Transportation system of the united states

[1] Transportation industry plays an important part in the economy of the U.S. Trucks, railroads, and ships transport goods to markets across the country. Commercial airlines, railroads, bus companies, and taxis move tourists and commuters to their destinations. The U.S. Postal Service and a number of private carriers deliver goods as well as mail to consumers. The U.S. transportation network spreads into all sections of the country, but the web of railroads and highways is much denser in the eastern half of the U.S., where it serves the nation’s largest urban, industrial, and population concentrations.

[2] Although railroads once dominated both freight and passenger traffic in the U.S, government regulation and increased competition from trucking substantially reduced their role in transportation. Railroads now move about one-third of the nation's intercity freight traffic, the most important items carried being coal, grain, chemicals, and motor vehicles. Many rail companies had given up passenger service by 1970, in which year Congress created the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (known as Amtrak) to take over passenger service. Amtrak operates a 24,000-mile system serving nearly 500 stations across the country. It carries approximately 20 million passengers annually. Although rail passenger travel has declined in importance during the 21st century, some U.S. cities still maintain extensive subways or commuter railways, including New York City, Washington, D.C., Chicago, and the San Francisco-Oakland area of California.

[3] During the early decades of the 20th century, motor vehicle transport developed as a serious competitor of the railroads, both for passengers and freight. Federal aid to states for highway construction began with the passage of the Federal-Aid Road Act of 1916.

[4] The federal aid program was greatly expanded in 1956 when the government began a project of an expansion of the Interstate Highway System, a 74,847-km network of limited-access highways that connects the nation’s principal cities. This carefully designed system enables motorists to drive from coast to coast without stopping for an intersection or a traffic light. It carries about 20 % of U.S. motor-vehicle traffic, though it accounts for just over 1 percent of U.S. roads and streets. The system is designed for safe, efficient driving, with gentle curves, easy grades, and long sight distances. Entering and exiting the highway system is permitted only at planned interchanges.

[5] Nearly 90 % of all households own at least one automobile or truck, and many own two or more. While most trips in metropolitan areas are made by automobile, public transit and rail commuter lines play an important role in the most populous cities. The majority of home-to-work travel in the rush hours is by public carrier in such large centers as New York City, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Boston. At the same time, most city transit systems have undergone a sharp decline: bus and subway rides have generally decreased despite a large increase in the urban population of some areas.

[6] Air transport began to compete with other modes of transport in the U.S. after World War I (1914-1918). The first commercial flights in the U.S. were made in 1918 and carried small amounts of mail. Passenger service began to gain importance in the late 1920s, but air transport did not become a leading mode of travel until the advent of commercial jet craft after World War II. Since the mid-20th century, airplane traffic has experienced spectacular growth in the U.S. From 1970 to 1985, for example, passenger traffic on certified air carriers increased 126 percent. By the 1990s, a growing number of Americans flew for personal and business travel, in part because of the need to cover long distances and in part because they like to get to their destinations quickly. In 1997, airlines in the U.S. carried 598.1 million passengers, the vast majority of whom were domestic travelers.

[7] By the end of the 20th century, large and small airports across the country formed a network providing air transportation to individual travelers. The nation had 5,286 public and 14,295 private airports in 2003. The largest airports in the U.S. by passenger arrivals and departures are Chicago-O’Hare International Airport in Illinois; Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport near Atlanta, Georgia; and Dallas-Fort Worth Airport in Texas.

[8] The U.S. has a relatively small commercial shipping fleet. In 1998, only 473 vessels of 1,000 gross tons and larger were registered in the U.S. Only 56 % were in use; most of the remainder formed part of a government-owned military reserve fleet. However, many American ship owners register their vessels in foreign countries such as Liberia and Panama, where crew wages, taxes, and operating costs are lower.

[9] In terms of the number of ships docking, New Orleans, Louisiana, is the busiest port in the nation; each year it handles more than 6,000 vessels. Other leading ports include Los Angeles, Houston, New York, San Francisco, and some others. Crude petroleum accounts for 22 % of the waterborne freight of the U.S. Petroleum products make up 18 %. Coal accounts for 14 %, and farm products for 14 %.

[10] The inland waterway network of the U.S. has three main components – the Mississippi River system, the Great Lakes, and the coastal waterways. Some 66 % of the annual water freight traffic is on the Mississippi River and its tributaries, 17 % is on the Great Lakes, and most of the remainder is on the coastal waterways. A major thoroughfare of the coastal waterways is the Intracoastal Waterway, a navigable, toll-free shipping route extending for about 1,740 km along the Atlantic Coast and for about 1,770 km along the Gulf of Mexico coast. About 45 % of the total annual traffic on all coastal waterways travels on the Gulf Intracoastal Waterway, about 30 % is on the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, and about 25 % is on Pacific Coast waterways.

[11] Most goods in the U.S. travel by railroad and truck, which compete vigorously for freight transport. In 1996, 38 % of all U.S. freight moved by rail and about 27 % traveled by truck. However, other modes of transportation more easily handle special freight items. An additional 20 % of all freight, by volume, moved through pipelines, mainly oil and natural gas pipelines originating in Texas and Louisiana with destinations in the Midwest and Northeast. Another 16%, mainly bulk commodities like coal, grain, and industrial limestone, moved by barge on inland waters.

Упр. 1. Письменно переведите абзацы 1 и 2.

Упр. 2. Прочитайте текст и найдите английские эквиваленты следующих фраз:

1. Почтовая служба США

2. сеть железных дорог и автомагистралей

3. перестать заниматься перевозками пассажиров

4. Федеральная система скоростных автострад

5. дорога с ограниченным числом подъездных путей и скрещений

6. Федеральный закон субсидирования дорожного строительства

7. программа финансовой помощи

8. без остановок у светофоров или на перекрёстках

9. система общественного городского транспорта

10. коммерческий рейс

11. торговый морской флот

12. судно грузоподъёмностью 1,000 тонн

13. налоги и эксплуатационные расходы

14. государственный военный резервный флот

15. груз, доставляемый по воде

Упр. 3. Прочитайте текст. После каждого из приведенных ниже предложений напишите "True", если оно соответствует содержанию текста, и "False", если вы не согласны с данным утверждением.

1. The Interstate Highway System is a 74,847-km network of limited-access railways that connects the nation’s principal cities.

2. In 1997, airlines in the U.S. carried 598.1 million passengers, the vast majority of whom were tourists from Europe and Asia.

3. Amtrak (the National Railroad Passenger Corporation), a federally subsidized organization, operates almost all the intercity passenger trains in the United States.

4. The largest airport in the U.S. by freight turnover is Chicago-O’Hare International Airport in Illinois.

5. Commercial shipping fleet of the United States is rather large.

6. The inland waterway network of the U.S. includes three main components – the Mississippi River system, the Great Lakes, and the coastal waterways.

7. Oil and prestressed concrete are carried through pipelines, mainly originating in Texas and Northeast with destinations in the Midwest and Louisiana.

Упр. 4. Выберите вариант, синонимичный выделенному слову или словосочетанию, и письменно переведите предложения.

1. The Interstate Highway System connects the nation’s principal cities.

A. attractiveC. tiny

B. major D. different

2. In 1996, 38 % of all U.S. freight moved by rail and about 27 % traveled by truck.

A. followedC. packed

B. arrivedD. carried

3. Sixteen percent of freight, mainly bulk commodities like coal, grain, and industrial limestone, moved by barge on inland waters.

A. bulk containersC. bulk liquids

B. bulk freight D. bulk concrete

4. The 44,000-mile Interstate Highway System is a national network of multiple-lane expressways found in all 50 states and connecting 90% of all cities of at least 50,000 population.

A. transportingC. forming

B. linkingD. requiring

5. Despite a large increase in the urban population of some areas, bus and subway rides have generally decreased.

A. reductionC. movement

B. deliveryD. growth

6. During the early decades of the 20th century, motor vehicle transport developed as a serious competitor of the railroads, both for passengers and freight.

A. supporterC. carrier

B. rivalD. enemy

7. The carefully designed Interstate Highway System enables motorists to drive from coast to coast without stopping for a traffic light.

A. allowsC. orders

B. prohibitsD. forces

Упр. 5. Из приведенных ниже предложений выберите и переведите то, которое более всего соответствует утверждению в рамке.

1. The majority of home-to-work travel in the rush hours is by public carrier in such large centers as New York City, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Boston.

1. In New York City, Chicago, Philadelphia, and Boston, people can go to work only by buses and subways.

2. People prefer to use public transport for home-to-work travel.

3. The majority of people don't have any motor cars that's why they have to travel from home to work by public carrier.

2. Although railroads once dominated both freight and passenger traffic in the United States, government regulation and increased competition from trucking substantially reduced their role in transportation.

1. Trucking is the main rival of railroads in freight traffic.

2. In spite of increased competition from trucking, railroads' role in the transport system of the country is increasing now.

3. The role of railroads in freight and passenger traffic is decreasing now because of government policy and competition from other means of transport.

Упр. 6. В данных ниже предложениях одному из слов соответствует выделенная курсивом фраза. Укажите это слово. Письменно переведите предложения на русский язык.

1. Nearly 90 % of all households in the U.S. own one automobile or truck and many have two or more.

• a large motor vehicle designed to carry heavy loads, especially one with a flat platform

2. In 1998, only 473 vessels of 1,000 gross tons and larger were registered in the U.S.

• a large watercraft: a ship or large boat

3. By the 1990s, a growing number of Americans flew for personal and business travel, in part because of the need to cover long distances and in part because they like to get to their destinations quickly.

• the predetermined end of a journey or voyage

4. Bus and subway rides have generally decreased in the U.S. despite a large increase in the urban population of some areas.

• to make or become greater in size, degree, frequency, etc.; grow or expand

5. Air transport began to compete with other modes of transport in the United States after World War I.

• to try to win or do better than others

6. By the end of the 20th century, large and small airports across the country formed a network providing air transportation to individual travelers.

• somebody who journeys to a specific place or who uses a specific form of transportation

7. Such bulk commodities as coal, grain, and industrial limestone are transported by barge on inland waterways.

• rivers, canals, or other navigable channels used as a means of travel or transport

Упр. 7. Из четырёх предложенных вариантов выберите правильный ответ на вопрос.

1. Why do many American ship owners register their vessels in foreign countries such as Liberia and Panama?

   1. because they want to be admitted to citizenship in one of this countries

   2. because taxes and operating costs are lower there

   3. because crew wages are higher there

   4. because American ship owners want to invest in Liberia's economy

2. In what part of the U.S. is the web of railroads and highways much denser?

   1. in the eastern half of the U.S.

   2. in the northern half of the U.S.

   3. in the southern half of the U.S.

   4. in the western half of the U.S

3. When did air transport become a leading mode of travel?

   1. after the invention of the parachute

   2. after the World War I

   3. before World War II

   4. after the advent of jet craft

4. What did the first commercial airplanes carry in 1918?

   1. money and valuables

   2. senators and ministers

   3. ammunition and guns

   4. newspapers and letters

5. What means of transport are mostly used for delivering goods to markets across the country?

   1. trucks, spaceships, and railroads

   2. ships, trucks, and railroads

   3. commercial airlines, bus companies, and taxis

   4. railroads, automobiles, and barges