Ex.9. Match the word combinations on the left with their translation on the right.

A	B
1. purpose-built	a. улучшить обзор
2. domestic passenger traffic	b. существующая инфраструктура
3.in full	c. фирменное название
4. for safety reasons	d. моторный вагон
5. brand name	e. администрация
6. improve visibility	f. вызывать переосмысление
7. power car	g. внутренние пассажирские перевозки
8.authorities	h. полностью
9. existing infrastructure	i. специализированный
10. prompt a rethink	j. из соображений безопасности

Ex.10. Read the text and translate it using a dictionary if necessary.

High-speed rail in the united kingdom

The first purpose-built high-speed rail line in Britain was the Channel Tunnel Rail Link, the first section of which opened in 2003. It is a 108-kilometre high-speed railway between London and the United Kingdom end of the Channel Tunnel, through Kent.

The line was built to carry international passenger traffic between the United Kingdom and Continental Europe; additionally it carries domestic passenger traffic to and from towns and cities in Kent, and has the potential to carry Berne gauge freight traffic. The line, crossing over the River Medway and underneath the River Thames to London, opened in full on 14 November 2007. It allows speeds of up to 300 kilometres per hour on section 1 and up to 230 kilometres per hour on section 2, and cost £5.8 billion to build.

International passenger services are currently provided by Eurostar, using a fleet of 27 Class 373/1 multi-system trains capable of 300 kilometres per hour. Domestic high-speed commuter services serving the intermediate stations and beyond began on 13 December 2009. The fleet of 29 Class 395 passenger trains are permitted to reach speeds of 225 kilometres per hour. DB Schenker is running regular intermodal freight services on High Speed 1 using adapted locomotives, enabling flat wagons carrying continental-size swap body containers to reach London for the first time.

At present, a mixture of 300 km/h Eurostar international services and 225 km/h Southeastern domestic passenger services use High Speed 1. Attempts to increase speeds to 225 km/h on the East Coast Main Line and West Coast Main Line have both failed, partly because trains that travel above 201 km/h are considered to require in-cab signalling for safety reasons. The term High Speed Train is currently also used as a brand name for the present British fleet of Class 43 201 km/h InterCity diesel trains.

The original "Inter-City 125" livery was blue and grey, with a yellow front to improve visibility which continued down the side of the power cars.

The second livery had mostly grey power-cars with a white band along the middle, yellow underneath the white band, with the InterCity colours (cream, red, white, brown) for the parcel compartment of the power cars and the coaches.

In the 1970s, British Rail began to explore new technologies for enabling high-speed passenger rail services in the UK. While the Japanese and French railway authorities had decided to build completely new tracks for their respective Shinkansen and TGV high-speed rail systems, British Rail opted instead to develop a train capable of running on existing rail infrastructure: the Advanced Passenger Train (APT), with a top speed of 249 km/h. An experimental version, the APT-E was tested between 1972 and 1976. It was equipped with a tilting mechanism which allowed the train to tilt into bends to reduce cornering forces on passengers, and was powered by gas turbines. The 1970s oil crisis prompted a rethink in the choice of motive power, and British Rail later opted for traditional electric overhead lines.

Passenger volumes on the trains rapidly increased due to the speed and frequency of the service, an effect previously seen only when electric trains had replaced diesel or steam services.

Ex.11. Go back to the text and match the beginning of the sentences in A with their endings in B.

A	B
1.The first purpose-built high-speed rail line in Britain was …	a. 300 kilometres per hour on section 1.
2. The Channel Tunnel Rail Link …	b. used as a brand name for InterCity diesel trains.
3. The line opened in full …	c. capable of running on existing rail infrastructure.
4. The line allows speeds of up to …	d. due to the speed and frequency of the service.
5. International passenger services …	e. to tilt into bends to reduce cornering forces.
6.The term High Speed Train is …	f. on 14 November 2007.
7. British Rail developed a train…	g. are provided by Eurostar.
8. APT has a top speed of …	h. the Channel Tunnel Rail Link.
9. Passenger volumes increased …	i. of 249 km/h.
10. A tilting mechanism allows the train …	j. opened in 2003.

Ex.12. Go back to the text and answer the questions.

1. How long is the high-speed railway between London and the United Kingdom end of the Channel Tunnel?

2. What kind of traffic does the line carry?

3. What speed does the line allow on section 2?

4. How much did it cost to build the line?

5. How many trains does the fleet of Eurostar have?

6. What livery did the original "Inter-City 125" have?

7. What mechanism was used in the APT-E?

8. What prompted a rethink in the choice of motive power?

9. What kind of motive power is used in the UK?

10. What factors helped to increase passenger volumes?

Additional text

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