Ex.10. Go back to the text and match the beginning of the sentences in A with their endings in B.

A	B
1. The Channel Tunnel is 75 m deep …	a. is25 kV 50 Hz.
2. English side and the French side of the Channel …	b. was an 80% cost overrun.
3. The terminals are …	c. a 750 V DC third rail.
4. When the tunnel began operating there …	d. to allow drive-in shuttle rolling stock.
5. Power delivered to the locomotives …	e. in 1998, then dropped in 2003
6. The railway south of London uses …	f. constructed two rail tunnels and a service tunnel.
7. The tunnel and the route to Paris has power	g. high-speed passenger trains, roll-on/roll-off vehicle transport and freight trains.
8. The Channel Tunnel network and terminal areas use …	h. provided via overhead catenary.
9. Total cross-tunnel passenger traffic volumes peaked …	i. at its lowest point.
10. The tunnel carries …	g. connected to the English and French motorways.

Ex.11. Go back to the text and choose the right question to the answer.

1.50.5-kilometre.

a) How big is the tunnel? b) How long is the tunnel? c) How wide is the tunnel?

2. Eleven.

a) Who made the tunnel? b) What kind of equipment was used? c) How many machines were used?

3. £4.650 billion.

a) How much did the British side spend? b) How much did it cost to construct the tunnel? c) How much did the French side spend?

4. Three.

a) How many communication systems are used in the tunnel? b) How many service tunnels are there? c) How many people were killed during the construction?

5. Via an overhead line.

a) What source of power is used? b) What sort of power is used? c) How is power delivered?

6. To give information directly to train drivers.

a) How train drivers receive information? b) Who receives information? c) What for is the cab signaling used?

7. The LGV Nord and High Speed 1.

a) What lines does the Channel Tunnel connect? b) What are the sections of the Channel Tunnel? c) What terminals does the Channel Tunnel connect?

8. In 1998.

a) What was the peak of the passenger traffic volumes? b) When was the peak of the passenger traffic volumes? c) When was the drop of the passenger traffic volumes?

9. In 2008.

a) Why were there traffic limitations? b) Why was there a decrease in passenger traffic volumes? c) When did the fire in the Tunnel happen?

10. To allow drive-in shuttle rolling stock.

a) Why is the electrical tractive power used? b) Why is the overhead catenary used? c) Why is a very large loading gauge used?

 

Ex.12. Complete the following sentences using the text.

1. The Channel Tunnel links ….

2. At its lowest point, the Channel Tunnel is …..

3. Eleven tunnel boring machines cut through chalk marl to ….

4. Daily expenditure on people working in the Tunnel was ….

5. Shuttle internal radio is used for ….

6. Power is delivered to the locomotives at ….

7. A large proportion of the railway south of London uses ….

8. The Tunnel carries ….

9. In 1995actual numbers were …

10. In 2003 ….

 

Ex.13. Translate the following text from Russian into English using the active vocabulary of the unit.

Евротоннель – железнодорожный двухпутный тоннель протяженностью около 51 км; 39 км проходят под проливом Ла-Манш. Евротоннель соединяет континентальную Европу с Великобританией. Благодаря тоннелю стало возможно добраться из Парижа в Лондон всего за 2 часа 15 минут; в самом тоннеле поезда находятся от 20 до 35 минут. Евротоннель является третьим по протяженности железнодорожным тоннелем в мире. Евротоннель состоит из трёх тоннелей — двух основных, имеющих рельсовый путь для поездов, следующих на север и юг, и одного небольшого служебного тоннеля. Служебный тоннель через каждые 375 метров имеет переходы, соединяющие его с основными. Он обеспечивает доступ обслуживающего персонала к основным тоннелям и аварийную эвакуацию пассажиров в случае опасности. Всего на Евротоннель было потрачено около 10 млрд. фунтов стерлингов (с учётом инфляции). При этом проектная стоимость была превышена на 80 %. 6 мая 1994 года Евротоннель был открыт руководителями стран-участниц – королевой Великобритании и президентом Франции.

 

Additional text 1

Read the text and translate it using a dictionary. Check your translating speed.

Channel Tunnel fire

The 2008 Channel Tunnel fire occurred on 11 September 2008 in the Channel Tunnel. The incident involved a France-bound Eurotunnel Shuttle train carrying heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) and their drivers.

The fire lasted for sixteen hours and reached temperatures of up to 1000 °C. Of the thirty-two people on board the train, fourteen people suffered minor injuries, including smoke inhalation and were taken to hospital. When the fire was reported, the tunnel was immediately shut to all services except emergency traffic. The undamaged south tunnel was reopened 13 September with a freight train entering the tunnel at Folkestone and a limited service provided with trains travelling in turn in alternating directions in the one tunnel. By the end of September, two thirds of the north tunnel had reopened. Full service resumed in February 2009 after repairs costing?60 million.

The fire was reported on 11 September 2008 11 kilometres from the French entrance to the tunnel in the North Tunnel. The blaze spread to other trucks on the train during the evening, destroying six carriages and one locomotive. The fire continued to burn overnight and was reported to have been put out the following day, although fire crews continued to smother minor fires nearby for a further two hours. More than 300 firefighters from both sides of the English Channel helped tackle the blaze, with emergency services from East and West Sussex, London and Essex providing support.

Thirty-two people on board the train were led to safety down a separate service tunnel; fourteen people suffered minor injuries, including smoke inhalation, and were taken to hospital. The shuttle was carrying 27 vehicles.

A lorry carrying 100 kg of phenol, a toxic product used in the pharmaceutical industry, was initially thought to be close to the seat of the fire; however this is discovered to be an error and only 100g was carried. Eyewitness accounts state that two loud bangs, described as explosions, were heard and then thick smoke swept through the carriage. The train came to a grinding halt, and the lights went out. Further eyewitness accounts suggest that the emergency exit was jammed, and one passenger smashed a window with a hammer in order to climb out. The temperature in the tunnel was described as "very hot".

About 650 m of tunnel was damaged by the fire, 50% more than during the fire of November 1996.

Additional text 1