牛津高中英语M7U4课文填空.doc

The first underground in the world
Welcome to the London Underground, or as it is usually known, the Tube. It has the 1 of being the oldest and most complex underground system in the world. Rail services to London were first 2 during the first half of the 19th century. However, most trains into London only went to the outer city limits, because building railway tracks into the city would have 3 many old buildings. Horse-drawn buses, trams, cabs and carriages were used to 4 people to and around the city centre. Unfortunately, the number of vehicles on the road caused 5 traffic jams, and the roads became so busy that no one could travel anywhere. This traffic problem led to the development of the underground system.
In 1854, the British government gave approval for the 6 by the Metropolitan Railway Company of an underground railway in the centre of London, between Paddington and Farringdon, via King’s Cross, St Pancras and Euston. However, new trains had to be developed and the plan required 7 a large amount of money, so the digging was 8 until 1860. The initial tunnels were opened in 1863 and were just beneath the surface of the ground. Passengers were 9 in carriages without windows, which were pulled through the narrow tunnels by steam engines. In 1868, the next 10 of the underground system was opened in the south of London by another company called the Metropolitan District Railway. Sixteen years later, in 1884, the Metropolitan Railway Company and the Metropolitan District Railway 11 up and provided underground service in the middle of the city. This later became the Circle Line. Because of the smoke from the steam engines, early underground lines needed large holes leading to the surface at regular 12 , so that people could get fresh air and would not choke.
As better 13 for digging tunnels were developed, the first railway tunnel under the River Thames was dug in 1884. These new ways of digging 14 the pace of the London Underground’s development. The City and South London Railway opened the first electric underground railway in 1890. Over the next twenty-five years, six 15 deep underground lines were made. Travelling on these lines was not 16 , though, as each line was possessed by a different company, and many were very far from each other.
Having seen the 1 , a wealthy American businessman, Charles Yerkes, undertook the job of 2 the system in 1902by obtaining ownership of the many different lines and setting up the Underground Electric Railways of London. In 1933, a public organization called the London Passenger Transport Board was 3 . The Underground Electric Railways of London, the Metropolitan Line and all the different bus and train lines were placed under the 4 of the Board. This organization eventually became London Transport. Between 1918 and 1938, many new stations were constructed, the most famous of which were 5 by an architect named Charles Holden.
The underground system had some unusual uses during World War II. When London was bombed, many underground stations 6 as bomb shelters. A new line was used as an underground airplane factory, an underground station was used as a centre for 7 the defence against air attacks, and the station nearest the Prime Minister’s house was used by the Prime Minister as meeting rooms for the 8 of government.
After World War II ended in 1945, more people travelled on the underground, so the system was 10 and more lines were added, 9 the Victoria Line, which was linked with other lines at almost every station. This helped make the system more user-friendly. The last line added was the Jubilee Line, which was opened in 1977 in 11 of the twenty-fifth anniversary of Elizabeth II becoming the queen.
The London underground system is working to transport huge 12 of people as it has done for many years. Three million people travel on the underground every day. The network of the underground system includes twelve lines and now goes twenty-six miles out of central London. So, why not take a trip on the oldest underground 13 today? Visit our ticket office and buy one of the travel cards that 14 you to travel all over the underground system.

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