The World and Its People

"The Chunnel"

Introduction
The ability to transport people and goods to different regions is vital for a country's economy. In this chapter, you read about the economies of the United Kingdom and France. Their economies have benefited from the construction of a high speed rail line that links the British Isles with the European mainland. The rail line passes under the English Channel seabed through the Chunnel, or Channel Tunnel. The Chunnel is considered one of the most important engineering projects of the twentieth century.

Destination Title: Building Big Web site

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Directions
Start at the Building Big Web site.

• Click on Tunnels.
• Then click on Channel Tunnel (Chunnel) and read the information on the page.
• On this page, click on Holland Tunnel and read the information.
• Use what you have learned to answer the following questions.

1			When was the Chunnel completed?
2			Approximately how long does it take to travel through the Chunnel?
3			What problem did engineers face as they constructed the Chunnel?
4			What happened as a result of the Holland Tunnel disaster in 1949?
5			Imagine that you are the editor for an engineering magazine. Write an article that describes the Chunnel and explains its importance. Use the information from the Web site about other tunnels and how they compare to the Chunnel in terms of design and structure. Read your articles to the class.