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World’s Longest Bridges Open in China (2nd July, 2011)

China opened four of the world’s six longest bridges on July the 1st. They are part of the country’s high-speed rail network between Shanghai and Beijing. Two of the bridges are the longest ever built. The Jiaozhou Bay bridge is now the world's longest over-water bridge at 42.5 kilometres. The local Communist party secretary Li Qun said at the opening ceremony: “It is a magnificent and very advanced bridge. It is another stepping stone in the city's smooth and rapid development.”

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The cost of the bridge is somewhere between $1.5 and $2.3 billion, although some estimates put the figure at nearly $9 billion. The engineers who built it say it is earthquake-proof and typhoon-proof. It is also strong enough to be hit by a 300,000-ton ship. As well as the Beijing-Shanghai High Speed Railway, the bridge will carry around 30,000 cars a day. The new bridges are an important part of China’s efforts to reduce its traffic problems. Eleven of the world's 15 longest bridges are now located in China.

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PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article.

Paragraph 1

1.

four of the world’s six

a.

stone

2

part of the country’s high-

b.

ever built

3.

the longest

c.

ceremony

4.

opening

d.

longest bridges

5.

stepping

e.

rapid development

6.

smooth and

f.

speed rail network

 

Paragraph 2

1.

estimates put the figure

a.

proof

2

The engineers

b.

30,000 cars a day

3.

it is earthquake-

c.

at nearly $9 billion

4.

the bridge will carry around

d.

its traffic problems

5.

China’s efforts to reduce

e.

in China

6.

now located

f.

who built it


LISTENING GAP FILL

China ________________ world’s six longest bridges on July the 1st. They are part of the country’s high-________________ between Shanghai and Beijing. Two of the bridges are the longest ever built. The Jiaozhou Bay bridge ________________ longest over-water bridge at 42.5 kilometres. The local Communist party secretary Li Qun said at the ________________: “It is a magnificent and very advanced bridge. ________________ stone in the city's ________________ development.”

The cost of the bridge ____________________ $1.5 and $2.3 billion, although some __________________ figure at nearly $9 billion. The engineers who built it say it is earthquake-proof and typhoon-proof. It is also strong enough ________________ 300,000-ton ship. As well as the Beijing-Shanghai High Speed Railway, the bridge ________________ 30,000 cars a day. The new bridges are an important part of China’s ________________ traffic problems. Eleven of the world's 15 longest bridges __________________ China.


MULTIPLE CHOICE

China (1) ____ four of the world’s six longest bridges on July the 1st. They are part of the country’s high-speed rail (2) ____ between Shanghai and Beijing. Two of the bridges are the longest (3) ____ built. The Jiaozhou Bay bridge is now the world's longest over-water bridge at 42.5 kilometres. The (4) ____ Communist party secretary Li Qun said at the (5) ____ ceremony: “It is a magnificent and very advanced bridge. It is another stepping         (6) ____ in the city's smooth and rapid development.”

The cost of the bridge is (7) ____ between $1.5 and $2.3 billion, although some estimates put the figure at nearly $9 billion. The engineers who built it (8) ____ it is earthquake-proof and typhoon-proof. It is also strong (9) ____ to be hit by a 300,000-ton ship. As well as the Beijing-Shanghai High Speed Railway, the bridge will carry (10) ____ 30,000 cars a day. The new bridges are an important part of China’s (11) ____ to reduce its traffic problems. Eleven of the world's 15 longest bridges are now (12) ____ in China.

Put the correct words from this table into the article.

1.

(a)

opened

(b)

opening

(c)

open

2.

(a)

clockwork

(b)

network

(c)

metalwork

3.

(a)

ever

(b)

even

(c)

never

4.

(a)

locally

(b)

locals

(c)

local

5.

(a)

opening

(b)

creating

(c)

starting

6.

(a)

hopping

(b)

stepping

(c)

jumping

7.

(a)

somewhere

(b)

sometime

(c)

some of

8.

(a)

speak

(b)

say

(c)

talk

9.

(a)

so

(b)

for

(c)

enough

10.

(a)

round

(b)

circle

(c)

around

11.

(a)

tries

(b)

efforts

(c)

effects

12

(a)

location

(b)

locate

(c)

located


SPELLING

Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.

Paragraph 1

1.

high-speed rail nowrekt

2.

the longest ever uitbl

3.

Communist ptyar secretary

4.

at the ionegpn ceremony

5.

another tnpsipge stone

6.

smooth and adpir development

 

Paragraph 2

7.

somewhere tenbewe $1.5 and $2.3 billion

8.

estimates put the egfiru at nearly $9 billion

9.

typhoon-oporf

10.

the bridge will rycar around 30,000 cars

11.

uederc its traffic problems

12.

now tecdalo in China


PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

(    )

42.5 kilometres. The local Communist party secretary Li Qun said at the opening

(    )

built. The Jiaozhou Bay bridge is now the world's longest over-water bridge at

(    )

The cost of the bridge is somewhere between $1.5 and $2.3 billion, although some estimates put

(    )

stone in the city's smooth and rapid development.”

(    )

speed rail network between Shanghai and Beijing. Two of the bridges are the longest ever

(    )

ceremony: “It is a magnificent and very advanced bridge. It is another stepping

1  )

China opened four of the world’s six longest bridges on July the 1st. They are part of the country’s high-

(    )

problems. Eleven of the world's 15 longest bridges are now located in China.

(    )

the figure at nearly $9 billion. The engineers who built it say it is earthquake-proof and

(    )

typhoon-proof. It is also strong enough to be hit by a 300,000-ton ship. As well as the Beijing-Shanghai

(    )

High Speed Railway, the bridge will carry around 30,000 cars a day. The new bridges

(    )

are an important part of China’s efforts to reduce its traffic


THE READING / TAPESCRIPT

With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.

1.

world’s     Four     six     of     longest     the     bridges.

2.

of     the     rail     country’s     network     high-speed     Part.

3.

bridges     built     are     Two     the     of     longest     the     ever.

4.

and     magnificent     a     is     It     bridge     advanced     very.

5.

and     smooth     city's     The     development     rapid.

6.

Some     the     nearly     billion     put     at     $9    estimates     figure.

7.

who     The     built     engineers     it.

8.

by     to     ship     300,000-ton     a     be     Strong       hit     enough.

9.

around     30,000     cars     a     day     The     bridge     will     carry.

10.

efforts     reduce     traffic     China’s     to     its     problems.


DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

1.

________________________________________________________

2.

________________________________________________________

3.

________________________________________________________

4.

________________________________________________________

5.

________________________________________________________

6.

________________________________________________________

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

1.

________________________________________________________

2.

________________________________________________________

3.

________________________________________________________

4.

________________________________________________________

5.

________________________________________________________

6.

________________________________________________________


WRITING

Write about bridges for 10 minutes. Show your partner your paper. Correct each other’s work.

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________


HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. BRIDGES: Search the Internet and find more information about China’s bridges. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about the Jiaozhou Bay bridge. Include imaginary an interview with the designer and city residents. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

4. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

5. LETTER: Write a letter to China’s leader. Ask him three questions about China’s transport. Give him three of your opinions on how to reduce traffic. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Your partner will answer the questions you asked.

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