Lesson 3: The Fastest Wheel on Earth

Key Words: high-speed, record-breaking, network, expand, conventional, unconventional, magnetic, trainset

A. Look at the pictures of some of the fastest trains on earth and talk about them with your partner.

B. Read the text and answer the following questions.

The TGV

The TGV (Train à Grande Vitesse, meaning high-speed train) is France's high-speed rail service. It started in the 1970s. Originally, it was powered by gas turbines. But in 1973, the TGV was changed into electric trains. The TGV service first started between Paris and Lyon in 1981. Later, the network connected other cities in France with Paris.

A TGV test train set the world record for the fastest conventional wheeled train on 3 April 2007. It reached the speed of 574.8 km/h (357.2 m/h) on the test run. But the regular TGV trains operate at the highest speed of 320 km/h (200 mph). It is the present world record of speed of a conventional commercial train.

The Bullet Train

The Bullet Train is the network of high-speed train service in Japan. It started operation in 1964 on a limited route. But at present, most major cities of Japan come under the network.

The Bullet Train runs at a maximum speed of 300 km/h (186 m/h). It plans to increase speed up to 320 km/h (200 mph). In 2003, Japan set the world record for unconventional magnetic trainsets. In a test run, the speed was 581 km/h (361 mph). But it is not yet in regular commercial operation.

The High-speed Rail

The High-speed Rail service in China started operation on April 18, 2007. Currently, China has started building a high-speed passenger rail network. It will be similar to French TGV or Japanese Bullet Trains. The usual top speed of China’s conventional quick trains is 300 km/h (186 mph).

Recently, China has set the world record of a speed of 487.3 km/h (303 mph). In 2011, this record was set by an unconventional magnetic trainset called the “Harmony Express”. This is the highest speed of an unconventional magnetic trainset in regular commercial operation.

C. Read the above text in section B again. Now discuss with your partner to fill in the blank slots in the following grid with the information about high-speed trains.

| Name of the country | Name of train/train network | Year of introduction/start | Top speed of conventional train | Top speed of unconventional train | Holds world record for | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | France | TGV | 1970s | 320 km/h | | Conventional wheeled train | | Japan | Bullet Train | 1964 | 300 km/h | 581 km/h | Unconventional magnetic trainsets (test run) | | China | High-speed Rail | April 18, 2007 | 300 km/h | 487.3 km/h | Unconventional magnetic trainset (commercial operation) |

D. Discuss in groups to decide which of the above three rail services you like best and why. Finally, write a paragraph and present it in the class.

E. Pair work. Read the basic information about Bangladesh Railway below. Share with your partner and write a composition using the information.

| Name: | Bangladesh Railway | |---|---| | Headquarters: | Dhaka | | Zones: | Eastern and Western | | Numbers of stations: | 459 | | Number of engines: | 284 | | Number of passenger carriages: | 1,245 | | Number of wagons: | 1,2948 | | Total length of railroad: | 2,855 kilometers | | Passengers transported annually: | 42 million | | Total number of employees: | 34,168 | | Nature of present operations: | international (Dhaka-Kolkata); inter-city; local |

F. Work in pairs. Imagine your partner is a railway official, and you are a reporter. You ask questions, and the official gave the above information (section E) in answers. Discuss and write what the questions might be.

For example:

1. What is the official name of our rail service?
2. Where is the headquarters of Bangladesh Railway?

Now continue...