1869 Completion of the first Transcontinental Rail-road at Promontory Point, Utah. 1896 Thanks to railroads, rural mail delivery begins, allowing farm families to purchase goods through mail-order catalogs. 1908 Ford's Model T is made available to the public. 1913 Ford experiments with the assembly line. 1940 Dick and Mac McDonald open the first Thursday, 8 December. Wednesday, 27 December. P.S. Many important Buddhist festivals in Thailand are held on the 1st and/or 15th of the lunar month. The 15th of the lunar calendar is the day when the moon is full, so sometimes the Full Moon Party can be changed while falling into a Buddhist holiday. The Andrew Carnegie "Gospel of Wealth" has inspired other entrepreneurs to do more with their considerable wealth. As an example Charles "Chuck" Feeney, who co-founded airport retailer Duty-Free Shoppers with Robert Miller in 1960 and amassed billions has succeeded in giving away most of his fortune in his lifetime. Read the text and choose the correct option. The railway system in Viet Nam was first built in 1899, when Viet Nam was still a French colony. The total (1)_____ of the railroad is over 3,000 km, with the main route being the North-South (2)_____, which is 1,726 km long. Thì track was considered the backbone of Indochina at the time. Prezero arena - TSG 1899 Hoffenheim Stadium Guide. Rhein-Neckar-Arena also known as Wirsol Rhein-Neckar-Arena for sponsorship obligations is the home stadium of Bundesliga side 1899 Hoffenheim. Having been built in 2009, the ground is one of the newest stadiums in Germany and can proudly host 30,000 fans. By 1949, Zemurray had built United into one of America's biggest and best-run companies, with fifty-four million dollars in earnings and control of more than half the US market in imported bananas. On top of that were campaigns to get bananas into hotels, railroad dining cars, airplanes, and steamers; to feed them to professional and Construction of the 1,726 km-long Hanoi-Saigon railway, the Transindochinois, began in 1899 and was completed in 1936. In the late 1930s, the trip from Hanoi to Saigon took 40 hours and 20 The railway system in vietnam was first built in 1899 Thailand works with Malaysia in railway projects connecting four ASEAN countries August 18, 2022 by en.vietnamplus.vn Vay Nhanh Fast Money. When they first drew up plans for a citywide tramway network in 1894, it seemed as though the Hanoi authorities would follow Saigon’s example by opting for steam traction. Yet, by the time government approval was forthcoming in 1899, advances in technology made it possible to construct the entire system as a state-of-the-art, one-meter gauge electric tramway. In 1900, the Compagnie des Tramways Électriques d’Hanoï et Extensions CTEH was to set up to build the first two tramway lines, which were jointly inaugurated in November 1901. A CTEH Line 1 tram at the Place des Cocotiers terminus. Setting out from the Place des Cocotiers terminus next to the Petit Lac Hoàn Kiếm Lake, Line 1 led southward to Bạch Mai and Line 2 northeastward to Giấy village, near today’s Bưởi Market. A subsequent decision of July 20, 1905 authorized the extension of Line 1 to Chợ Mơ on the Route Circulaire now Đại La Street. A CTEH Line 1 tram passes the Petit Lac. In 1904, work began on Line 3, which led east from the Petit Lac to the Pagode des Corbeaux the Temple of Literature and then headed southwest to Thái Hà Ấp. This line was extended to Hà Đông in 1914 and to Cầu Đơ Market in 1938. A CTEH Line 3 tram at Hà Đông. Construction of Line 4 got under way in 1907. Following the path of Line 3 from Place des Cocotiers to the Pagode des Corbeaux, it then branched westward to the Pont du Papier Cầu Giấy. In its early years, despite its apparent popularity, the Hanoi tramway network suffered continuous financial problems. Until as late as 1913, CTEH remained a deficitary operation. Thereafter, profits remained relatively modest, precluding adequate maintenance on its rolling stock, track, catenary and buildings. In 1929, the increasingly run-down network was taken over by the Compagnie des Tramways du Tonkin CTT, which upgraded large stretches of track and catenary and ordered replacement second-generation tractor and trailer sets from France. It was under the CTT that the final stage of network expansion was implemented. A decision of November 14, 1930 authorized the creation of Line 5, which branched off Line 3 and headed south along the Route Mandarine to Kim Liên and northward from Place Neyret to Yên Phụ on the Red River Dyke. In 1943, Line 5 was extended further south as far as the Route Circulaire, in order to serve the René Robin Hospital, the radio station and Bạch Mai airfield. With the completion of Line 5, the tramway network in Hanoi had reached approximately 30 kilometers in length. 13 CTEH Line 3 tram at Place Neyret. In 1952, at the height of the First Indochina War, the CTT was renamed the Société des Transports en Commun de la Région d'Hanoï. However, on June 1, 1955, this company ceased operations and all track, equipment and rolling stock was transferred to the new Democratic Republic of Vietnam. A Hanoi Line 1 tram 1927 stock heads south along Hàng Bài towards Bạch Mai in 1960. Unlike its Saigon counterpart, the Hanoi tramway system continued to function for nearly 30 years after independence. In fact, in 1968 the Hanoi People’s Committee even built an additional spur from the Cửa Nam junction along Cột Cờ Street now Điện Biên Phủ and Hùng Vương Street, rejoining Line 2 south of Trúc Bạch Lake. However by the early 1980s, track, catenary and rolling stock had deteriorated to the extent that the tramway was no longer fit for its purpose. Line 1 Bạch Mai Phong was closed in 1982, followed in subsequent years by Line 4 Cầu Giấy, Line 3 Hà Đông, Line 5 Yên Phụ and finally, in 1989, Line 2 Đường Bưởi. A Hanoi Line 2 tram 1927 stock picture in the 1980s. Line 4 Cầu Giấy was offered a brief reprieve of sorts in 1986, when the route was taken over by a small donated fleet of old trolley buses from Eastern Europe. The Hanoi-Cầu Giấy trolley bus fleet outlasted the trams, soldiering on until 1993 when it, too, fell victim to modernization. Tim Doling is the author of the guidebooks Exploring Huế Nhà Xuất Bản Thế Giới, Hà Nội, 2018, Exploring Saigon-Chợ Lớn Nhà Xuất Bản Thế Giới, Hà Nội, 2019 and Exploring Quảng Nam Nhà Xuất Bản Thế Giới, Hà Nội, 2020 and The Railways and Tramways of Việt Nam White Lotus Press, 2012 For more information about Saigon history, visit his website, Owe its popularity from the French colonist dating back one hundred years ago, Vietnam’s railway system has been significantly recovered to reach further and becomes more and more popular for not only domestic passengers but also international ones. For truly traveling experience, getting around by train would be one of the best ways to take in most spectacular view of the surrounding landscape. In possession of 2,600 kilometers in length, Vietnam’s railway system runs through almost all provinces and cities in Vietnam, especially myriad world-known tourist destinations. Moreover, there is a connection between domestic railway and the Chinese one which permits trains to get approach stations in Guangxi and System in VietnamTrain tickets are divided in four major ticket classes including soft sleeper, hard sleeper, hard seat and soft seat. Moreover, there are also two types air con and non-air con choices. If your goal is an affordable trip from the North to the South of Vietnam, there is no better way than take a train. By travelling around Vietnam by train, you can experience to the fullest as trains will allow you to reach a number of valleys, forests, mountains, plain and even sea. There is nothing quite like getting on a train and contemplate the picturesque north to south Vietnam by trainAs regards routes, besides the main route Ho Chi Minh City – Hanoi, Vietnam’s railway system also operates lines that link Hanoi with some other parts of Vietnam’s northern region. There is one run to the Haiphong’s port, one to Lao Cai and another to Lang Son, then cross the border to reach Nanning, China. There are frequent train departs from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. However, its schedule may change, so check it regularly to make sure a perfect travel. There is one problem you should bear in mind when traveling by train is that there probably exists petty crime, so alert and take care of your luggage and private asset. In terms of ticket booking, you can book in advance via Vietnam Railway booking site. Alternatively, you can also book online or buy in train Not much is going on at Ga Sài Gòn; the final destination of 1,762 kilometres of train track that connects Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City. The station’s heyday has passed, with the thwacking of a ball on concrete offering a clue as to what is currently the most populated area on the premises – a tennis court – while free-range chickens meander in the shaded parking area. It’s a quiet afternoon. Vendors sit at vacant drink stalls outside the station. Baking in the heat, an out-of-service Tự Lực or Self Reliant 141 Mikado steam locomotive is displayed on a raised platform. Vietnam’s North-South railway is often referred to as the Reunification Express, with the line reopened in 1976 following the fall of Saigon the year prior. After years of the line being battered by war, it was a Tự Lực that took the first journey between Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, symbolically reunifying the country after 21 years of separation. “I’m always struck by how effectively it’s possible to recount the modern history of Vietnam through the ups and downs of the railway network – one mirrors the other,” railway historian Tim Doling told the Globe. Following that trend, it’s been a hard year for the Vietnam Railways Corporation VNR. A growth in affordable alternatives to train travel over the years, not least budget airlines, and most recently the Covid-19 pandemic and flooding in Central Vietnam, has resulted in the biggest slump in the company’s history. In 2019, the number of passengers taking the train was already down year-on-year. Pandemic restrictions have only worsened this, with VNR recording a loss of approximately $60 million in 2020. The struggles have continued in the new year, as the resurgence of Covid-19 in Vietnam prior to Tet holiday – the busiest season for train travel – has resulted in economic losses as tickets have been returned en-masse and train itineraries cut due to a lack of passengers. Vu Anh Minh, chairman of the VNR board of members, is pushing for urgent restructuring in 2021 to keep the railway from going under. A Tự Lực on display at Vinh Station on 25 February, 2011. Photo Tim Doling Rough years aren’t anything new for Vietnam’s North-South railway. The line has been mired with safety issues since it was reopened post-reunification and, due to a chronic lack of modernisation, is in danger of being stuck in the past. Plans to upgrade the line to an electric rail have officially been in the works since 2007, although no progress has been made. The proposed high-speed electric railway would shorten the journey from Hanoi to Saigon from 29 and half hours to as short as five hours and 20 minutes. But although Vietnamese planners have long hyped a country-wide modernisation of its railways, that goal has, at least until now, never been accomplished. In most places, it hasn’t even begun as advertised. The North-South Railway is symbolic of this lack of follow-through. The slowly decaying colonial-era relic has been pushed to the brink by the added pressures of the Covid-19 pandemic. The industry, already in decline, has taken a nosedive. Shoring up the financial woes of the railway is vital in order to attract the private investors needed to fund the long-overdue modernisation of the railway. More immediately, the jobs of the 11,300 employees of VNR are on the line, many of whom went for periods without pay or on reduced salaries during early 2020. “The problem is that the railway remains essentially a single-track narrow-gauge network of colonial construction which suffered 30 years of catastrophic destruction followed by another 15 years of make do and mend,'” Doling said. The North-South Railway through time Construction of the first sections of the North–South railway began in 1899 with the full Hanoi-Saigon link put into operation in 1936. In 1895, the outgoing Governor-General of French Indochina, Jean Marie de Lanessan, urged his successors to build railways connecting the expanse of Indochina. A line connecting Hanoi to Saigon was prioritised as it was seen as the “backbone of Indochina”. It was Paul Doumer, de Lanessan’s successor, later assassinated in 1932 while serving as the president of France, who put this plan into action. Soon after his appointment, he put in a proposal for what would become the Yunnan-Vietnam Railway and the North-South railway, then known as the Transindochinois. The “Doumer Plan”, as it was referred, “imagined a rail-road that would promote commercial interests between colonizer and colonized, improve disaster relief throughout the colony, and aid in military preparedness”, according to historian David Del Testa. Event goers held sticks of incense and Vietnamese flags in the air as the locomotives rolled into Hanoi and Saigon stations with portraits of Ho Chi Minh attached to their fronts However, as Del Testa describes, despite paternalistic thinking propelling its construction, this railway project was not just supported by colonisers. “Even strident Vietnamese critics of colonialism, such as the early twentieth-century patriots Phan Boi Chau and Phan Chu Trinh, had applauded railroads as necessary to the development of modern nations”. Soon after the line was completed in 1936, in a ceremony officiated by Emperor Bao Dai and acting Governor-General of Indochina Rene Robin, the railway would quickly become enmeshed in war. The Viet Minh, the independence coalition formed by revolutionary leader and future Vietnamese president Ho Chi Minh, targeted the railway to sabotage Japanese forces who utilised the line during their invasion of Indochina beginning in 1940, using similar methods later when warring with the French in the fight for independence. The line continued to take hits during the American War when the North-South railway would become a target of bombardments for both sides of the conflict. American bombing campaigns like Operation Rolling Thunder and Operation Linebacker targeted railway bridges, creating a great deal of destruction. To reopen the line after the country’s reunification, repair crews had to fix 27 tunnels, 158 stations, a heaping 1,370 switches and almost as many bridges. Despite the high workload, by December 31, 1976, the line was back up and running. “Trains set out simultaneously from North [Hanoi] and South [Saigon] and both arrived on January 4, 1977,” Doling described. Images of the trains’ first arrivals during this emblematic reunification show crowds celebrating their successful journeys. Event goers held sticks of incense and Vietnamese flags in the air as the locomotives rolled into Hanoi and Saigon stations with portraits of Ho Chi Minh attached to their fronts. The Hanoi-Saigon link post reunification Although reopening the line proved a symbolic feat, it has fallen into disrepair since. Safety concerns also persist with the majority of lines at grade – meaning railway junctions that intersect roads at ground level, passing through dense neighbourhoods, rural environments and industrial zones. “On average, there are crossing points for each kilometre of railway, which is the reason for the very high risk of accidents,” Doan Duy Hoach, deputy general director of VNR told An ninh Thu do. A report from Vietnam’s National Traffic Safety Committee showed that in the first half of 2019, 75 train accidents occured. During this time frame, 53 people were killed and 30 were injured, in a increase of train-related accidents compared to 2018. “The transformation needed to turn it into a modern, double-track standard-gauge network of international standard will be massively expensive, particularly since, for safety reasons, a way must be found to eradicate the existing 8,000-plus flat crossings,” Doling stated. A train passes through Saigon’s densely populated Phu Nhuan District. Photo Martin Misiak For the most part, the Hanoi-Saigon railway hasn’t changed much in the 85 years since it was first put into action. Few railways in Vietnam have been built in over four decades, with projects continually announced but rarely brought to fruition said James Clark, a journalist covering railway infrastructure projects in Southeast Asia. “It shows a pattern over the years,” Clark told the Globe. The proposed North-South electric rail has also fallen into this pattern. The 2007 announcement of the electric rail stated that construction of the new line would begin in 2010 – in 2010, this plan was cancelled with the intent to regroup in 2012. In the years since, more plans for construction have been laid out, without real progress. In the most recent announcement in 2019, the Ministry of Transport MoT claimed that it was in the preparation stage with an investment of $ billion. If the 2019 plan were to be followed, construction of the new line would be created in two phases. The first phase would start from the far ends of the line, building new standard-gauge tracks from Hanoi to Vinh, and from Saigon–Nha Trang, with plans for completion in 2032. The second phase would begin in 2030, connecting Vinh to Nha Trang by 2045. The old railway took an ambling route – the path of least resistance. The new route would build bridges, tunnels and viaducts would be built in urban areas to diminish the dangers at flat crossings The current North-South train runs at a top speed of around 60 kilometres per hour, making train travel a lengthy and undesirable prospect for passengers – especially when domestic air travel is competitively priced. To get from Saigon to Nha Trang, a popular coastal destination 433 kilometres north of the city, a journey on the train takes roughly eight hours with ticket costs ranging from $15–$78. A flight takes one hour with fares starting at $43. “The speed [of the North-South line] hasn’t changed in 80 years,” Clark said. “You can look at the map and you think Nha Trang is not so far away, but it’s an eight hour trip [from Saigon on the current train]. But if there’s a high speed train, or even just a fast train … it could become a three hour trip.” The proposed new line would also be shortened to bypass the majority of the current at-grade line, getting rid of dangerous flat-crossings. “The new railway would actually be shortened by a couple of hundred kilometres. The old railway took an ambling route – the path of least resistance,” Clark explained. “The new route would build bridges, tunnels and viaducts would be built in urban areas to diminish the dangers at flat crossings.” But beyond the massive investment needed to overhaul Vietnam’s colonial-era rail infrastructure, the train cars themselves are outdated and soon to be forced off the rails by government decree. All of the present-day diesel-reliant rolling stock needs to be replaced at a cost of $ million, according to VNR. But the procurement of new coaches places the state in a bind given that they would have to fit the current one-metre gauge, and would therefore not be able to operate on any new electric rails. “You don’t want to start buying new diesel engines and carriages for this one-metre gauge railway only to be building a new railway,” Clark said. “They should just be trying to make the most of these old railways and get on with building a new one. Otherwise it seems like it’s going to be a double waste of money.” But regardless of these convoluted plans for the future of the North-South line, Doling is hopeful about the railway’s future in Vietnam. “The railways have a long and very distinguished history of service to the Vietnamese nation,” Doling said. “I have no doubt that in the coming years we’ll continue to see many more improvements in Vietnamese rail infrastructure.” Also found in Thesaurus, Wikipedia. ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend system - line that is the commercial organization responsible for operating a system of transportation for trains that pull passengers or freightcable railway, funicular, funicular railway - a railway up the side of a mountain pulled by a moving cable and having counterbalancing ascending and descending carscog railway, rack railway - railway for steep mountains; a cogwheel on the locomotive engages cogs on a center rail to provide tractionline - a commercial organization serving as a common carriermetro, subway, subway system, underground, tube - an electric railway operating below the surface of the ground usually in a city; "in Paris the subway system is called the `metro' and in London it is called the `tube' or the `underground'"monorail - a railway having a single trackrail - short for railway; "he traveled by rail"; "he was concerned with rail safety"Based on WordNet Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc. Choose the word whose underlined part is pronounced differently from the others 1. A. experience B. expect C. extensive D excellent 2. A. ploughed B. worked C. watched D. practiced 3. A. floor B. score C. door D. flood Choose the word with the different stress pattern 4. A. earthquake B. energy C. although D. forward 5. A. dormitory B. intelligent C. suffer D. internet Choose the best answer A, B, C or D to complete the following sentences 6. I love it when we go to see plays, and try to ……… when we get back home. A. act them out B. act C. play D. role-play 7. “What’s the best way to get around Hoi An town?” – “…………” A. That’s useful B. It’s worth seeing C. I suggest walking D. Great, thanks 8 . Nam “Congratulations on your success!” Hoa “__________.” A. You’re welcome B. No, thanks C. That’s very kind of you D. Yes, of course friend stayed up late studying for an important exam. …………………………. A. Well done! C. I know how you feel B. Stay calm. Everything will be all right. D. A really great job. 10. She lives in one of the most ………… parts of the city there are lots of luxury shops there. A. fashionable B. historic C. comfortable D. ancient 11. China is …………… far the most populated country in the world. A. as B. by C. so D. too 12. She suggested ……….. money for the poor people in the region. A. to save B. saved C. saving D. save 13. That tall woman, ……….career is very successful, usually helps children in this orphanage. A. that B. what C. which D. whose 14. The teacher advised the children ………….. and see the dentist regularly. A. went B. going C. go D. to go 15. We were made ………………. all the cleaning in the house. A. do B. to do C. doing D. done 16. He …………….. the piano since he was a child. A. practises B. was practising C. practised D. has practised asked me if I …………..a laptop computer the following day. A. buy B. bought C. would buy D. will buy Choose the underlined word or phrase A, B, C or D that needs correcting. 18. We don’t mind to wait for you to finish your homework. A B C D 19. We should prepare food careful before turning on the stove. A B C D 20. Although he was tired, but he still went to work yesterday. A B C D 21. When she came to my house this morning, I still slept. A B C D 22. Lam said that he was leaving for the capital tomorrow. A B C D Choose the best option which has the same meaning with the given sentence 23. I don’t usually drink coffee in the morning. A. I used to drink coffee in the morning. B. I’m used to drinking coffee in the morning. C. I didn’t use to drink coffee in the morning. D. I’ m not used to drinking coffee in the morning. 24. Teacher / ask / me / if / speak / English / fluent /. A. The teacher asks me if I speak an English fluent. B. The teacher asked me if I spoke English fluently. C. The teacher asks me if I can speak English fluent. D. The teacher asked me if do I speak English fluently. 25 Because the street was crowded with people, I couldn’t drive fast. A. If the street were crowded with people, I couldn’t drive fast. B. If the street weren’t crowded with people, I could drive fast. C. If the street had been crowded with people , I couldn’t have driven fast. D. If the street hadn’t been crowded with people , I could have driven fast. 26 The book is so expensive that she can’t buy it. A. The book is too expensive for her to buy. B. The book isn’t cheap enough for her to buy it. C. It is such expensive book that she can’t buy it. D. All are correct. 27 Driving on the left is very dangerous in our country. A. It very dangerous to drive on the left in our country. B. It is very dangerous to drive on the left in our country. C. It is very dangerous driving on the left in our country. D. It is very dangerous to driving on the left in our country. 28. The last time when I saw her was three years ago. A. I have often seen her for the last three years. B. About three years ago, I used to meet her. C. I have not seen her for three years. D. I saw her three years ago and will never meet her again. 29 book/ Jane/ give/ me/ birthday/ lose The book that Jane gave me on my birthday has been lost. The book which Jane gives me at birthday was lost The book at which Jane gave to me in my birthday has lost. The book for that Jane gives me to my birthday is lost. 30 mother/ suggest/ not keep/ solid waste/ food waste Mother suggested that don’t keep solid waste with food waste. Our mother suggested not to keep solid waste to food waste. My mother suggests not keeping solid waste with food waste. Her mother suggests not keep solid waste in food waste. Read text carefully, and then choose the correct answer Changes in caregiving roles With the burden of financial support reduced, and with a changing concept of a father’s role, modern day fathers tend to be more involved in children’s caregiving. They are now spending more time and energy on their children. Psychological research across families from all ethnic backgrounds suggests that the influence of a father’s love and attention is as great as that of a mother’s. Fatherly love helps children develop a sense of their place in the world, which helps their social and emotional development. Moreover, children who receive more love from their fathers are less likely to have behavioural problems. This trend is still increasing and its effects will become clearer and clearer in the future, especially in traditionally male-dominated societies. of these is NOT the traditional role of a father? supporter of moral values educator welfare programmes ___________. families financially mothers with domestic abuse fathers about their responsibilities caregivers influence of a mother’s love is ___________ that of the father’s. important than important than greater than important as who get more fatherly love will ___________ behavioural problems. have any more fewer a lot of changing roles of the father will be seen more clearly in ___________. groups countries independent societies male-dominated societies word various’ in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to ___________. few word paternal’ in paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to ___________. word who’ in paragraph 4 refers to ___________. Choose the best word/phrase that is CLOSEST in meaning to the underlined part in each of the following questions. - the headmaster were here, he would sign your papers immediately. A. currently B. right away C. formerly D. right ahead will be fine tomorrow. But if it should rain tomorrow, the match will be postponed. A. turned off B. put off C. sold off D. taken off Choose the best word/phrase that is OPPOSITE in meaning to the underlined part in each of the following questions. 41."Be quick! We must speed up if we don’t want to miss the flight. " A. turn down B. look up C. slow down D. put forward is a very generous old woman. She has given most of her wealth to a charity organization. A. mean B. amicable C. kind D. hospitable Read the passage below and decide which option A, B, C or D best fits each space The railway system in Viet Nam was first built in 1899, when Viet Nam was still a French colony. The total 43_____ of the railroad is over 3,000 km, with the main route being the North-South 44______, which is 1,726 km long. This track was considered the backbone of Indochina at the time. Now, the rail system 45______ 35 out of the 63 cities and provinces of Viet Nam. However, the system was 46______ damaged by bombings during the war. In 1975, after the reunification of the north and the south, the Vietnamese government decided to 47______ the system. In the space of a year, hundreds of bridges, tunnels, and stations were restored, along with 660 km of tracks. The new and improved system was 48______ the Thong Nhat Express. Thanks to the rail system, travelling from north to south has become much more 49______ for tens of thousands of people. In the past, in order to be able to buy train tickets people had to wait in long lines. Now, 50______ can buy tickets online, or at the central station, without having to wait that long. 43. 44. 45. 46. 47. 48. 49 . 50.

the railway system in vietnam was first built in 1899