面 freeway [fri:wei] n