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Reading Practice 6

Henry Ford introduced the assembly line for mass production of cars. By arranging workers and machines in an assembly line where each completed a single part of the process, Ford was able to reduce the time to assemble a Model T from 14 hours to just under 2 hours. This lowered the car's price from $1,200 to $295, making it affordable for many more consumers. Ford's assembly line system became the standard for mass production and is still widely used today.

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Doaa Ahmed
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890 views2 pages

Reading Practice 6

Henry Ford introduced the assembly line for mass production of cars. By arranging workers and machines in an assembly line where each completed a single part of the process, Ford was able to reduce the time to assemble a Model T from 14 hours to just under 2 hours. This lowered the car's price from $1,200 to $295, making it affordable for many more consumers. Ford's assembly line system became the standard for mass production and is still widely used today.

Uploaded by

Doaa Ahmed
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Reading Practice 6

THE ASSEMBLY LINE

Henry Ford was a car builder. He was not the first to have the idea of the
horseless coach. The Germans Daimler and Benz had invented it, but he was the
first to use the assembly line for mass production. His Model-T car was the first to be
produced on the assembly line. The new system cut the time in which the car was
put together from 14 hours to 1 hour and 33 minutes. Eventually the price of the car
fell from $1,200 to $295. The car lacked certain luxuries; still, it could be relied on
and did not need much looking after. Soon, the Model-T became the people's car.
After nineteen years, when the Model-T became obsolete and sales dropped sharply
- for other car manufacturers, copying Ford's assembly line system, were able to
bring down the costs of much more attractive cars - Ford developed the
new Model-A. It, too, was the most inexpensive car on the market.
Today there are hardly any factories to be found where Ford's
assembly line system is not being utilized for mass production.

E X E R C I S E 1: Find words or phrases in the passage which mean the same as:

COLUMN A COLUMNB

a) four-wheeled covered vehicle pulled by horses

b) arrangement of workers and machines where

each worker completes only one part of the

production and then passes it along to another

for the next stage

c) the making of something in large quantities

d) in the end; after a time

e) not have; be without

f) no longer used; out-of-date

g) quickly and to a great degree

h) person or company that makes things in

factories in large quantities

i) make use of
E X E R C I S E 2: Choose the correct answer according to the passage.

1. Ford's assembly line system

A) was invented by the Germans Daimler and Benz


B) was reliable and did not need much maintenance
C) is used in almost every factory today
D) became obsolete after nineteen years
E) could put a car together in twelve hours and twenty-seven minutes

2. Henry Ford

A) went bankrupt when sales of his Model-T dropped


B) introduced the system of mass production on an assembly line
C) made profits of only $295 on his first mass-produced car
D) produced the Model-T, which was the first car ever to be built
E) worked in partnership with Daimler and Benz

3. Ford had to cease the production of the Model-T because

A) manufacturing costs had risen to over $1,000


B) he-could not compete with the mass production methods of Daimler and Benz
C) the Model-A was being sold at a much lower price
D) other manufacturers had copied its design
E) the price of more luxurious cars had dropped

E X E R C I S E 3: Complete the sentences by selecting words from Column B in EXERCISE 1.

1. Prices have risen in the last month and the government is battling to
bring the economy under control.
2. Before we start spending money on a new office, perhaps we should see if we can
the space we already have more effectively.
3. Computers and word processors have become so commonplace these days that the
traditional typewriter is virtually
4. Although she is quite a good pianist, she the talent necessary to make
a professional career in music.
5. We're saving a small amount of money every month and we hope, , to
have enough to buy a car.

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