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Unit 16 Lesson 7
The London Underground
Objectives: By the end of the lesson you will have
• talked about UK
• read a passage about the London underground
• discussed some questions on the picture and passage
• talked about the use of active and passive voice
• written a letter of proposal
A Discuss in pairs what you know about the UK (or Britain as it is more commonly called). What is its capital? Mention some famous, places in Britain if you can.
B What do you mean by "underground"? Read this passage about the London underground.
An underground is an electrically operated underground railroad. Its construction was first stimulated in the 19th century. The world's first underground was the brainchild of Charles Pearson, solicitor of the city of London. The first phase between Farrington to Paddington was begun in 1860 and completed in 1863. The construction was done in the cut-and-cover method. An arched brick structure was first constructed in an open trench and then earth was backfilled over it. The locomotive power for the trains being supplied by steam, the underground then had a sulphurous atmosphere. In spite of that, the subway attracted about 10 million passengers in its first year of operation. Its primary success encouraged additional construction in 1886. Instead of the old cut-and-cover method, this time a new construction device was used. James Henry Greathead developed a steel-made cylindrical tube which could be forced forward into the ground by means of hydraulic jacks. This method made it possible to dig tunnels deep enough not to disturb surface buildings and traffic. The depth of the tunnels then necessitated the installation of lifts at the stations. Electrification of the lines made it possible. Later on, lifts were replaced by escalators. With the use of electricity, great expansion took place and by the early 1970s London had 102 miles of 'underground lines, the second largest in the world. The largest underground (or subway as it is called there) is now in New York. The increasing automobile congestion in metropolitan cities has spurred the building of new underground or subway systems in other cities too.
Now discuss the following questions with your partners.
1 What method of construction was first used for the London underground? What were the problems of this method?
2 What method of construction was used later on? What were the merits of this method?
3 Why is an underground railway necessary for a busy metropolitan city? Can you name any other cities where there are underground railway systems?
4 Do you think an underground railway system should be introduced in Bangladesh?
C In this unit you have come across many sentences in the passive voice. Read the following sentence.
Its construction was first stimulated in the 19th century.
Can you say why the sentence is written in the passive voice? Discuss in pairs where we use active voice and where passive.
Remember, active voice and passive voice are not always interchangeable. For example, the sentence 'He was born in 1975' cannot be changed into the active form.
Again, 'He has a car' should not be changed into the passive form as it would sound most unnatural.
Now give at least five more examples where only active or passive constructions are used.
D Write a letter to the editor of The Rising Sun urging the authorities to build an underground transport system for the traffic congested city of Dhaka.
Focus:
Skills.
Speaking, reading for inference, writing a letter of proposal. Functions.
Making a proposal, suggesting action.
Grammar/Structure.
Active and passive voice.
Vocabulary.
stimulate, brainchild, sulphurous, hydraulic, necessitate, installation, escalator, congestion, spur, locomotive.
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Unit 16 Lesson 7
The London Underground
Objectives: By the end of the lesson you will have
• talked about UK
• read a passage about the London underground
• discussed some questions on the picture and passage
• talked about the use of active and passive voice
• written a letter of proposal
A Discuss in pairs what you know about the UK (or Britain as it is more commonly called). What is its capital? Mention some famous, places in Britain if you can.
B What do you mean by "underground"? Read this passage about the London underground.
An underground is an electrically operated underground railroad. Its construction was first stimulated in the 19th century. The world's first underground was the brainchild of Charles Pearson, solicitor of the city of London. The first phase between Farrington to Paddington was begun in 1860 and completed in 1863. The construction was done in the cut-and-cover method. An arched brick structure was first constructed in an open trench and then earth was backfilled over it. The locomotive power for the trains being supplied by steam, the underground then had a sulphurous atmosphere. In spite of that, the subway attracted about 10 million passengers in its first year of operation. Its primary success encouraged additional construction in 1886. Instead of the old cut-and-cover method, this time a new construction device was used. James Henry Greathead developed a steel-made cylindrical tube which could be forced forward into the ground by means of hydraulic jacks. This method made it possible to dig tunnels deep enough not to disturb surface buildings and traffic. The depth of the tunnels then necessitated the installation of lifts at the stations. Electrification of the lines made it possible. Later on, lifts were replaced by escalators. With the use of electricity, great expansion took place and by the early 1970s London had 102 miles of 'underground lines, the second largest in the world. The largest underground (or subway as it is called there) is now in New York. The increasing automobile congestion in metropolitan cities has spurred the building of new underground or subway systems in other cities too.
Now discuss the following questions with your partners.
1 What method of construction was first used for the London underground? What were the problems of this method?
2 What method of construction was used later on? What were the merits of this method?
3 Why is an underground railway necessary for a busy metropolitan city? Can you name any other cities where there are underground railway systems?
4 Do you think an underground railway system should be introduced in Bangladesh?
C In this unit you have come across many sentences in the passive voice. Read the following sentence.
Its construction was first stimulated in the 19th century.
Can you say why the sentence is written in the passive voice? Discuss in pairs where we use active voice and where passive.
Remember, active voice and passive voice are not always interchangeable. For example, the sentence 'He was born in 1975' cannot be changed into the active form.
Again, 'He has a car' should not be changed into the passive form as it would sound most unnatural.
Now give at least five more examples where only active or passive constructions are used.
D Write a letter to the editor of The Rising Sun urging the authorities to build an underground transport system for the traffic congested city of Dhaka.
Focus:
Skills.
Speaking, reading for inference, writing a letter of proposal. Functions.
Making a proposal, suggesting action.
Grammar/Structure.
Active and passive voice.
Vocabulary.
stimulate, brainchild, sulphurous, hydraulic, necessitate, installation, escalator, congestion, spur, locomotive.