И. А. Курбасова Е. И. Силантьева

22. Проработайте § 9 грамматических пояснений; переведите текст письменно без словаря, обращая внима­ние на различные значения that (those) (15 мин.).

Some engineers think that today it is the rails that are the more important factor for increased speeds than the locomotives. It is known that the rails were first used five thousand years ago. Some four hundred years ago, heavy wooden rails laid on ties were introduced in England for the transportation of coal from the mines. On that track horses could draw more coal. It was those mine rail­ways that gave birth to the steam railroads.

The T-shaped rails that have become standard on mod­ern tracks can carry a much heavier weight than those pro­duced before 1831. It is of interest to note (отметить) that those rails were introduced by Robert Stevens, the son of the American railroad pioneer.
23. Прослушайте вопросы и ответьте на них согласно тексту.
1. What elements does the permanent way consist of? 2. What is the difference between the modern railroad track and the track of the early days of railways? 3. What is the gauge and what gauge is used on the Soviet rail­ways? 4. Why is the joint the weakest part of the track?

5. What is the function of the switch? 6. What does the weight of the rails laid in the track depend on? 7. Why are the heaviest rails laid in the main-line tracks? 8. How Can we make wooden ties last longer? 9. Are the ties laid unon the earth? Why aren’t they? 10. Is the ballast an element of the permanent way? Why is it important? 11. What rails make it possible to eliminate rail joints? 12. What advantages have the long-welded rails? 13. How is the greater stability of track provided on mod­ern railways? 14. Why do concrete sleepers improve track stability?

24. Подготовьте сообщение по теме "The rails". Для этого найдите соответствующие абзацы в тексте, отбе­рите в них основные по содержанию предложения¹) сокра­тите эти предложения, оставив наиболее важные смысло­вые части; исключите все слова, которые не влияют на смысл раскрываемой вами темы.

25. Подготовьте сообщения на следующие темы, ис­пользуя словосочетания, данные в скобках (каждое пред­ложение начинайте с подлежащего).

1. The Railroad Track.

(permanent way, important feature, to consist of, gauge, joint, to wear out, switch, to make the trains pass)

2. The Ties.

(wooden ties, to replace, concrete sleepers, to lay in the main-line track, to last long, heavy weight, to increase stability)

3. The Ballast.

(to rest, three functions, to support, to hold in posi­tion, to provide drainage)
26. Прочтите текст В без словаря (5 мин.) и скажите, с какими трудностями пришлось столкнуться строите­лям Закаспийской железной дороги и каковы были пути преодоления этих трудностей.
27. Докажите фактами из текста, что строитель­ство Закаспийской железной дороги было гигантской стройкой для того времени

.