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If cars had wings,they could fly and that just might happen, beginning in 2012.The company
Terrafugia, based in Woburn, Massachusetts, says it plans to deliver its carplane, the Transition,
to customers by the end of 2012.
"It's the next 'wow' vehicle,"said Terrafugia vice president Richard Gersh. "Anybody can buy
a Ferrari, but as we say, Ferraris don't fly."
The car plane has wings that unfold for flying-a process the company says takes one
minute-and fold back up for driving. A runway is still required to take off and land.
The Transition is being marketed more as a plane that drives than a car that flies, although it is
both. The company has been working with FAA to meet aircraft regulations, and with the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration to meet vehicle safety regulations.
The company is aiming to sell the Transition to private pilots as a more convenient and cheaper
way to fly. They say it saves you the trouble of trying to find another mode of transportation to get
to and from airports: You drive the car to the airport and then you're good to go. When you land,
you fold up the wings and hit the road. There are no expensive parking fees because you don't have
to store it at an airport-you park it in the garage at home.
The carplane is designed to fly primarily under 10,000 feet. It has a maximum takeoff weight of
1,430 pounds, including fuel and passengers. Terrafugia says the Transition reduces the potential for
an accident by allowing pilots to drive under bad weather instead of flying into marginal(临界)
conditions.
The Transition's price tag: $194,000. But there may be additional charges for options like a radio,
transponder or GPS. Another option is a fullplane parachute.
"If you get into a very awful situation, it is the necessary safety option," Gersh said.
So far, the company has more than 70 orders with deposits. "We're working very closely with
them, but there are still some remaining steps," Brown said.
1. We can learn from the first paragraph that________.
A. carplanes will be popular in 2012
B. people might drive a carplane in 2012
C. both Transition and Ferrari can take off and land
D. Richard Gersh is the vice president of Massachusetts
2. It takes the carplane one minute to________.
A. fold and unfold its wings
B. unfold wings for flying
C. land in the airport
D. meet flying safety regulations
3. According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?
A. The carplane needs a runway to take off and land.
B. To meet aircraft regulations, the company has been working with FAA.
C. The carplane may fly as high as normal planes.
D. People can park the carplane in the garage at their home.
4. The underlined word "it" in the last but one paragraph refers to________.
A. the radio
B. the transponder
C. the GPS
D. the fullplane parachute
5. What's the best title for the passage?
A. Cars With Wings May Be Just Around The Corner
B. Which To Choose: A Ferrari Or A CarPlane?
C. A More Convenient And Cheaper WayTo Fly
D. Cars With Wings Can Fly As Fast As Plane

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