B1 – Intermediate
Here’s an interesting history about the train network in London. Read the article and study the highlighted words. Be ready to answer discussion questions.
http://www.english-online.at/travel/london-underground/london-tube.htm
Discussion Questions:
- In your own words, retell the story behind the London Underground. How was it used during the Second World War?
- How reliable is the train network in your country?
- Does your train network have its own history? An architectural value? Talk about it.
- What monuments in your city or country have been restored over the years? How important are these monuments?
- What other historical places do you find interesting and intriguing?
12 replies on “The London Underground”
1. In your own words, retell the story behind the London Underground. How was it used during the Second World War?
The London Underground was built to connect the city centre of London with the railway stations away from the centre. Over the years the number of lines and stations increased.
During World War II the London Underground was a place where people were during the German bombings. It was a refuge for the people of London
2. How reliable is the train network in your country?
Rail transport in Spain is good. Spain is the European Union country with the most high-speed rail kilometres. This type of trains are always on time.
In Spain there is also a very good railway network for short distances and connect cities with each other
In general rail transport in Spain is used to travel to other cities
3. Does your train network have its own history? An architectural value? Talk about it.
I do not know the history of the railway in Spain. I only remember that in 1992 the first high-speed train from Madrid to Seville was inaugurated and then many more high-speed lines were built
I also remember that many railway stations of small towns have closed because there were few people
4. What monuments in your city or country have been restored over the years? How important are these monuments?
The town where I live is a beach town. Recently they have restored the main church and the bullring.
These two monuments are the most visited in the city, but usually people and tourists go to the beach
5. What other historical places do you find interesting and intriguing?
The city of El Puerto de Santa María is known as the city of 100 palaces. There are many old houses that were palaces centuries ago, but many of them are in poor condition. The palace houses that are well maintained have very beautiful courtyards with plants and arches
You gave good answers to this lesson’s discussion questions. Nice work!
Remember to use a comma (,) after an adverbial phrase. Look at these sentences:
Keep practicing to continue improving.
1. In your own words re-tell the story behind the London Underground. How was it used during the Second World War?
London underground was born as a idea of London’s authorities to link center of London with others stations located farther away. It has gone expanding and modernizing along the time, increasing tracks, stations and lines, passing from steam locomotives to electrical ones, putting escalators to bring passengers between levels and more recently installing wifi for internet connection.
During the Second World War London’s underground was used like air-raid shelters where people sought protection during German bombing of the city.
2. How reliable is the train network in your country?
In my country the train network is quite reliable most of times, it is true that sometimes but not very often there is some problem that provoke delays.
3. Does your train network have its own history? An architectural value?
Yes, here in Spain train network have its own history, the beginning was in the middle of 19th century with the first line between Barcelona and Mataró, from here to our days the track has gone increasing, with several financial problems, Civil War, … until arrive to our days when we have an important train network with a conventional and a high velocity train network.
There are several train stations with a great architectural valeur like Jerez de la Frontera, Canfranc, Bilbao, Toledo or Aranjuez stations.
4. What monuments in your city or country have been restored over the years? How important are these monuments?
In my country there are several monuments that have been restored over the years like La Alhambra in Granada, La Mezquita in Córdoba for instance, they are very important monuments that remember and bring to us our past and history.
5. What other historical places do you find interesting and intriguing?
Other historical places I find interesting and intriguing are castles, monasteries, churches that have an important historical value and perhaps keep secrets that we will never know.
You are doing a very good job in practicing your writing skills though this exercise!
See how you can revise this response:
Looking forward to your next entry!
1. In your own words re-tell the story behind the London Underground. How was it used during the Second World War?
The London Underground opened in 1863 and it is third longest in the World.
The first underground railway was make of wood and the last line built is Jubilee Line, in honour of Queen Elizabeth’s 25th anniversary as monarch.
The London Undergroud normally operates daily between 5 a.m. and midnight and it can be very busy for a few hours every days.
The subway security system is very good but hundreds of liters of water need to be removed from the River Thames.
During the Second World War, the Tube was used like air-raid shelter.
2. How reliable is the train network in your country?
In Spain the train network is very reliable. His system is newer than the London underground system and I think ours works better.
3. Does your train network have its own history? An architectural value?
Yes, the Madrid underground is 104 years old and it has beautiful stations.
4. What monuments in your city or country have been restored over the years? How important are these monuments?
In Spain many monuments have been restored like castles or Roman bridges. These monuments are very important for the history of Spain.
5. What other historical places do you find interesting and intriguing?
I like visit palaces, cathedrals or buildings from the Golden Age.
Good to see you continuing with your writing practice.
Here are a few sentences that can be improved:
Keep improving your skills through this exercise.
The London Underground is the oldest of the world: opened in 1863, has 270 stations and more than 400km of track, being the 3rd largest subway system of the world. The deepest stations are more than 60 meters below the surface.
During the Second World War, the London Underground worked as a bunker to get protection of the bombs that German airplanes throw to the city.
Two kind of trains travel through the track. The service operates between 5 am and 00 am, but on special dates it works all the night. The trains are being constantly modernized to make the travels the most comfortable as possible, as adding a Wi-Fi connection.
In my country, if you want to travel in train, you must take an AVE; it’s a high-speed train, so comfortable that it seems you’re traveling in airplane. The problem is that it’s very expensive.
Honestly, I don’t know anything about the history behind the train stations and monuments of my country… I have been living in the city for a short time, I’m from an island where there is no train station and the only means of public transportation is the bus.
The historical places that I find interesting are the churches of the Arab emirates.
It is great that you never hit pause on improving your writing. Keep at it!
Look at how you can better structure this sentence:
Cheers to more entries from you!
In your own words re-tell the story behind the London Underground. How was it used during the Second World War?
Many stations were air-raid shelters where people sought protection during the German bombing of the city.
How reliable is the train network in your country?
In Spain not all the citys have network train but yes the more importants as Madrid that have one of the best network train of world
Does your train network have its own history? An architectural value?
Yes we have very stations witch very history, so the station more famous is Sol. In lot of them exhibitions of painting, photography etc etc
What monuments in your city or country have been restored over the years? How important are these monuments?
A lot of monuments have been restored over the years because all the monuments we need restored for to preserve them from the passing of the years. For example the Cathedral of Santiago of Compostela, The Sagrada familia in Barcelona, church Almudena in Madrid
What other historical places do you find interesting and intriguing?
I believe that the Palaces where lived the kings, for example the palace of the Zarzuela
It’s great that you continue practicing your writing here.
Take a look at some minor corrections here:
Continue writing for you to see more improvements along the way.
. In your own words re-tell the story behind the London
It was a good idea from the London government to connect the center city whit the railway stations around the city.
At the end of the 19th century London did be connected with many subway lines to transport people.
In Second World War it was used as a refuge to avoid the German bombs
2. How reliable is the train network in your country?
is a lot confiable
3. Does your train network have its own history? An architectural value?
Por example, the Madrid train network is more modern that London, therefore have less story. but many station have a particular story
Is true was too a shelter to the bombs in Spanish Civil War.
4. What monuments in your city or country have been restored over the years? How important are these monuments?
Uffs, there are many, many monuments that have been restored in Spain and need to mantainance, por example, Alambra de Granada, Mezquita de Cordoba, Alcazar de Toledo, are important monuments here whit a big story and needed conservations
5. What other historical places do you find interesting and intriguing?
Toleda was the spanish capital many centurys ago, before than Madrid, also have a important history too and many monuments to visit, and bars too 😀
Here is a sentences you can improve:
In addition, be careful with spelling the words “maintainance”, “for” (as in for example), and “centuries”.
Always practice to improve more and more.