The Museum of Transport

The Museum of British Transport is in London. It tells the story of public transport in Britain.
In 1829, an Irishman (Shillibeer by name) started the first bus-service in London. His bus was very different to those you can see in London today. It was drawn by three horses and looked like a carriage. The first double-decker bus was built in 1851. But the upper deck didn’t have a roof until about 1936. When it was raining the passengers were given raincoats.
In 1885, the first buses, driven by a petrol engine were used in London. The speed of the first petrol engine bus was 12 miles per hour.

The first trains, like the first buses, were drawn by horses. But they were not passenger trains. They were used in mines and factories to carry materials from one place to another. The first steam train was used in an iron-works in South Wales. It was built by Richard Trevithick, in 1804.
The first passenger railway in England (and in the world) was the Liverpool and Manchester Railway. In 1829, the company offered a prize of 500 pounds for the best steam train. The prize was won by George Stephenson, with his famous train «The Rocket». It could travel 29 miles per hour, which was very fast at that time.
Lots of people were afraid of the railways and trains. They tried to stop their construction. But in 1842 people had to accept the railway. Queen Victoria, herself, travelled in a train from Slough to Paddington. A special railway carriage was built for her in 1869.
In 1938 a train («Mallard») was built. It travelled at 126 miles per hour, and that was world record speed for a steam train. Nowadays this train can be seen in the Museum of Transport.

EXERCISES
I. Answer the questions.
1. When was the first double-decker bus built?
2. What was the speed of the first petrol engine bus?
3. Where were the first trains used?
4. What was the name of the first steam train?
5. What was world record speed for a steam train?

II. Fill in the gaps.
1. The Museum of British Transport is in . . . .
2. In … Shillibeer started the first . .. in London.
3. The first bus was drawn by . . . and looked like ….
4. The first trains were used in … .
5. The first passenger railway in England was … .
6. Stephenson’s train was called ….
7. Queen Victoria travelled from … to … .
8. The world record speed for a steam engine was ….

III. True or false?
1. The first bus appeared in 1829.
2. The first double-decker didn’t have a roof.
3. The speed of the first train was 12 miles per hour.
4. The first trains were to carry passengers.
5. The first train was built by G. Stephenson.
6. A special carriage was built for Queen Victoria.
7. The world record speed for a steam train was 12 miles per hour.
8. In 1842 the construction of the railway from Slough to Paddington was stopped.

IV. Arrange the sentences in the proper order.
1. «Mallard» travelled at 126 miles per hour.
2. In 1829 an Irishman started the first bus- service.
3. In 1842 people had to accept the railway.
4. The first double-decker was built in 1851.
5. «The Rocket» could travel 29 miles per hour.
6. The prize for the best steam train was won by G. Stephenson.
7. In 1885 the first buses, driven by a petrol engine were used in London.
8. The first trains were drawn by horses.
9. The first railway in England was the Liverpool and Manchester Railway.
10. The first trains were used in mines and factories.

Answers
II. 1. London; 2.1829; bus-service; 3. three horses; a carriage; 4. mines and factories; 5. the Liverpool and Manchester Railway; 6. “The Rocket”; 7. Slough to Paddington; 8. 126 miles per hour.
III. 1. T; 2. T; 3. F; 4. F; 5. F; 6. T; 7. F; 8. F.
IV. 2; 4; 7; 8; 10; 9; 6; 5; 3; 1.

(Великобритания: Тексты для устных ответов и письменных работ на английском языке. Авт.-сост. И. Ю. Баканова)