III. Reading comprehension

1. Answer the questions

1. What is The Great Belt East Bridge?

2. When was the first design made?

3. What did the bridge consist of then?

4. What supported the structure?

5. How could ships pass the bridge?

6. Why was the new design made?

7. What was different in the new design?

8. Why was a cable stay bridge proposed?

9. How are the decks of the bridge built out?

10. What problems are associated with long bridges?

11. Why was a suspension bridge the only alternative?

12. What made the project outstanding?

13. When was the bridge completed?

2. Read the statements and say whether they are true (T) or false (F). Correct the false ones

1. The Great Belt East Bridge is part of a link between England and France.

2. The first design was a cable stay bridge with two piers.

3. Two central spans of a box girder bridge were supported by piers.

4. The design of a box girder bridge was abandoned because ships became larger and larger.

5. Even the strongest steel bends if the wind is too strong.

6. The limit for cable stay bridges is around 780m.

7. A cable stay bridge was completed in 1973.

8. The longer the bridge, the more difficult it is to control the movement of the ends.

9. A suspension bridge was proposed because it was easier to control the movement of the deck.

10. To support the structure of the suspension bridge two piers were built.

11. The bridge deck is quite slender and specially shaped to prevent twisting in the wind.

12. The construction of the bridge was not completed util 1998.

3. Choose the correct word or word combination

1. The Great Belt East Bridge ... part of a link between Denmark and Sweden.

a. makes b. is c. meets

2. The first design ... in 1965.

7. was supported b. was delayed c. was made

3. The first design consisted of a box girder bridge with two ... .

a. piers b. spans c. decks

4. This design ... because ships became larger and larger.

a. was completed b. was prevented c. was abandoned

4. This bridge had much ... central span of 780m.

a. larger b. wider c. longer

4. At this point even the strongest steel ... under its own weight.

a. sails b. twists c. bends

4. A cable stay bridge ... .

a. was built b. was proposed c. was shaped

8. The ... are built out from each pier until they meet in the middle.

a. towers b. decks c. ends

9. It is difficult to control the ... of the ends when it is windy.

a. construction b. direction c. movement

10. ... was further delayed.

a. alternative b. construction c. collision

11. To support such a span, two ... towers, each 254m high, were built.

a. safe b. new c. huge

12. The bridge deck is quite ... – only four metres deep.

a. slender b. stronger c. greater

4. Complete the sentences

1. The Great Belt East Bridge is ...

2. The first design ...

3. The design consisted of ...

4. Each span was ...

5. The idea was ...

6. This design was abandoned because ...

7. A new design made in 1973 had ...

8. This is greater ...

9. At this point even ...

10. With cable stay bridges, the decks are ...

11. The longer the bridge, ...

12. Experiments showed that ...

13. A new design was ...

14. To support such a span ...

15. To prevent twisting ...

16. The suspension bridge