Rob: Hello I'm Rob. Welcome to 6 Minute English. I'm joined today by Finn. Hi
Finn.
Finn: Hi Rob.
Rob: Today we're talking about high-speed train travel. Many countries have
very fast trains that whisk people from city to city in super-quick time.
Finn: Yes, we might think that air travel is the transport of the future but it
seems high-speed train travel is becoming just as popular.
Rob: I've travelled on high-speed trains in Japan – the Shinkansen – and I have
to admit it's an exciting experience, very comfortable and you get to see
things out of the window.
Finn: Well, we'll be finding out why the UK is hoping to jump on the
bandwagon – or do something that is already popular – by building a
new high-speed rail line. And we'll be learning some related vocabulary.
Rob: But before we set off on the right track, how about a question?
Finn: Why not!
Rob: Here goes. According to Guinness World Records, which country currently
holds the record for the fastest train running on a national railway
system? Is it:
a) France
b) Spain
c) China
Finn: They all have fast trains but I'm going to say c) China.
Rob: I'll let you know the answer at the end of programme. Back to our
discussion about high-speed rail travel. We know that it has many
benefits – good things; it helps to take traffic off the road, it causes less
pollution, it can transport – or move – lots of people and it's quick.
Finn: Yes speed is important. The TGV train in France takes about three hours
to travel over 750 kilometres from the capital, Paris, to Marseille in the
south – very impressive.
6 Minute English ©British Broadcasting Corporation 2013
Page 2 of 4
bbclearningenglish.com
Rob: And the AVE - Spain's ultra-modern high-speed train – stole 20 per cent
of the national airlines' customers when it started a service from Madrid to
Barcelona.
Finn: But the UK has been slow to build high-speed rail lines. It has one from
London to Paris but the government wants to build another one – called
HS2 – connecting London to the middle and north of England.
Rob: The Transport Secretary, Patrick McLoughlin, thinks one line is not good
enough. What word does he use to mean that the UK must have another
high-speed line?
Transport Secretary, Patrick McLoughlin:
I do find it ironic that I can go from London to Paris or London to Brussels on high-speed
trains, but I can't go from London to Leeds, or London to Manchester, or London to
Birmingham. This is essential to actually make sure that our great cities are connected
and we get the right benefits for the United Kingdom.
Finn: So he finds it ironic – so different from what you would expect – that he
can get to Paris by train more quickly than he can travel to many British
cities.
Rob: He used the word 'essential' to mean a new line to connect British cities
has to be built. It would connect the poorer northern cities with London,
cut journey times and stop overcrowding – that's when there are too
many people on one train.
Finn: But plans to build HS2 are controversial – not everyone agrees and
there is much discussion. Some say other areas of the country will miss
out on the economic benefits.
Rob: And it will be very very expensive to build - although some experts say for
every £1 spent, it will bring £2 into the economy.
Finn: There are also concerns that some of the countryside will be destroyed. So
these are just some of the arguments and it could be a long time before
a final decision is made.
Rob: So now we'll just have to accept that our trains in the UK will carry on at a
sedate speed while we watch with envy as another country's high-speed
train passes us by!
Finn: But which country's train is the fastest?
Rob: Yes, earlier I asked you which country currently holds the record for the
fastest train running on a national railway system. Is it:
a) France
b) Spain
c) China
Finn: I said c) China.
6 Minute English ©British Broadcasting Corporation 2013
Page 3 of 4
bbclearningenglish.com
Rob: You are wrong. The record belongs to France. It ran a modified version of
its TGV train on its network at a speed of 574.8 km/h.
Finn: That's 357.2 miles per hour. I wouldn't like to be standing on the platform
as that went by!
Rob: That train ran on a railway track – but a train that uses magnets to float
above the track is being developed in Japan that will run, slightly slower,
at 500 km/h. OK Finn, there's just time to remind us of some of the
vocabulary we've heard today:
Finn: Yes, we heard:
to jump on the bandwagon
on the right track
benefits
to transport
ultra-modern
ironic
essential
controversial
arguments
sedate
envy
Rob: Thanks. We hope you've enjoyed today's programme. Please join us soon
again for 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English.
Both: Bye.
