PRUEBAS DE ACCESO A LA UNIVERSIDAD
SEPTIEMBRE. CURSO 1997/98.

THE EUROTUNNEL

The old method of crossing the Channel, that stretch of water which separates the islands from the continent and so gives Brilain its insular identity, is the ferry. The shortest time possible on a ferry is an hour and a half on the journey between Dover and Calais. In recent years the distance across the Channel has remained the same. of course, but the speed of the journey has increased. You can travel to England on the hovercraft, and the "flight" time is cut to thirty minutes. So it seems much easier to cross the English Channel now, merely because of the fact that the other side is less than an hour away.

The only means of getting to the .other side, until now, has been through or over the water, in a boat or a hovercraft. However, with the construction of the Eurotunnel under the English Channel, a traveller will be able to leave France without seeing water, and arrive in England with the sea behind him.

The original idea of direct communications across the Strait of Dover came to a Frenchman, named Mathiou. In 1802 he submitted a plan to Napoleon for the construction of a submarine tunnel. Since that time, other engineering schemes have been suggested, such as bridges and viaducts, but the greatest number and variety of studies have been devoted to the idea of a tunnel. The most serious and viable plans have been made since the late 1950's.

Stretch: extension, expanse,
Hovercraft: a special boat that runs above water on a cushion of air.

1.- ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS ABOUT THE TEXT IN YOUR OWN WORDS (4 points) (1 each)

a) What different ways are there of crossing the Channel?

b) In line 1 it is said "Britain is certainly getting closer to Europe", Why is this?

c) Which is the old method of travelling from Dover to Calais?

d) Which was Mr. Mathiou's original idea?

2.- ARE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES TRUE OR FALSE? JUSTIFY YOUR ANSWER WIHT EVIDENCE FROM THE TEXT. (2 points) (1 each)

a) The idea of building a tunel between France and Britain is very new.

b) Apart from sea and air, the tunnel has been the only solution for joining Great Britain and the Continent.

3.- VOCABULARY (1 point) (0,25 each) - Find words in the text or expressions that have the following meanings:

a) Building

b) Trip

e) A person who goes from place to place

d) A plan that's possible to be done

4.- WRITE A SHORT COMPOSITION OF ABOUT 80-100 WORDS. CHOOSE ONE OF THE TOPICS. (3 points):

a) What are the advantages and disadvantages of the Eurotunnel?

b) How would you react to the idea of a tunnel between Spain and North Africa?