Step 1: Lead-in
T: Have you heard of London?
S: Yes. It’s the capital of the UK.
T: When we talk about London, what will you think about? Can you give me some examples what London is famous for?
S1: The Cambridge University and the Oxford University.
S2: London Bridge.
S3: the heavy fog.
S4: the Big Ben.
...
T: Well done, everyone. In addition to these, the underground system in London is also the oldest and the best in the world. Today we’ll learn something about the London Underground.
Step 2: Fast-reading for general idea.
Now let’s come to our books. Go through the passage as quickly as possible and try to find answers to the three questions in Part A. While reading, you just need to focus on and identify the information which is needed to answer the questions.
Answers
A 1 In 1863.
2 It was important because it linked with other lines at almost every station, making the system more user-friendly.
3 He is the architect that designed many of the new stations built between 1918 and 1938. Many of the stations are still in use today.
Step 3: Detailed reading for important information
1. Now read the passage again more carefully. After it, you are required to answer the questions of Part C1.
Answers
C1
1 Most railway tracks did not go into the London city centre, so buses were required. This increased traffic on the road. The underground system transported more people without increasing traffic on the road.
2 The carriages did not have windows and were pulled by steam engines through narrow tunnels.
3 He bought many of the different lines and set up the Underground Group.
4 The underground has functioned as a bomb shelter, an aeroplane factory, an anti-aircraft centre and meeting rooms for the government administration.
5 After World War II, more lines were added because more people traveled on the underground.
6 It means that many of the lines are linked at many stations. Therefore, it is very convenient for riders to go to different places in the city from any station.
2. In the brochure, the following years indicate the important stages in the development of the London Underground. Listen to the tape and find the information to match the year.
Answers
C2
Date Event
1854 An underground railway was decided to be built.
1863 The first tunnels were opened.
1868 The next section of the underground system was opened.
1884 The underground service was provided in the middle of the city.
1933 A public organization was created.
1918-1938 London Transport was expanded.
After 1945 More people traveled on the underground and more lines were added.
1977 The last line was added.
3. Go through the passage again and find out how many parts can the passage be divided into.
Step 4: Practice:
1. Let’s complete Part D.
Find these words in the text and try to guess their meanings according to the context, and then match the new words with their definitions.
Answers
1 d 2 e 3 b 4f 5 c 6 h 7 g 8 a
2. Please finish Part E.
Zhao Ning wrote an e-mail to a friend to tell him abut her trip to London. Here is part of her e-mail. Complete it using the words in the box.
Answers
(1) Underground (2) oldest (3) complex (4) 1863 (5) boundary
(6) 1977 (7) carriages (8) user-friendly (9) World War II (10) bomb shelters
3. Complete the following passage with proper words or phrases from the article on pages 50-51. Change the form where necessary.
The London underground system has the (1) __________ of being the oldest and most complex underground system in the world. Before 1850, train services to London had already been (2) __________, but people couldn’t build railways into the city because doing that would cause great (3) __________ to many historic buildings. So many buses were needed to (4) __________ people to the city centre, which, however, often (5) __________ traffic. This problem led to the development of the underground system.
In 1854, Metropolitan Railway Company was allowed to build an underground railway and the first tunnels were opened in 1863. In 1868, the next (6) __________ of the underground system was opened by another company called the Metropolitan District Railway. In 1884, these two companies (7) __________ and provided the underground service in the middle of the city.
With the development of the (8) __________ ways of digging tunnels, the first railway tunnel under the River Thames was dug in 1884, and over the next 25 years, six (9) __________ deep underground lines were made. But because they were (10) __________ owned and far away from each other, traveling on these lines was (11) __________. Having seen the situation, Charles Yerkes, tried to improve the system. He bought many of the different lines and setting up the Underground Group. In 1933, a public (12) __________ called the London Passenger Transport Board was created, which eventually became London Transport. From 1918 to 1938, the system (13) __________ a lot.
During World War II, the underground system had some (14) __________ uses. For example, many underground stations once (15) __________ as bomb shelters. After the war, more lines were added. Now, the network of the underground system includes 12 lines and goes 26 miles out of central London. Three million people travel on the underground every day. Can you imagine what London would be if there were no such underground system?
Answer
(1) distinction (2) developed (3) damage (4) transport
(5) choked off (6) section (7) linked up (8) advanced
(9) independent (10) separately (11) inconvenient (12) organization
(13) expanded (14) unusual (15) functioned
4. Complete the second sentence without changing the meaning of the first one in each pair of sentences.
1) It is said that the two companies will cooperate with each other in the future to manufacture the new car.
The two companies ____________ ____________ to ____________ ____________ in the future to manufacture the new car.
2) They use special chemicals to make crops grow faster.
They use special chemicals to ____________ the ____________ of crops.
3) Because there existed the traffic problem, the underground system developed.
The traffic problem ____________ ____________ the ____________ of the underground system.
4) People hold kinds of activities to show respect for Cong Fei, a “father” of 183 poor students
in the mountain areas.
Kinds of activities are held ____________ ____________ ____________ Cong Fei, a “father” of 183 poor students in the mountain areas.
5) They have been trapped in the flood caused by the third typhoon this year----Ewiniar. They are worried about the situation.
____________ ____________ ____________ in the flood caused by the third typhoon this year----Ewiniar, they are worried about the situation.
6) Do you know who is in charge of the design for the Three Gorges Dam Project?
Do you know who is ____________ ____________ the design for the Three Gorges Dam Project?
Answers
1) are said; link up 2) accelerate; growth 3) led to; development
4) in honour of 5) Having been trapped 6) responsible for
Step 5: Post-reading activities
Read the instructions for Part F and discuss the three questions that follow.
Step 6: Language points:
Vocabulary
Words
underground, commonly, tube, distinction, distant, boundary, historic. Transport, vehicle, choke, shuttle, beneath, carriage, comparatively, narrow, section, district, advanced, accelerate, pace, inconvenient, separately, acquisition, board, authority, expansion, connection, architect, function, anti-aircraft, minister, administration, user-friendly, anniversary, effectively, network, permit, sightseeing, horrible, damp, dozen, union, discount, album,
Useful expressions
cause damage to, chock off, lead to, link up, be responsible for, be in use, be used as, link with, in honor of, in the middle of, at a discount, function as
Sentence patterns 1. Unfortunately, the increased number of vehicles on the road choked off traffic, and the roads became so busy that no one could travel anywhere.
2. Having seen the situation, a wealthy American businessman, Charles Yerkes, tried to improve the system by buying many of the different lines and setting up the Underground Group.
3. This helped make the system more user-friendly.
Step 7: Homework:
1. Prepare the part Word Power
2. Read the passages on Page 130 of the workbook.