Read this article in 4 levels: Basic A1 (英検3級), Intermediate B1(英検2級), Advanced C1(英検1級), original version. Multiple choice content questions for each level. Free English reading practice. The more you read in English, the more your English will improve. How long can a cable car be?
A1 Beginner 英検3級
B1 Intermediate 英検2級
C1 Advanced 英検1級
Original article
Basic A1 (英検3級) Version:
Article: How long can a cable car be? The longest cable car in the world is in Sweden and it is 13.2 km long. This is probably close to the longest that a cable car can be.
The Norsjö ropeway in Sweden was built in 1941 during World War 2 to carry fuel and rubber. It was cheaper and faster to build than a train, and it could go over the land instead of through it. The whole ropeway was 96 km long, but now only 13.2 km of it is left, and it is used for tourists. The cable car moves slowly, and it takes 1 hour and 45 minutes to go one way.
Cable cars have limits because the rope is heavy. A 1 km section of steel cable weighs over 30 tons, and the Norsjö ropeway’s cable weighs about 807 tons. Another problem is friction, which slows the cable car down when it passes over the towers that hold it up.
Many cities are now thinking of using cable cars. They are slow, but they can carry a lot of people and do not need to go through traffic like buses. They also don’t cost as much as a subway.
Questions:
- Where is the longest cable car in the world?
a) Japan
b) USA
c) Sweden
d) China - How long is the longest cable car section of the Norsjö ropeway?
a) 5 km
b) 13.2 km
c) 50 km
d) 96 km - What was the Norsjö ropeway built for during World War 2?
a) Carrying people
b) Transporting fuel and rubber
c) Carrying animals
d) Tourism - How long was the entire Norsjö ropeway before most of it was decommissioned?
a) 10 km
b) 50 km
c) 96 km
d) 200 km - Why can’t cable cars be much longer than 13.2 km?
a) The cable is too heavy and there is too much friction
b) They go too fast
c) They are expensive to build
d) They are dangerous - What happens when a cable car passes over a tower?
a) It speeds up
b) It stops
c) There is friction, which slows it down
d) It falls off - How fast can an urban cable car move?
a) 50 km/h
b) 100 km/h
c) 10 km/h
d) 5 km/h - Why are cities interested in using cable cars?
a) They are fast
b) They are cheap, avoid traffic, and can carry many people
c) They are new
d) They are colorful - How many people can a cable car system move per hour?
a) 100
b) 1,000
c) 8,000
d) 35,000 - Which transport system is the most environmentally friendly?
a) Subway
b) Bus
c) Cable car
d) Train
Answers:
- c) Sweden
- b) 13.2 km
- b) Transporting fuel and rubber
- c) 96 km
- a) The cable is too heavy and there is too much friction
- c) There is friction, which slows it down
- c) 10 km/h
- b) They are cheap, avoid traffic, and can carry many people
- c) 8,000
- c) Cable car
Intermediate B1 (英検2級) Version:
Article: How long can a cable car be? The longest cable car in the world is the Norsjö ropeway in Sweden, measuring 13.2 km in length, which is likely near the maximum possible length for a cable car.
The Norsjö ropeway was constructed during World War 2 to transport fuel and rubber, providing a quicker and cheaper alternative to railways. Originally spanning 96 km, most of the ropeway was decommissioned in 1989, leaving only the 13.2 km section, now used as a tourist attraction. Due to the cable car’s slow speed, the one-way journey takes about 1 hour and 45 minutes.
Long cable cars face challenges due to the heavy weight of the steel cables and the friction generated as the cable moves over the supporting towers. The steel cables weigh around 30.6 tons per kilometer, and the entire 13.2 km loop of the Norsjö ropeway weighs approximately 807 tons. Additionally, more towers create more friction, further limiting cable car speed.
Despite these challenges, cable cars are gaining popularity in cities. Although slower, they are relatively inexpensive to build compared to subways, are unaffected by traffic like buses, and are more environmentally friendly.
Questions:
- What is the length of the longest cable car section in the world?
a) 5 km
b) 13.2 km
c) 20 km
d) 50 km - Why was the Norsjö ropeway originally built?
a) For tourism
b) To transport goods during World War 2
c) For city transport
d) For sightseeing - How much of the original Norsjö ropeway is still in use today?
a) All 96 km
b) 50 km
c) 13.2 km
d) 5 km - What are the two main problems with making longer cable cars?
a) High speed and noise
b) Weight of the cable and friction from towers
c) Expense and weather
d) Size and color - How heavy is the steel cable per kilometer?
a) 10 tons
b) 20.6 tons
c) 30.6 tons
d) 40.6 tons - Why do cable cars need supporting towers?
a) To add decoration
b) To support the weight of the cable and cars
c) To increase speed
d) To provide shelter - What effect does friction have on a cable car?
a) It speeds it up
b) It slows it down
c) It stops it completely
d) It has no effect - Why are cable cars considered a good option for cities?
a) They are fast
b) They are cheap, avoid traffic, and are eco-friendly
c) They are luxurious
d) They are colorful - How many people can an urban cable car system move per hour?
a) 500
b) 2,000
c) 8,000
d) 10,000 - Which transportation method is the most environmentally friendly?
a) Bus
b) Subway
c) Cable car
d) Train
Answers:
- b) 13.2 km
- b) To transport goods during World War 2
- c) 13.2 km
- b) Weight of the cable and friction from towers
- c) 30.6 tons
- b) To support the weight of the cable and cars
- b) It slows it down
- b) They are cheap, avoid traffic, and are eco-friendly
- c) 8,000
- c) Cable car
Advanced C1 (英検1級) Version:
Article: How long can a cable car be? The Norsjö ropeway in Sweden, which is 13.2 km long, is the world’s longest cable car and represents the likely upper limit for cable car length.
The Norsjö ropeway was built in 1941 during World War 2 to transport fuel and rubber, offering a cost-effective and faster alternative to railways that could navigate challenging terrain. Originally spanning 96 km, the ropeway was largely decommissioned in 1989, leaving only the 13.2 km section still operational today as a tourist attraction. The journey across this section takes 1 hour and 45 minutes due to the slow speed of cable cars.
The limitations on cable car length stem from the weight of the steel cable and the friction generated as the cable moves over supporting towers. Steel cables, composed of 19 wires wrapped around a rope core, weigh approximately 30.6 tons per kilometer. For the Norsjö ropeway, this results in a combined cable weight of about 807 tons. Additionally, the friction created as the cable moves over towers requires more power from the motors and reduces efficiency, further slowing the system.
Cable cars are increasingly being considered as viable urban transport solutions despite their slow speed. They are less expensive to construct than subways, avoid traffic problems faced by buses, and have a much lower environmental impact compared to traditional transit options.
Questions:
- What is the length of the longest cable car in the world?
a) 20 km
b) 13.2 km
c) 15 km
d) 10 km - What was the original purpose of the Norsjö ropeway?
a) Tourism
b) Transporting fuel and rubber during World War 2
c) Sightseeing
d) Urban transport - How much of the original 96 km Norsjö ropeway remains today?
a) All 96 km
b) 30 km
c) 13.2 km
d) 50 km - What are the primary challenges faced by long cable cars?
a) Speed and cost
b) Cable weight and friction
c) Weather conditions
d) Passenger safety - How heavy is one kilometer of the steel cable used in the Norsjö ropeway?
a) 10 tons
b) 20 tons
c) 30.6 tons
d) 40 tons - What is the role of supporting towers in a cable car system?
a) To provide light
b) To support the cable and cars, reducing sagging
c) To speed up the cars
d) To add stability - How does friction affect the performance of a cable car?
a) It has no effect
b) It increases speed
c) It reduces efficiency and slows the cable car
d) It stops the cable car - Why are cable cars becoming popular in urban settings?
a) They are faster than buses
b) They are less expensive to build, eco-friendly, and unaffected by traffic
c) They are luxurious
d) They offer better views - What is the passenger capacity of an urban cable car system per hour?
a) 1,000
b) 5,000
c) 8,000
d) 10,000 - What makes cable cars more environmentally friendly compared to other urban transport options?
a) They use solar power
b) They do not rely on fossil fuels
c) They have fewer mechanical parts
d) They generate less noise
Answers:
- b) 13.2 km
- b) Transporting fuel and rubber during World War 2
- c) 13.2 km
- b) Cable weight and friction
- c) 30.6 tons
- b) To support the cable and cars, reducing sagging
- c) It reduces efficiency and slows the cable car
- b) They are less expensive to build, eco-friendly, and unaffected by traffic
- c) 8,000
- b) They do not rely on fossil fuels
Original Version:
How long can a cable car be? The longest cable car in the world is the Norsjö ropeway in Sweden and it is 13.2 km long. This is probably close to the upper limit of how long a cable car cable can be. The 13.2 km part is just one section of the Norsjö ropeway, and the whole system was 96 km long. All but the 13.2 km section has been decommissioned.
The Norsjö ropeway was started in 1941 and was built to transport fuel and rubber during World War 2. The Swedish government considered building a railway line, but it was decided that it would be too costly and take too long. A ropeway could be put up that would be able to transport the resources and would be able to go over all of the terrain that would make a railway so hard to build. When they finished in 1943, they had a 96 km long system of cable cars that passed through stations. Each station would have a motor, and the cable car would switch from one line to the next to continue on its way. In 1989, most of it was decommissioned, except for the longest section, the 13.2 km section, which was kept as a tourist attraction. Cable cars cannot travel very quickly and it takes 1 hour and 45 minutes to make the one-way journey. The ropeway transported over 12 million tons of ore during its working life of 46 years, which is about 250,000 tons a year. The cable car is able to go over terrain that a railway would have had to tunnel through, but a cable car cannot transport as much as a train. A bulk cargo train carries an average of 130 tons per car and they are usually a hundred cars long or more. A railway would have been able to transport far more over the 43 years, which would perhaps have justified the building of a railway. Still, that is with hindsight and not being in the middle of a war.
The 13.2 km long Norsjö ropeway is an exception, and most of the other ropeways in the world are not as long. That is because longer ropeways have several problems that they need to overcome. The two biggest problems are the weight of the cable, and the amount of friction generated by the cable as it passes over the towers. Cable car rope is usually made of steel wires. The cable has 19 steel wires that are wrapped around a rope core, making it about 72 mm across. 1 km of this steel rope ways about 30.6 tons. The Norsjö ropeway is a looped rope, so it is 26.4 km long, which is 807 tons. The motors that pull the table have to cope with the weight of the rope plus the weight of all the cars and passengers on the rope. The weight of the rope is a limiting factor in the length of a cable car just as it is in making longer elevators for taller buildings.
A second problem is friction. A 13.2 km long cable car cannot only have a tower at each end because the weight of the cable and the cars would pull the cable down so far that it would be touching the ground. Cable cars have to have a tower every few hundred meters and each time the rope and car have to pass over the tower, there is friction. This means the motor has to work harder and becomes less efficient. A longer cable would need more towers, which would result in more friction. All of the weight of the cable and the friction means that the longer the cable, the slower the cable car. These days, more cities are turning to cable cars. Cable cars are fairly slow, and a fair amount of money is needed to build their towers, but they actually have a lot of advantages over a city’s regular transportation network. The top speed of an urban cable car might only be 10 km/h, which is very slow when compared to a subway or bus network, but there are other factors that need to be taken into account. A subway system costs far more to build than a cable car system. A bus network is affected by traffic far more than a cable car system. A bus network can move roughly 1,800 people an hour, depending on the time of day. A cable car system can move up to 8,000 people an hour. A subway system can move up to 35,000 people an hour. However, the subway system costs far more to build and both the bus system and the subway system are far worse for the environment than a cable car system. I wonder if more cities will implement cable car systems in the future.
Questions:
- What is the length of the longest operational section of the Norsjö ropeway?
a) 20 km
b) 13.2 km
c) 50 km
d) 96 km - Why was the Norsjö ropeway initially constructed?
a) To transport tourists
b) To transport fuel and rubber during World War 2
c) To connect cities
d) For sightseeing - How long was the entire Norsjö ropeway before most of it was decommissioned?
a) 30 km
b) 50 km
c) 96 km
d) 13.2 km - What are the main factors that limit the length of cable cars?
a) Height and wind
b) Weight of the cable and friction over towers
c) Passenger comfort
d) Safety concerns - How much does one kilometer of steel cable weigh in the Norsjö ropeway?
a) 10 tons
b) 20 tons
c) 30.6 tons
d) 40 tons - What problem does friction cause in cable car systems?
a) It stops the cable
b) It creates noise
c) It slows the cable car and requires more power
d) It damages the cars - Why are cities considering cable cars as part of their transport networks?
a) They are fast
b) They are cheap to build, avoid traffic, and are environmentally friendly
c) They can carry more people than trains
d) They look good - What is the top speed of an urban cable car?
a) 5 km/h
b) 10 km/h
c) 20 km/h
d) 50 km/h - How many people can a cable car system transport per hour compared to buses?
a) Fewer than buses
b) About the same
c) More than buses
d) More than subways - What is the environmental impact of cable cars compared to other city transportation?
a) They are worse for the environment
b) They are better because they produce less pollution
c) They have no impact
d) They require a lot of energy
Answers:
- b) 13.2 km
- b) To transport fuel and rubber during World War 2
- c) 96 km
- b) Weight of the cable and friction over towers
- c) 30.6 tons
- c) It slows the cable car and requires more power
- b) They are cheap to build, avoid traffic, and are environmentally friendly
- b) 10 km/h
- c) More than buses
- b) They are better because they produce less pollution
Article from here: https://ilearnedthistoday.com/index.php/2024/09/08/how-long-can-a-cable-car-be/
