Lesson 64 The Channel Tunnel

New words and expressions:

1. tunnel

In 1858, a French engineer, Aimé Thomé de Gamond, arrived in England with a plan for a twenty-one-mile tunnel under the English Channel.

It took many years to complete the construction of the undersea tunnel, linking Britain and France.

Can we construct a tunnel connecting the mainland and Taiwan?

2. port

This platform would serve as a port and a railway station.

This is an inland port.

We will reach the port in three days.

3. ventilate

The tunnel would be well-ventilated if tall chimneys were built above the sea level.

This house is poorly ventilated.

The coal mine is not well ventilated.

4. chimney

Black smoke came from the chimney.

It is believed that Father Christmas comes into the house through the chimney.

5. sea level

Most areas of Holland are below the sea level.

It stands above the sea level.

6. double

He suggested that a double railway-tunnel should be built.

Sue likes to take a ride on the double decker.

He reserved a double room.

7. ventilation

This would solve the problem of ventilation, for if a train entered this tunnel, it would draw in fresh air behind it.

They used good ventilation facilities in the building.

Ventilation remained a problem to be solved.

8. fear

If, at the time, the British had not feared invasion, it would have been completed.

He does not fear death.

He feared the revelation of the truth.

9. invasion

In the old days China was always subjected to foreign invasions.

Cultural invasion is very common in modern times.

10. officially

It was officially opened on March 7, 1994, finally connecting Britain to the European continent.

He was officially transferred to another department.

He officially announced his resignation.

11. connect

The two towns are connected by expressways.

The living room and the kitchen are connected by a long passage.

12. European

The European Union has played an increasingly important role in international affairs.

Some European customs are quite strange.

13. continent

Who discovered the American continent?

The five Olympic rings symbolize five continents.

Lesson 65 Jumbo versus the police

New words and expressions:

1. versus

Jumbo versus the police

The match tonight is Brazil versus Belgium.

The debate next week is Nankai University versus Peking University.

2. Christmas

Last Christmas, the circus owner, Jimmy Gates, decided to take some presents to a children’s hospital.

Children received a lot of gifts at Christmas.

The stores and streets were beautifully decorated on Christmas Eve.

3. circus

The circus is on a world tour.

That the circus is going to perform in the town grabs the headline.

4. present

They exchanged presents.

She did not expect to receive such a lovely present.

5. accompany

Dressed up as Father Christmas and accompanied by a ‘guard of honor’ of six pretty girls, he set off down the main street of the city riding a baby elephant called Jumbo.

Mr. Black, accompanied by his friend, visited the Great Wall.

The local officials accompanied the delegation to the factory.

6. approach

A policeman approached Jimmy and told him he ought to have gone along a side street as Jumbo was holding up the traffic.

He became excited when he approached his hometown.

The typhoon will approach the coastal city in five minutes.

7. ought

You ought to go to bed early.

She ought to have reported it to the boss beforehand.

8. weigh

Jumbo must weigh a few tons.

I have weighed my luggage.

He weighed himself on the scales.

9. fortunate

It was fortunate that we didn’t have to carry him.

It was fortunate for me that I met such a kind-hearted person.

He was fortunate in having a happy family.

Lesson 66 Sweet as honey!

New words and expressions:

1. Lancaster

In 1963 a Lancaster bomber crashed on Wallis Island, a remote place in the South Pacific, a long way west of Samoa.

2. bomber

The Japanese bomber was shot down.

The bomber dropped several bombs on the village.

3. remote

The education in the remote, backward region is very low.

She volunteered to work in a remote mountainous area.

4. Pacific

The Pacific Ocean is the largest ocean in the world.

They had a rough time sailing on the Pacific Ocean.

5. damage

The plane wasn’t too badly damaged, but over the years, the crash was forgotten and the wreck remained undisturbed.

This item damaged the interests of both companies.

The ship was damaged in the storm.

6. wreck

The wreck of the passenger plane was found in the forest.

A hundred years later divers found the wrecks of the ship.

7. rediscover

Then in 1989, twenty-six years after the crash, the plane was accidentally rediscovered in an aerial survey of the island.

The ancient city was rediscovered hundreds of years later.

The ship wrecks were rediscovered by a diver.

8. aerial

The aerial transportation is fast and convenient.

They carried out an aerial combat.

9. survey

The survey indicated a sharp increase in the unemployment rate.

They conducted a survey on the causes of divorce.

10. rescue

By this time, a Lancaster bomber in reasonable condition was rare and worth rescuing.

They failed to rescue the journalists held by the terrorists.

He risked his life to rescue a drowning child.

11. package

The French authorities had the plane packaged and removed in parts back to France.

She packaged up old books.

She had her luggage packaged.

12. enthusiast

Now a group of enthusiasts are going to have the plane restored.

Enthusiasts for environmental protection objected to the nuclear power station.

He is an enthusiast for politics.

13. restore

The museum restored the building to its 19th-century appearance.

The castle was restored out of all recognition.

14. imagine

Imagine their surprise and delight when they broke open the packaging cases and found that the fourth engine was as sweet as honey — still in perfect condition.

You cannot imagine what a hard life he led.

We cannot imagine life without imagination.

15. packing case

The packing case was damaged during the delivery.

The packing case is in good condition.

16. colony

A colony of bees has turned the engine into a hive and it was totally preserved in beeswax!

A colony of ants were busy transporting food.

A colony of termites settled in my house.

17. bee

She is as busy as a bee.

He keeps bees in his garden.

18. hive

They busied themselves at the door of the chapel like bees at the mouth of a hive.

The bees built a hive under the roof.

19. preserve

To preserve one’s eyesight is important.

We should take measures to preserve the environment from pollution.

20. beeswax

The hive is full of beeswax.

Can beeswax be used in cosmetics?