VIII. Перепишите и переведите предложения, обращая внимание на употребление Participle II в функциях определения и обстоятельства. Подчеркните причастия II в английских предложениях и в переводе.

1. The first steam locomotive built by G. Stephenson could draw a small train of loaded cars at a speed of thirteen miles per hour.

2. The engine designed by Rudolf Diesel is one of the greatest inventions of the 20th century.

3. The new materials recommended for bridge construction were described in the article written by our professor.

IX. Перепишите и переведите текст

MOSCOW UNDERGROUND

For the first time the idea of building the underground railway in Moscow was discussed before the revolution. However, the construction of the first section (from Sokolniki to Central Park) was initiated only in 1932. It lasted 3 years and was called the record period by the world press. The Russian engineers carefully studied the existing underground systems abroad before working out their own project, which represented a significant improvement of the London system.

The engineering difficulties were great mainly because much of the soil was composed of running sand*. Fortunately most of the running sand lay close to the surface and it was found possible to use out-and-cover method** of construction under many of the streets. However, in the city center where the line is 100 ft or deeper, the construction of tunnels was necessary.

The Moscow Underground consists of a circle line, which runs round the city center, several radial lines crossing the city and connecting with each other and the lines running to the countryside. Some constructional work is still going on. Now the length of the underground lines has reaches about 300 km.

At present, the Moscow Metro handles more than five million passengers each day. During peak hours trains run at a speed of 90 km/h with the intervals of about 80 seconds. One train takes up to 1,500 passengers. For greater safety of travel, all trains are inspected every 6-9 hours of running. Being in operation for about 13 hours daily each Metro train covers the distance equal to that from Moscow to St. Petersburg. The trains servicing the Underground are supplied with low voltage direct current. The current is obtained from the third rail by special devices that are mounted beneath the motor coaches. Rolling stock is completely replaced approximately once every four years.

The Moscow Metro can compete with the underground railways in any of the European capitals in level of automation. At present, the experiments are being conducted with an “automatic driver”, i.e. with computer-controlled trains. The computer devices will help to relieve the nervous strain on the drivers and make it possible to increase the cruising speed*** of trains even more. These automatic devices have already been tested over the Circle Route by way of experiment.

Notes: * running sand – сыпучий песок, плывун

** cut-and-cover method – открытый метод (строительства)

*** cruising speed – эксплуатационная скорость