Транссибирская магистраль
The Trans-Siberian Railway
The longest railway on Earth: seven days from Moscow to the Pacific, eight time zones, the shores of Lake Baikal, and the unique social world of life aboard the train.
You will practice: Numbers and measurements (9300 километров, восемь часовых поясов), passive and impersonal constructions (была завершена, выдаёт), and reasons with из-за / потому что.
Words to know
Skim these before you read — they carry the story. Tap the star to add one to your saved words.
- магистральmain line, trunk railway
- железная дорогаrailway
- соединятьto connect, to link
- океанocean
- путешествиеjourney, trip
- приключениеadventure
- тайгаtaiga (boreal forest)
- климатclimate
- поясbelt; zone
- пейзажscenery, landscape
- озероlake
- глубокийdeep
- проводникtrain conductor
- перронplatform
- хребетspine; mountain ridge
Did you get it?
5 quick questions — no grades, just a comprehension check.
1. Which two cities does the Trans-Siberian Railway connect?
2. How long does a non-stop journey along the Trans-Siberian take?
3. Why was the railway difficult to build?
4. What famous lake does the train run alongside for several hours?
5. What do passengers buy from local people during the long stops?
Too hard? Pick an easier text in the reading library. Understanding most of a text without translations is the goal — struggling through is not.