Lesson Theme: Special text. Railway System in Uzbekistan

Lesson 3. Theme: Speaking: The major developments and progress in railway system. Discussion of the topic and answering questions.
With the 20th century the railroad reached maturity. Railroad building continued on a fairly extensive scale in some parts of the world, notably in Canada, China, the Soviet Union, and Africa. But in most of the more developed countries construction tapered off until the second half of the century. Then it was revived, first by the demand for new urban transit railroads or the expansion of existing systems and, from 1970 onward, by the creation in Europe and Japan of new high-speed intercity passenger lines. The technological emphasis shifted to faster operations, more amenities for passengers, larger and more specialized freight cars, safer and more sophisticated signaling and traffic-control systems, and new types of motive power. Railroads in many of the more advanced countries also found themselves operating in a new climate of intense competition with other forms of transport. In the first half of the 20th century, advances in railroad technology and operating practice were limited. One of the most far-reaching was the perfection of diesel traction as a more efficient alternative to steam and as a more cost-effective option than electrification where train movements were not intensive. Another was the move from mechanical signaling and telephonic traffic-control methods to electrical systems that enabled centralized control of considerable traffic areas. Also significant was the first use of continuously welded rail, a major contribution to improved vehicle riding and to longer track life and reduced maintenance costs. In the second half of the century, new technology achieved a steady reduction in electrification’s initial cost and a rapid advance in electric traction’s power and performance relative to locomotive size and weight. Particularly influential on both counts was the successful French pioneering of electrification with a direct supply of high-voltage alternating current at the industrial frequency. This stimulated particularly large electrification programs in China, Japan, South Korea, some eastern European countries, and India in particular. Those railroads already electrified to a considerable extent either kept their existing system or, with the perfection of locomotives able to work with up to four different types of traction voltage—whether alternating or direct current—adopted the high-voltage system for new electrification. Another stimulus for electrification came with the sharp rise in oil prices and the realization of the risks of dependence on imported oil as fuel that followed the 1973 Middle East crisis. Today only a minority of western European trunk rail routes are still worked by diesel traction.
1.When were advances in railroad technology and operating practice limited?
In the first half of the 20th century
In the second of the 20th century
In the first half of the 19th century
2. Railroad building continued on a fairly extensive scale in some parts of the world, notably in Canada, China, the Soviet Union, and Africa. Give the synonym to the highlighted word.
Vast, Exiguous,Narrow,,Scarce
3. In the second half of the century, new technology achieved a steady reduction in electrification’s initial cost and a rapid advance in electric traction’s power and performance relative to locomotive size and weight. Give the antonym to the highlighted word.
Expansion, Decrease, Remission, Deduction