PROBLEMS OF TRANSPORTATION

Many problems must be overcome in the task of transporting people and materials from one place to another. Transportation services must be able to operate day and night, the year around, in all kinds of climate and weather. They must be able to operate over mountains and rivers, and through snow and storms.

Climate and Weather. In the days of sailing ships, transportation by water depended almost entirely on the weather. Ships needed favorable winds to fill their sails. Sailors often made long detours to sail through waters where they could depend on the wind. Storms often sank or disabled sailing vessels. Even today, weather conditions are a problem to water transportation. Ocean liners usually try to sail around severe storms rather than through them. In the North Atlantic, icebergs endanger ships in certain months. Fog always threatens vessels, even though many ships have the electronic "eyes" of radar.

On land, snow and ice often block railroads and highways. In extreme northerly regions, it is difficult to build railroads and highways, because the ground stays permanently frozen a short distance below the surface. During the summer, the surface of such ground thaws and becomes a muddy bog. In winter, the extremely low temperatures in these areas make steel rails so brittle that they break easily.

In rainy tropical regions, dense jungles must be cleared before railways and roads can be built. In these regions, railroads must use steel ties and telegraph poles. Wooden poles and lies rot in tropical climates. They may also be destroyed by termites. In desert regions, such as the Sahara, the Gobi, and the southwestern United States, extremely high daytime temperatures cause transportation equipment to overheat and break down. Drifting sand blows into machinery, and may block roads and railroad tracks.

But weather is the greatest threat to air transportation. Small aircraft caught in violent storms must either fight their way through or find a safe landing place. All pilots consult weather reports and maps before taking off, so they can avoid bad weather conditions. Since the 1940's, radio, radar, and other electronic devices have made flying safer.

 

2. Переведите на русский язык следующие английские словосочетания:

1 chief routes 6 refrigerated ships

2 the only countries 7 high costs of air transportation

3 deposits of iron ore 8 rescue work

4 efficient water transportation 9 remarkably safe

5 neighbouring countries 10 air-suspension systems

3. Найдите в тексте английские эквиваленты следующих словосочетаний:

1 огромное количество угля 6 пригородные территории

2 важные средства водного транспорта 7присутствие айсбергов

3 крошечные китайские лодки 8 точная информация о погоде

4 кратчайший маршрут 9 с одного места на другой

5 безопасные гавани 10 зависят от ветра

4. Найдите в тексте слова, имеющие общий корень с данными словами. Определите, к какой части речи они относятся, и переведите их на русский язык:

Transport, high, motor, wide, neighbour, every, wood, engine, safe, south.

5. Задайте к выделенному в тексте предложению все типы вопросов (общий, альтернативный, разделительный, специальный: а) к подлежащему, б) к второстепенному члену предложения).

 

6. Выполните анализ данных предложений, обратив внимание на следующие грамматические явления: причастие I и II (Participle I & II), независимый причастный оборот, герундий, конверсия:

1On water transportation follows chief routes.

2 But ocean ships transport nearly every product produced or raised by man.

3 Jets speed passengers and mail over the 3,250 air miles separating the two cities in only 6 1/2 hours.

4 Carrying mail to suburban areas is done by helicopters.

5 In the days of sailing ships, transportation by water depended almost entirely on the weather.

7. Ответьте на вопросы по тексту:

1What arechief routeson water transportation?

2 What lakes form the heart of the St. Lawrence Seaway?

3 Why do airplanes usually follow the shortest route between two points?

4 Why do modern transportation can operate swiftly and safely?

5 How must any problems of transportation be overcome?

6 What did transportation by water depend entirely on in the days of sailing ships?

7 Why is weather the greatest threat to air transportation?