Railway through india

Séquence 3

railway through india

1. Anticipation

This document is a photograph, the scene takes place in a train station. The place is overcrowded, we can even see people on the roof. We can guess the country is India.

Key issue : how does the railway reflect India's complex identity ?

Axis : 

• Identity and exchanges.
• Territory and memory.

Skill :

• EE.
• FT : write an article in a travel blog.

India 🡪 Gandhi, slum, Bollywood movie, a lot of population, English language, settlement, British empire, independent country, sacred cows, Buddhism, Taj Mahal, in development, pollution, spice curry, farming gmo, settlement, Himalaya, Asia, English language, Calcutta, hot weather…

CO : video image A

1. The Darjeeling Himalayan railway is the very first railway in India. For the last 125 years, it is ferried passenger on a narrow track in a beautiful green landscape. The British built a home away from home. This train + the tea + Gurkhas( a military group) = identity of these hills. “It touches the lives of everyone it meets on its narrow twisting climb.”

Compte rendu

Cette vidéo est un extrait d’un reportage qui suit les aventures d’un reporter fasciné par les pays avec une culture riche et pleine de diversités. Ici, il se trouve en Inde dans un train luxueux qui relie Delhi à Mumbai : le Maharaja’s Express. Ensuite, il visite le train, chaque chambre à son valet personnel. Le service est impeccable, les objets sont contemporain : le cadre et les services pourrait être ceux d’un hôtel 5 étoiles.

The Bullet trains

19 billion £

50 people 

just begun the construction and expect to be finished in 2023 

500 Km of rail 

250 km/h and 320km/h max

down 3h between the 2 cities

50 passes

first bullet train line

Be finished in 2023

repaid over the past 50 years

India has begun construction of the 1st Japanese bullet train line

Expected to be finished by 2023

From Ahmedabad to Mumbai =508 kilometres

                                      = on the country’s western coast

                                      = financial centre

3h instead of 8h

750 passengers

average speed is 250 kph

top speed is 320 kph

India plans to invest 19 billion $ and Japan 14 billion $ with a 0.1 % interest loan (50 years).

To + V inf

For + Nom / V-ing

Now share :

These trains are dream ones. The first one seems to come from other times, it crosses gorgeous landscapes. The second one is a majestic, luxurious train with suites in the Maharaja style, referring to the culture and the elite of India. And the third one symbolizes the future. They reveal that India is a country of contrast, tradition, and modernity.

Exercise 1 page 54

1. Was / planned.
2. Was travelling / had.
3. Rode / bought.
4. Was repairing / departed.

Exercise 2 page 54

Was worrying 🡪 décrire ou commenter une action dans le passé

Knew 🡪 raconter une succession d’évènements dans le passé

Was gliding 🡪 décrire ou commenter une action dans le passé / action en cours de déroulement

Sat 🡪 raconter une succession d’évènements dans le passé

Reached 🡪 raconter une succession d’évènements dans le passé

Said 🡪 raconter une succession d’évènements dans le passé

Were 🡪 prétérit modale

Describe page 48

Who ? we see a man who grasps at one train.

Where ? on a railroad in India

1. The man (reporter ?) is travelling outside the train. This situation is risky, dangerous, uncommon, uncomfortable. We can imagine the man is an adventurer or there are no seats left inside.

Exercise 3 page 54

A - As soon as

B - After 

c - Before

D - while

As soon as = dès que                                                        Monsoon = Mousson

While = pendant que

Footboard = Marchepied

Journey = voyage, séjour

Relevant = pertinent

Stressed = accentué

Video p48 :

1. Relevant or stressed words : longest and oldest, British, overcrowded, largest
2. 1858 : creation railways in India

1947 : Independence-> Network became a state-owned enterprise

1. - The temperature: 50 C°in monsoon season

- The number of people who take the train everyday: 18 million

- The population of India: 1.2 billion

- The rank by length of rail lines: 4th after USA China Russia

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