World News for Students of English

24-09-2015 07:00

Volkswagen is facing billions of dollars in fines after it emerged that around 500,000 of its diesel cars sold in the United States since 2008 carry software that dramatically reduces nitrogen oxide emissions during testing.

The US Environmental Protection Agency said Volkswagen had intentionally skirted American clean air laws by using a piece of software that turns off emissions controls when driving normally and turns them on when the car is undergoing an emissions test. It said on Twitter the cars under investigation emit up to 40 times the national standard for nitrogen oxide which is linked to asthma and lung illnesses.

It’s reported that the car maker could now face a fine of up to 18 billion dollars but the EPA said the violations do not present a safety hazard and the cars remain legal to drive and to sell. A US Volkswagen spokesman said the company is co-operating with the EPA’s investigation.

Difficult words: fine (the money you have to pay for doing something bad), emerge (to come out), intentional (to do something on purpose), skirt (to avoid something).

Source: www.ondemandnews.com