City traffic is a great problem. More cars are produced every year and the streets are getting more and more crowded. So during “rush hour”, when people are going to or from their work, traffic is brought to a (36)standstill. It has been suggested that (37)commuters should share their cars and give each other lifts. So each car would carry four or five people instead of only one. It is an excellent idea; however, so far nobody has been able to think of a way to(38) compel people to do so.

　　To (39)discourage motorists from leaving their cars on the streets all day, (40)parking meters are used. When you park at a meter, you must put a coin in the (41)slot. This pays for a certain amount of time. The meter (42)records this and it shows when the time that you have paid for is expired. If the car is still there, you have to pay a fine.

　　Traffic (43)wardens look after the meters. They walk around the streets and check that every meter shows that money has been paid for the car parked there. (44)If a meter registers “Time expired”, the motorist who has left his car will be fined. Of course, the traffic warden cannot wait for the owner of the car to return. (45)He carries a block of printed forms, and on one of these he writes down all the details, such as the amount the driver must pay and to where he must send the money. He leaves this form on the car where the driver will be able to see it easily. (46)He usually pushes it under one of the wind shield wipers so that it will not blow away. And in case it rains before the motorist returns, the form is put in a little plastic envelope to protect it. When the driver comes back, he gets an unpleasant surprise, but it is his own fault for leaving his car for too long at a parking meter.