Old and new ways of public transport in London
I. Match the following English words with the correct German translation!
bank – the areas on both sides of a river
(ein Taxi) rufen
cab – another word for taxi
Adelige
carriage – a cart on two wheels that is
pulled by horses
Auslieferung
cushion – you put your head onto it in
your bed
Dampfkraft
delivery – bring something to somebody
effizient
ditch – something like a river without
water
ehrlich
efficient – quick and cheap
Einwohner
fatal – something that causes death
Form
foul-smelling – something that smells
very bad
Graben
honest – always telling the truth
Kissen, Polster
inhabitants – all the people who live in a
city or a village
Kutsche
invisibly – you cannot see the person or
thing
Raddampfer
noblemen – people like princes and
queens
rudern
paddle steamer – a ship that uses large
wheels to move on water
Stau
shape – the shape of eggs is oval, balls
are round
stinkend
steam power – it moves engines with
fire and water
Taxi
to connect – put two parts together
tödlich
to hail (a taxi) – to stop a taxi
Ufer
to row – move a boat with two broad
sticks in the water
unsichtbar
to switch – to change something
verbinden
traffic jam – many vehicles that can’t
move in a street
wechseln
Text und Idee: TexteSatt, 2008.
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II. Working with the text: Answer the following questions in full sentences!
1. Why is Sir James happy that he doesn’t have to walk to court?
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2. Why was the first bridge across the river Thames built?
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3. Why did people not like to cross the river by boat very much?
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4. When did public transport for everyone start?
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5. Which problems did the engineers of the first underground have to solve?
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6. What was the main difference between public transport in 1900 and 1934?
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7. What is the ‘red Routemaster’?
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8. Why is it easy for Londoners today to leave their cars at home?
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Text und Idee: TexteSatt, 2008.
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III. Text production: Imagine a time machine brings you to London any time between 1815 and 1959. You want to visit your friend who lives about 2 miles away
from your home across the river Thames. Explain to your parents:
which vehicle(s) you use
why you use that vehicle and what you like/dislike about it
why this vehicle is safer than others.
Write about 10 sentences!
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Text und Idee: TexteSatt, 2008.
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