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1. lesson 6

How Our Language Grows Many popular expressions in our language have interesting backgrounds. When we refer to a person's weak spot as his Achilles heel) we are recalling the story of the mighty Greek hero of the Trojan War, Achilles, a warrior of unusual strength and valor. The mother of Achilles, in whose veins flowed the blood of the gods, was warned at his birth that her son would die in battle. In great distress, she sought to save her son. In order to diminish his chances of being hurt and to give him maximum protection in combat, she dipped the infant in the river Styx. The magic waters touched every part of the child's body except the heel that she held in her hand. Thus it happened many years later that as Achilles started to flee from an attack, a poisoned arrow struck him in the heel, the only spot where he was vulnerable. Today, the meaning of Achilles heel is not confined to a weak spot in the body but it also signifies a weakness in the character of an individual, or in the defenses of a nation, or in the structure of a system. American politics, rather than mythology, provides the explanation for the word bunk. This word came into the language in 1820 when Felix Walker, the representative from Buncombe County, North Carolina, formed the habit of making long, unnecessary speeches in Congress. When his colleagues asked him why he was tormenting them so, he apologized by saying it was his patriotic duty to put those speeches in the record out of loyalty to his supporters at home. The word "Buncombe" was shortened to "bunk" and came to mean any thought that has little or no worth.
The Challenge* of the Small Car The auto makers in Detroit barely survived* the tragedy of 1956. That was the year the consumer became aware* of the Volkswagen, and the auto market was forever altered.* Once Americans got a glance at this low-priced, nimble, small car that one could manipulate so easily, they frequently* refused those horrid Detroit monsters with eight cylinders and ten miles to each gallon of gasoline. Many pedestrians, previously uninterested in owning a car, began to purchase small foreign cars.Conservative as well as reckless drivers found the price within their budget and became customers. Volkswagen owners would rave about their economical cars, telling everyone how little gas they used and how infrequently* they needed to be lubricated. Volkswagen, once one of the most popular* small cars sold in America, has now fallen behind the autos of the ingenious Japanese manufacturers.
--The Health of Your Car-- The newest approach to automobile repair is the clinic, a place where car doctors go over an automobile in an attempt to detect defects. Since the clinic does no repairs, its employees do not neglect the truth. So many automobile owners feel that mechanics deceive them that the clinics, even though they undoubtedly charge high fees, are quite popular. The experts do a thorough job for each client. They explore* every part of the engine, body, and brakes; they do all kinds of tests with expensive* machines. Best of all, the comprehensive examination takes only about half an hour. With the clinic's report in your hand no mechanic will be able to defraud you by telling you that you need major repairs when only a small repair is necessary.
Summer Travel If you are tired of making vague excuses for another dull summer at home, here is a thought to elevate your spirits. You do not need anything so radical as winning a lottery to finance a trip to Europe. A student identity card that can be obtained for a few dollars from the Council on International Educational Exchange entitles you to discount tickets on certain charter flights to London and Paris, as well as reduced admission to many museums, cinemas, and musical events. Once in Europe, you can stretch your budget by staying at approved youth hostels for about ten dollars a night. So don't discard your hopes of becoming an international traveler. Soon you can be soaring into the skies or skimming over the waves to new adventures that you will subsequently relate to your stationary friends.

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