[HS] Lesson 1

PASSAGE READING

Please read aloud the following passage. I will check your pronunciation as you read.

READ

Semmering Railway

The Semmering Railway in Austria is the first mountain railway in Europe. The construction of the railway began in 1884 and lasted for a year. The location made the process challenging for the people behind the project. Also, the workers had to build the entire railway system by hand since there was no equipment that could make their job easier during that time. Because of that, the engineers decided to increase the number of workers from 5,000 to 20,000. There were about 65 million bricks and 80,000 stones used in the construction.

Today, the Semmering Railway has been one of the most popular travel destinations in the world. By taking this train, people can travel to Austria from Italy for only 2 hours since the train connects the two countries. In 1988, the UNESCO declared Semmering Railway as one of the World’s Heritage Sites.

COMPREHENSION CHECK

Please answer the following questions based on the passage.

ANSWER

 

1. What is the first mountain railway in Europe?
 
Answer:_______________________________________________

2. How many bricks were used in the construction of Semmering Railway?
 
Answer:_______________________________________________

3. How can people travel to Austria from Italy?
 
Answer:_______________________________________________

CONSTRUCTING SENTENCES

Please construct sentences using each word below.

PRACTICE

Words and Expressions Sample Sentences
construct _______________________________________________
location _______________________________________________
equipment _______________________________________________
destination _______________________________________________
connect _______________________________________________

EXPRESSING OPINIONS

Please answer the following questions based on your opinion. Give at least one reason to support your answer.

ANSWER

 

1. Do you like traveling by train?
 
Answer:_______________________________________________

2. How often do you take a train?
 
Answer:_______________________________________________

3. Do you think taking a train is better than taking a bus?
 
Answer:_______________________________________________

4. Is the train fare in your country expensive?
 
Answer:_______________________________________________

5. Is the train system in your country good?
 
Answer:_______________________________________________

6. How important are trains in your country?
 
Answer:_______________________________________________

7. Have you tried going to another country by train?
 
Answer:_______________________________________________