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FREE Handout, Listening & Quizzes - China's Bridges
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World’s Longest Bridges Open in China (2nd July, 2011)

China opened four of the world’s six longest bridges on July the 1st. They are part of the country’s high-speed rail network between Shanghai and Beijing. Two of the bridges are the longest ever built. The Jiaozhou Bay bridge is now the world's longest over-water bridge at 42.5 kilometres. The local Communist party secretary Li Qun said at the opening ceremony: “It is a magnificent and very advanced bridge. It is another stepping stone in the city's smooth and rapid development.”

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The cost of the bridge is somewhere between $1.5 and $2.3 billion, although some estimates put the figure at nearly $9 billion. The engineers who built it say it is earthquake-proof and typhoon-proof. It is also strong enough to be hit by a 300,000-ton ship. As well as the Beijing-Shanghai High Speed Railway, the bridge will carry around 30,000 cars a day. The new bridges are an important part of China’s efforts to reduce its traffic problems. Eleven of the world's 15 longest bridges are now located in China.

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PHRASE MATCH

Match the following phrases from the article.

Paragraph 1

1.	four of the world’s six	a.	stone
2	part of the country’s high-	b.	ever built
3.	the longest	c.	ceremony
4.	opening	d.	longest bridges
5.	stepping	e.	rapid development
6.	smooth and	f.	speed rail network

Paragraph 2

1.	estimates put the figure	a.	proof
2	The engineers	b.	30,000 cars a day
3.	it is earthquake-	c.	at nearly $9 billion
4.	the bridge will carry around	d.	its traffic problems
5.	China’s efforts to reduce	e.	in China
6.	now located	f.	who built it

LISTENING GAP FILL

China ________________ world’s six longest bridges on July the 1st. They are part of the country’s high-________________ between Shanghai and Beijing. Two of the bridges are the longest ever built. The Jiaozhou Bay bridge ________________ longest over-water bridge at 42.5 kilometres. The local Communist party secretary Li Qun said at the ________________: “It is a magnificent and very advanced bridge. ________________ stone in the city's ________________ development.”

The cost of the bridge ____________________ $1.5 and $2.3 billion, although some __________________ figure at nearly $9 billion. The engineers who built it say it is earthquake-proof and typhoon-proof. It is also strong enough ________________ 300,000-ton ship. As well as the Beijing-Shanghai High Speed Railway, the bridge ________________ 30,000 cars a day. The new bridges are an important part of China’s ________________ traffic problems. Eleven of the world's 15 longest bridges __________________ China.

MULTIPLE CHOICE

China (1) ____ four of the world’s six longest bridges on July the 1st. They are part of the country’s high-speed rail (2) ____ between Shanghai and Beijing. Two of the bridges are the longest (3) ____ built. The Jiaozhou Bay bridge is now the world's longest over-water bridge at 42.5 kilometres. The (4) ____ Communist party secretary Li Qun said at the (5) ____ ceremony: “It is a magnificent and very advanced bridge. It is another stepping (6) ____ in the city's smooth and rapid development.”

The cost of the bridge is (7) ____ between $1.5 and $2.3 billion, although some estimates put the figure at nearly $9 billion. The engineers who built it (8) ____ it is earthquake-proof and typhoon-proof. It is also strong (9) ____ to be hit by a 300,000-ton ship. As well as the Beijing-Shanghai High Speed Railway, the bridge will carry (10) ____ 30,000 cars a day. The new bridges are an important part of China’s (11) ____ to reduce its traffic problems. Eleven of the world's 15 longest bridges are now (12) ____ in China.

Put the correct words from this table into the article.

1.	(a)	opened	(b)	opening	(c)	open
2.	(a)	clockwork	(b)	network	(c)	metalwork
3.	(a)	ever	(b)	even	(c)	never
4.	(a)	locally	(b)	locals	(c)	local
5.	(a)	opening	(b)	creating	(c)	starting
6.	(a)	hopping	(b)	stepping	(c)	jumping
7.	(a)	somewhere	(b)	sometime	(c)	some of
8.	(a)	speak	(b)	say	(c)	talk
9.	(a)	so	(b)	for	(c)	enough
10.	(a)	round	(b)	circle	(c)	around
11.	(a)	tries	(b)	efforts	(c)	effects
12	(a)	location	(b)	locate	(c)	located

SPELLING

Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.

Paragraph 1
1.	high-speed rail nowrekt
2.	the longest ever uitbl
3.	Communist ptyar secretary
4.	at the ionegpn ceremony
5.	another tnpsipge stone
6.	smooth and adpir development
Paragraph 2
7.	somewhere tenbewe $1.5 and $2.3 billion
8.	estimates put the egfiru at nearly $9 billion
9.	typhoon-oporf
10.	the bridge will rycar around 30,000 cars
11.	uederc its traffic problems
12.	now tecdalo in China

PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER

Number these lines in the correct order.

( )	42.5 kilometres. The local Communist party secretary Li Qun said at the opening
( )	built. The Jiaozhou Bay bridge is now the world's longest over-water bridge at
( )	The cost of the bridge is somewhere between $1.5 and $2.3 billion, although some estimates put
( )	stone in the city's smooth and rapid development.”
( )	speed rail network between Shanghai and Beijing. Two of the bridges are the longest ever
( )	ceremony: “It is a magnificent and very advanced bridge. It is another stepping
( 1 )	China opened four of the world’s six longest bridges on July the 1st. They are part of the country’s high-
( )	problems. Eleven of the world's 15 longest bridges are now located in China.
( )	the figure at nearly $9 billion. The engineers who built it say it is earthquake-proof and
( )	typhoon-proof. It is also strong enough to be hit by a 300,000-ton ship. As well as the Beijing-Shanghai
( )	High Speed Railway, the bridge will carry around 30,000 cars a day. The new bridges
( )	are an important part of China’s efforts to reduce its traffic

THE READING / TAPESCRIPT

With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.

1.	world’s Four six of longest the bridges.
2.	of the rail country’s network high-speed Part.
3.	bridges built are Two the of longest the ever.
4.	and magnificent a is It bridge advanced very.
5.	and smooth city's The development rapid.
6.	Some the nearly billion put at $9 estimates figure.
7.	who The built engineers it.
8.	by to ship 300,000-ton a be Strong hit enough.
9.	around 30,000 cars a day The bridge will carry.
10.	efforts reduce traffic China’s to its problems.

DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)
1.	________________________________________________________
2.	________________________________________________________
3.	________________________________________________________
4.	________________________________________________________
5.	________________________________________________________
6.	________________________________________________________

WRITING

Write about bridges for 10 minutes. Show your partner your paper. Correct each other’s work.

______________________________________________________________________________

HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. BRIDGES: Search the Internet and find more information about China’s bridges. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about the Jiaozhou Bay bridge. Include imaginary an interview with the designer and city residents. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

4. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

5. LETTER: Write a letter to China’s leader. Ask him three questions about China’s transport. Give him three of your opinions on how to reduce traffic. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Your partner will answer the questions you asked.

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News English Lessons FREE Handout, Listening & Quizzes - China's Bridges (11 Pages of Materials & 8 Online Activities)