Train Model

One of Moscow designers¹ (to make – Present Simple) micro models of different vehicles. This (to be – PresentSimple) his hobby. His first model (to be – PastSimple) a plane. Its weight (to be – PastSimple) 0.35 gr. It (to work – PastSimple) and (to make – PastSimple) several circuits in the air.

In the last 10 years, he (to construct – PastSimple) eight unique working micro models. He (to make – PastSimple) them of wood with the help of a knife.

His collection (to include –PresentSimple) a little locomotive and a car – 13 cm and 18 cm long respectively. The locomotive (to consist – PresentSimple) of 2,566 separate parts and the car – of 1,035. It (to take – PastSimple) him four months to study the locomotive design and fifteen months to build this model.

The locomotive and the car (to work – PresentSimple) like full-size models. There (to be – PresentSimple) even a whistle² 1 mm long. You can control the whole operation from the locomotive.

Notes: ¹designer – конструктор;

²whistle – гудок.

Ex. 12. Translate the sentences, paying attention to the tense/voice form of the verbs. Put general questions and give short answers.

1. About 75 % of the railroads in Latin America are concentrated in Argentina, southern and eastern Brazil, and Mexico.

2. The first Russian steam locomotive was built and tested in Nizhni Tagil.

3. The new railway will be 100 km long. It will be used for freight traffic only.

4. The first passenger cars were lighted by candles. Later, candles were replaced by oil and gas lamps. Nowadays electricity is used for lighting and heating passenger carriages.

5. When inactive, locomotives are housed in a train depot.

6. Heathrow (Britain’s largestinternational airport) is linked with the capital by the Underground railway.

7. After the test runs, the new loco will be used for hauling heavy iron-ore trains.

8. On the first railways, sleepers (шпалы) were laid down along the track; nowadays sleepers are laid down transversely.

9. Freight trains are loaded and unloaded in freight yards by using cranes.

10. The 1927 electric locomotive was newly restored in 1984.