Задания 10-17
The Moscow metro
The Moscow metro is very important as a means of transport in the Russian capital, in particular during rush hours. It has more metro visitors than the New York subway and London underground put together! The Moscow metro works efficiently and the trains run very frequently and very fast. The Moscow metro is one of the most beautiful subways in the world. 44 of the stations are listed as cultural heritage sites.
The first plans for a metro system in Moscow date back to the times of the Russian Empire. One such project was actively discussed in 1902, but at that time the local government declined it in favor of trams. Indeed trams in those days were very popular and brought lots of money into the city’s budget.
Then the plans for the construction of a metro system in Moscow were postponed by World War I and the October Revolution. As a result, the construction of the metro was only started in 1931 after the Soviet Union was established. The first 13 stations opened on May 15th, 1935. They were wonders of engineering and design.
Now, the Moscow Metro has 13 lines and more than 200 stations. Each line has a name, a number and a colour that identifies it. The Moscow metro has a circular line that links all metro lines. There is a legend concerning the appearance of the circle line, which had not been planned in the original project. The legend says that at a meeting devoted to metro construction Joseph Stalin put his cup of coffee on the metro map. It left a brown circle around the city centre. Joseph Stalin showed the circle to the builders and ordered the construction of such a line. It was how the circle line appeared and it explains why it has a brown colour on the metro map.
While travelling on the radial lines of the Moscow Metro to the centre, the stations are announced by men’s voices and while going from the centre, women announce them. On the circle line men’s voices announce the stations when going in the clockwise direction, while women’s voices are used when going counterclockwise. This is done to make navigation simpler for blind people in the metro.
The Moscow metro carries almost seven million people daily. The people who work there use every effort to ensure the comfort of the passengers. All trains have free wireless internet access, so that the passengers can read their emails or chat with their friends on their way to work.
Recently the ‘Music in the Metro’ project has started. 30 talented and well-trained musicians give different concerts to the metro passengers. All concerts are held from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. (apart from rush hours) absolutely free. There is no special stage –the musicians perform in different stations of the metro. Muscovites really like the concerts, and ‘Music in the Metro’ has become a regular event in the Moscow metro. Sometimes, walking through the metro, you can listen to a top-quality concert.
10. The Moscow metro carries more passengers than the New York subway.
1) True
2) False
3) Not stated
11. At the beginning of the 20th century, the Moscow government preferred trams to underground transport.
1) True
2) False
3) Not stated
12. The first metro stations were designed by Russian, English and American architects.
1) True
2) False
3) Not stated
13. The colours of the lines on the metro map are connected with the technical characteristics of the line.
1) True
2) False
3) Not stated
14. According to legend, the original plan of the Moscow metro included the circle line.
1) True
2) False
3) Not stated
15. There is a special rule when male and female voices are used to announce the metro stations.
1) True
2) False
3) Not stated
16. It was the initiative of Moscow students to make the Internet accessible in the metro.
1) True
2) False
3) Not stated
17. ‘Music in the Metro’ is the name of a new popular musical.
1) True
2) False
3) Not stated
