This is a reading quite useful for Means of Transportation
The Railway!
The railway is one of the most important means of transportation. In many countries, the long established railway networks provide high speed transportation across vast areas of land. This system provides cheap transportation for both people and goods. Before trains were invented, people relied on horses for journeys across a country. During those days, the roads were poor and journeys, which now take only a few hours, could stretch up to several days or even weeks. Moreover, trains could carry heavier loads as compared to horse-drawn wagons.
Railways contributed a lot to the growth of many industries. Raw materials were delivered quickly and easily to factories. Once the raw materials are processed, they are immediately transported by means of railways to other parts of the country.
Most trains are powered by diesel-electric units, while others are powered by direct current electricity. Some of the largest and most powerful locomotives have gas turbine traction-engines. Oil is burned in a compressed air chamber to produce hot gas of intense energy. It is this energy which powers the traction-engine and drives a train along the railway tracks.
For high-speed travel on land, extra-fast trains have been developed. The latest development in rail travel is the Aerotrain. This is a bullet-shaped train powered by turbo-jet engines. There is a propeller at the rear of the train. The rail passes through the middle of the train which glides along on a half inch cushion of air. Japan's 'bullet train' travels at speeds of up to 240 km per hour and runs between Tokyo and Osaka.
Today, the world's rail networks total about 1,200,000 km. Two-thirds of it is concentrated in North America and Europe. North America, which consists of the United States, Canada and Mexico, has the greatest amount of railway tracks.
The railways of many countries are controlled by the state. For example, Britain, France and most European nations have railways run by the government. In the United States and Canada however, the railways are run by powerful private companies.
In recent years, rail transport has suffered stiff competition from other transport services -- road, air and water. The investors are attempting to overcome this situation by two means. Firstly, to get rid of services which are not profitable, and secondly, to improve on money-making services.
Exercises!
1. From paragraph 1
• What was road travel like in the olden days?
• Explain the meaning of the word 'poor'.
2. From paragraph 2
• How have trains contributed to the growth of industries?
3. From paragraph 5
• Where are most of the world's railways concentrated?
4. From paragraph 6
• Which two countries have railways run by private companies?
• Explain the meaning of the word 'run'.
5. From paragraph 7
• Mention the two ways by which investors try to solve 'the problem'.
• Taken and adapted from: http://www.englishdaily626.com/comprehension.php?266
