vytriskoivan

20.02.2021 18:28 •  Английский язык

а lot nowadays. The means of transport are numerous and we often have much choice.

Many thousands of years ago it was not so. First, people travelled on foot. It is the oldest and the most natural way of travelling!

Man also feels well in water. But of course, swimming is not used as а means of travelling. Still, waterways were probably the first "roads" for which the means of transport were invented: rafts, boats and ships. The ships then came into the seas, but they were sailing а long the coastline until the man learnt to navigate looking at the stars.

One of the greatest inventions of mankind was а wheel. With the help of it appeared carts, vans, carriages, cars, and buses. This invention was а breakthrough in the transport history.

Another invention was а steam engine. It was the main reason of industrial revolution in the 19th century. It also helped to create trains. By the end of the 19th century а great network of railways covered our planet.

Then came the era of planes. Man at last conquered the air - the dream which was expressed as far as in the myths of Ancient Greece came true! When gyroscope was invented flying became much safer and quicker.

What are the main features of different means of travelling? Travelling by air is, of course, the quickest and the most comfortable, but sometimes it's not the cheapest, and safety control is very tiresome.

Travelling by train is good because you can see the countryside and travel very comfortably. Unlike airports, railway stations are often in the centre of the city. But а journey by train often takes а lot of time, especially in Russia, and you are very close to your fellow-travellers.

Travelling By bus has more disadvantages: buses are not as quick as planes and are not as comfortable as many trains. But if you travel to the country, this is the best choice!

Travelling By car is also а good choice, as you may start at any time you like and go to any place. You are limited only by the quality of the road.

So, many ways of travelling exist. Probably some more will appear in the next decades. Good luck in your choice!

1. Write down all means of transport from the text and word list. Connect them.

А. With the surfaces they move on: sea - river - road - railway - sky

В. With the places they stop: railway station - bus station - airport - port

С. With the process of moving: flying - sailing - driving (going)

D. With the time when they appeared.

2. Guess the word by the explanation of its meaning.

1) а device used in navigation that keeps steady because of а heavy wheel spinning inside it

2) а period of hundred years

3) someone who travels by public transport

4) done in а short time

5) а large vehicle for carrying passengers, powered by petrol

6) the parallel metal lines that trains travel on

7) а place where planes land and take off

8) the last part of something

9) а period of ten years

10) something invented

3. Insert the vocabulary of the text into the following sentences.

1) The healthiest way of travelling is on _.

2) Modem trains are very __, but the first ones were very s1ow.

3) This car is 40 years old, but it still works well. It is of good _.

4) lf you want to _by train, you must go to the __ .

5) In what century was the telephone _?

4. Answer the following questions to the text.

1. The means of transport nowadays аre numerous, aren't they?

2. What is the most natural way of travelling?

3. Were waterways the first roads for which mcш1s of transportгt were invited, according to the author?

4. The wheel was one of the greatest inventions of mankind, wasn't it? What is based оn this invention?

5. What was the main reason of industrial revolution in the 19th century?

6. Why weren't the first planes quite safe?

7. What is the quickest way of travelling?

8. What does the author say about travelling bу train?

9. Is travelling bу bus more or less comfortable than travelling bу train?

10. If you travel bу саг, you are not limited bу the time, are you?