Houston County Train Wreck Did $5 Million-Plus in Damage

Master 1 GERINAT-SR cimer gros !

Houston County Train Wreck Did $5 Million-Plus in Damage

(questions)

Comprehension: Answer the questions and justify by quoting from the text.

1)      This accident...  

a/ cost the federal state many thousands of dollars.

b/ is already seen as a landmark in Georgia’s history.

c/ damaged a large number of houses.

The Perry train  derailement last October did millions of Dollars in damage to track and train.

2)      The total cost of the accident...

a/ is still not known precisely today.

b/ is the most expensive according to records that date back to the construction of railroad and its expansion westwards.

c/ is withheld by the train company.

Protection Division nor the train company would say what the total (8)  cost will be, partly because the clean-up is still (9) on the way

3)      Norfolk Southern...

a/ is trying its best to get reimbursed by the State.

 b/ estimates that the media are unfair as, after all, there were no victims.

 c/ agrees on paying for everything.

But Norfolk Southern says they will (10) foot the entire bill

4)      The accident might have become much more serious if...

 a/ it had occurred a little bit later.

 b/ the train had hit three or four cars along the track.

c/ the rear of the train had left the track first.

How close a call was it to being a real catastrophe?

CHRIS STONER – Five, ten seconds maybe. I mean, you figure if it... if it was another three or four cars back that derailed first

5)      Th Fire Chief explains that...

a/ the train was full of toxic chemicals.

 b/ the greatest element of danger was on the train.  

c/ they did not have time to evacuate the houses around the spot of the accident.

Stoner, Houston County’s Fire Chief and EMA Director, says the train carried toxic chemicals [...] But it was significant enough (12) hazmat that we would (13) have had to evacuate a large area.

6)      He adds that...

a/ train wrecks involving dangerous substances are frequent in the area.

b/ his men are specifically trained to manage such toxic chemicals.

 c/ he was particularly relieved that the chemicals did not leave the train.

definitely said a prayer and some (14) thanks that afternoon.

7)      This track...

a/ fortunately circumvents heavily-populated areas.

b/ is specialised in the transit of such substances.

c/ leads to a military base.

According to the Chief, trains with hazardous materials onboard are common there

 [...] Day and night. And there’s... I mean there’s tons and tons of hazardous materials that go down that rail

8)      A spokeswoman of the company implied in the wreck...    

a/ gives details that meet the Fire Chief’s explanations.                  

b/ mentions safety procedures that cannot be confirmed.                 

c/ tells it was the first accident of the kind in this area.

Stoner said largely the same thing.

9)      The Fire Chief argues that...

a/ it would have taken an unlikely combination of events to release the chemicals.

b/ the derailment of the cars containing the chemicals would have been fatal.

c/ even a direct shock on the containers would not have released the chemicals.

 So, even if they had derailed, there’s a pretty significant chance they wouldn’t have (17) ruptured. Unless it just hit a (18) valve or something would have had to happen just right for those chemicals to be released.

...