This cartoon from TIME Magazine's Cartoons of the Week is a humorous take on the Big Three U.S. carmakers' attempts to persuade the government to bail them out. The Economist reports that GM, Ford and Chrysler will drive a small fleet of fuel-efficient vehicles from Detroit to show Congress how the industry is greening.
Click on image to enlarge
Language notes
- The cartoon represents a blueprint, which is the word used for a designer's or architect's plan.
- A phoenix is a mythical bird which burns and then is reborn from the ashes (cf. Harry Potter). The U.S. auto industry is hoping for a rebirth (but don't count on it).
- Motor City refers to Detroit, home of the Big Three.
Lesson idea: Get your students to design their own environmentally-friendly car. Put them into groups to brainstorm ideas. They can then use the OHP or paperboard to present their ideas to the class.
