Túnel ferroviário de 57 km inaugurado na Suíça
Transcript
Rail workers have gone on strike in France as nationwide protests continue over the government's plans to reform labour laws. President Hollande says he won't back down as a bitter stand-off with unions continues.
The world's largest railway tunnel opens in Switzerland on Wednesday after nearly two decades of construction. The Gotthard base tunnel, 57 kilometres long, will carry high-speed trains through the heart of the Alps.
The annual running of the Tetbury Wool Sack Races: Competitors have to climb Gumstool Hill carrying a sack of wool. The men are lifting 27 kilos – the women carry 16 kilos. They run 220 metres up the hill. Tetbury was once a thriving wool town, hence this - a way of showing one's strength.
Transcrição para o português
Ferroviários entraram em greve na França em protestos nacionais contra planos do governo de reformar leis trabalhistas. O presidente François Hollande disse que não recuaria; o impasse com os sindicatos continua.
O maior túnel ferroviário foi inaugurado na Su[iça na quarta-feira após quase duas décadas de construção. O Túnel de Base de São Gotardo, de 57 quilômetros de extensão, levará trens em alta velocidade pelo coração dos Alpes.
A corrida anual de Saco de Lã de Tetbury: os competidores tem que subir o monte Gumstool com um saco cheio de lã. Os homens carregam 27 kg – as mulheres levam 16 kg. Eles percorrem uma distância de 220 m ladeira acima. Tetbury abrigava, no passado, uma próspera produção de lã, daí a tradicional corrida – uma forma de mostrar a força de cada indivíduo.
Words and phrases and definitions:
bitter stand-off
angry or unhappy situation where two groups of people cannot agree
the heart of
the middle or centre of
thriving
very successful
Watch the video online: http://bbc.in/22xA4uD
Exercise:
Use one of the words or phrases from Lingohack to complete each of these sentences. Note that you may have to change the form of a word or phrase to complete the sentence correctly.
bitter standoff / the heart of / thriving
1. Having everybody at the meeting meant we could get to _________ the problem and do something about it.
2. We lived in a ________ village until they closed the school and post office.
3. Alleged tax corruption by the president has caused a _________ between the government and the business community.
Answers:
1. Having everybody at the meeting meant we could get to the heart of the problem and do something about it.
2. We lived in a thriving village until they closed the school and post office.
3. Alleged tax corruption by the president has caused a bitter stand-off between the government and the business community.
