Each year there is an increasing number of cars on the roads as millions of new cars are produced. One out of six Americans works at making cars, driving trucks, building roads or filling up gas. Americans couldn`t live without cars!
Most Americans would find it hard to imagine life without a car. However, some have realized the serious problem of air pollution caused by cars. The polluted air becomes poisonous and dangerous to health.
One way to get rid of the polluted air is to make a car without pollution. But to build a clean car is easier said than done. Progress in this field is slow.
Another way is to replace car engines with something else. Inventors are now working on steam cars as well as electric cars. Many makers believe that it will take years to develop a practical model for us.
To prevent the world from being polluted by cars, we have to make some changes in our lives. Americans, for example, have to cut down on the number of their total cars.They are encouraged to use bicycles, which are thought to help keep the air clean.
But this change does not come easily. A large number of workers may find themselves without jobs if a car factory cioses down. Thus the problem of air pollution would become less important than that of unemployment. Although cars have led us to a better life, they have also brought us new problems.
汽车污染
上路的汽车数量逐年增长，同时，每年都会生产出几百万辆新车。在美国，每六个人中就有一个从事与汽车相关的工作：造车、开车、修路、加油等等。 离开汽车，美国人无法生活!
大部分美国人简直无法想象没有车的生活会是什么样子。但是一些人也已经意识到汽车造成的空气污染已成为严重的问题。被污染的空气具有毒性，并且危害健康。
解决空气污染的方法之一就是制造无污染汽车。但是生产清洁汽车说来容易做来难。 目前，这一领域的进展十分缓慢。
另一个方法就是使用其他东西替代汽车发动机。发明家正在研制蒸汽汽车和电车。但是许多厂家认为我们可以使用的实用型汽车的诞生可能还需要几年时间。
要想阻止全球化的汽车污染，我们需要对自己的生活方式做出适当的改变。例如，在美国，需要缩减汽车总量。鼓励人们使用有助空气清洁的自行车。
但这种改变不能一蹴而就。一旦汽车工厂关闭，就会有大量工人失去工作。与失业相比，空气污染似乎就不再那么重要了。尽管汽车为我们带来了更加舒适的生活，同时，它也带来了新的问题。
