II. Read and translate the text.

    The tunnel construction dates back to 1857, when French and Italian engineers undertook the gigantic task of building the Mont Ceris tunnel. It was the main railway line from south-eastern France to north-eastern Italy. The tunnel, nearly 8 miles long, is of great technical interest, because air compressor and rock drills operated by compressed air were first used. It was also the first large project on which dynamite was employed for breaking the rock. But when it was started, drilling was done by hand. Black gunpowder was used for breaking the rock.

    For the first 4 years the tunnel advanced only 9 inches a day on each side and if it had continued at this rate, it would have taken 75 years to complete. With the introduction of compressed air drills and dynamite progress went ahead and was accelerated to 6 foot a day.

When the proposed road or railway is obstructed by a hill, a waterway or some construction, the engineer designing the project has to decide to construct a tunnel through or under the obstacles. In making decision, he has not only to consider the economic aspect, but also weigh up all the constructional advantages and disadvantages of tunneling or the alternative method of passing around or over the obstacle. In practice tunneling proves to be less expensive than any other alternative system.

Should a motorway pass under or over a large waterway? For a narrow waterway it is not a problem, the water is always bridged. The choice often falls on a bridge because it can carry more vehicles per hour. Bridge and tunnel combinations form the best solution for crossings of great length.

          It is easy to predict that in the next decades an increasing number of important tunnels will be built, and that the existing methods of building will be improved and perfected and new techniques will be developed.

 

III. Answer the following questions:

1. What year does the tunnel construction date back?

2. What equipment and methods were used when the main railway line from south-eastern France to north – eastern Italy was being built?

3. What decisions do the engineers make when the proposed road or railway is obstructed by some obstacles?

4. Does tunneling prove to be less expensive than any other alternative system?

5. What forms the best solution for crossing of great length?        

IV. Make up a dialogue according to the questions.

V. Retell the text given above.

VI. Grammar material. The Construction “Complex Object” after the verbs

Of sensory perception.

       После второй группы глаголов, выражающих восприятие посредством органов чувств, например: to see (видеть), to watch (наблюдать), to notice (замечать), to hear (слышать), to feel (чувствовать) в конструкции Complex Object возможно использование как инфинитива (неопределённойформы глагола)без частицы to, так и причастия I: 

                        I saw her walk into the house.

                       Я видел, как она вошла в дом.

                       We saw you crossing the street.

                       Мы видели, как вы переходили улицу.  

       В этой группе глаголов инфинитив употребляется для обозначения завершённого действия, а причастие I используется для обозначения действия в процессе:

                       I saw him enter the house.

                       Я видел, как он вошёл в дом.

                       I saw him entering the house.

                       Я видел, как он входил в дом.

VII. Open the brackets read and translate the sentences into Russian.

1. Would you like me (read) now?

2. I want her (learn) foreign languages.

3. I saw him (go) out of the house.

4. The teacher advised us (use) dictionaries.

5. Her father doesn’t allow her (go) to the cinema alone.

6. We expect our basketball team (win) next game.

7. I saw them (open) the window.

Part III

Dam Construction

I. Learn the following words and word combinations:

dam -- дамба                                              hydraulic -- гидравлический

flood -- наводнение                             to ensure -- обеспечивать

branch -- отрасль                                  to percolatethrough - просачиваться

impressive – впечатляющий                to overflow -- разливаться

achievement -- достижение                  spillway -- водослив

source of power – источник энергии      to irrigate – орошать, поливать

civil engineering – гражданское строительство