Read the text. When reading the text, pay attention to the description of railways before the October Revolution and Soviet railways:
The Soviet state got from the tsarist regime a poorly organized and poorly developed
railway network greatly damaged in the First World War. By 1917 the, railway network was
70000 km long and most of it was in European part of the country. The freight trains ran at the
speed of 30 kph and passenger trains reached 45-50 kph.
However, old Russia could be proud of its railway scientists and engineers who constructed
good steam locomotives and the passenger cars produced in Russia were the best in Europe. The
Trans-Siberian Railway was thought of as a very important means of communication betweeEurope and Asia.
After the Great October Socialist Revolution the Soviet Government took steps to reconstruct
the railways of the country. The development of railway transport was closely connected with
the GOELRO Plan. .The plan provided for the construction of numerous power plants and a
whole network of electrified railways. In 1926, an electric train started its first-run on the
suburban line between Baku and Sabunchi. Another very important step was the development of
the diesel locomotive. It was in the Soviet Union that the world's first main-line diesel locomotive
was built and put into service on November 6, 1924. When reconstructed, Soviet Railways
became a highly-developed and safe means of transport in the country.
Exercises:
5. Find synonyms of words in the text, write out sentences:
to begin, badly, to be ruined.
6. Find the antonyms of words in the text, write out sentences;
bad, short, small, low, near, to be ashamed of, richly, highly-developed, dangerous means of
transport.
7. Give the dictionary form of adjectives and translate them, write 3 degrees of comparison;
safest, lightest, smaller, greater.
8. Translate the sentences. Pay special attention to the translation of underlined words:
1. Now freight trains run at high speed. The run of passenger trains is smooth.
2. Earthquakes (землетрясение) damage many railway lines. The damage of the earthquake
was very great.
9. Insert the following words in the meaning instead of dots:
station, development, a great rail power, trains.
1. The Soviet Union is often called ...
2. The GOELRO Plan provided for the further ... of rail transport.
3. Before the Great October Socialist Revolution ... ran at low speed.
4. This ... was reconstructed last year.
10. Agree with the following statements or refute them. Use the expressions “It's right.” or “
That's wrong.”;
1. The GOELRO Plan was adopted in 1920.
2. Before the Devolution trains ran at high speed.
3. The Soviet Union is a great rail power because it has inherited a highly-developed railway
network from the tsarist regime.
4. The Russian engineers contributed to the development of railway transport.
11. Comprehension questions in writing: (даете полный, развернутый ответ на вопрос, а не
«Yes.» или «No.»)
1) Why could old Russia be proud of its railway engineers?
2) Was a main or suburban line first electrified?
3) Where and when was the first main-line diesel locomotive constructed?
4) What makes Soviet railways the most efficient means of transport in our country?