Do the preparation task first. Then read the text and do the exercises.
Preparation
Some of the biggest and most expensive transportation projects in the world have involved building bridges. Bridges are crucial links that carry cars, trucks and trains across bodies of water, mountain gorges or other roads. As a result, they are one of the most important aspects of civil engineering and are subject to intense scrutiny, especially when they collapse.
Bridge collapses can be tragic events, leading to loss of life and serious property damage. That's why bridge engineers, designers and builders must always take their jobs very seriously. The best way for them to prevent these accidents is to understand why bridges collapse in the first place. Understanding bridge collapses can lead to major changes in the design, construction and safety of future building projects. The following are main reasons why bridges fall.
Fire
Historically, more bridges were made of wood and were much more susceptible to fire. This was particularly true of old-fashioned train bridges, where the spark created by the steel wheels and steel tracks could sometimes cause a bridge to catch fire and burn to the ground.
During construction
A large number of bridge accidents occur during the construction of the bridge itself. These accidents are often due to an error made by the engineers, such as a miscalculation. The bridge collapses under its own weight, and this can be deadly for the workers on it at the time.
Earthquakes
Earthquakes damage all structures, including bridges. Luckily, this kind of collapse is relatively infrequent, especially with modern bridges. Engineers have learned to design bridges in earthquake zones on areas that are much more resistant to movement.
By defect
Some bridge collapses are mysteries, and engineers only realise why after they conduct a complete investigation. In some cases, this could happen because inferior-quality material was used in the construction, or because of a defect in a key piece of the bridge. In other cases, the bridge was designed only to support a certain amount of weight and no more.
Boat or train crash
Both of these kinds of accidents are extremely rare, but boats and trains can cause a bridge to collapse for different reasons. With trains, it's the velocity of the impact that can bring a bridge down. With boats, it's the very large mass they have that can bring about the collapse, even if they are moving very slowly when it occurs.
The best way to avoid bridge failures is to plan for them. Modern technologies that can detect structural weakness, safer working environments and better designs can all help to reduce these terrible accidents.
Version corrected and reformulated by ChatGPT.Discussion
What are some of the most famous bridges you know? Have you ever visited them?
I do not personally know any of the world's most famous bridges, as they are not as widely recognized as cities or landmarks like the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Champs-Élysées, or Hyde Park. However, I do have images of bridges in my mind from films and TV shows set in Europe or America.
Bridges have existed for thousands of years, with early civilizations like the Egyptians, Mesopotamians, and Indians using simple materials such as wood and stone to build them. At first, people made basic structures by placing tree trunks over rivers or marshy land. Later, as construction techniques improved, stone bridges were built, some of which have survived for centuries. A great example is the Arkadiko Bridge in Greece, which was constructed around the 13th century BC and is still in use today.
Many bridges around the world have become famous because of their history, impressive designs, or the cities they connect. Some of the best-known include the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, the Sydney Harbour Bridge in Australia, Tower Bridge in London, and the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge in Japan. Others, like the Millau Viaduct in France and the Brooklyn Bridge in New York, also attract millions of visitors. Each of these structures is not just a way to cross from one place to another—they are also architectural wonders that represent the cities they belong to.
One city that is not often mentioned in discussions about famous bridges is Constantine, in northeastern Algeria. It is sometimes called the "City of Bridges" because of its unique landscape, with deep gorges carved by the Rhumel River. To connect different parts of the city, several impressive bridges have been built over time, and they have become symbols of Constantine’s history and culture.
I find the bridges of Constantine fascinating because they are not only practical but also blend beautifully into the city’s natural surroundings. I would love to visit them one day and see for myself how these structures shape the daily life of the people who live there.
I know the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, the Tower Bridge in London, Brooklyn Bridge in New York and Ponte Vecchio in Florence.
For me, a bridge is not only a building made for a better mobility among two places, it has a deeper meaning inside itself: it’s like a connection that bring people to a (better) future, because the bridge links two far sides. The human effort (physical and intellectual) behind it’s relevant, and I like the idea that when we walk or drive on a bridge (short or long, it doesn’t matter) we are going towards a better future, and the builders wanted right that.
Hello! My name is Andrea and I'm from Mexico.
I only know of one famous bridge, the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. I've never been there and I actually know it for not very good reasons; I remember I was listening to the news and they mentioned that a lot of suicides happen on the Golden Gate Bridge. Also, I once saw a black and white photo that took the moment when a man jumps off the bridge.
I am from Equator, a latin-american country and here there are a lot of famous bridges. For example, I can mention the National Unity bridge which connects the cities of Duran and Guayaquil. It was inaugurated in 1970 and it supposed and advent for Guayaquil's economy development. Another very famous bridge is the one that conects Guayaquil to Santay island. A well known incident occured in 2018 where a ship collided with the bridge destroying the biggest part of it's structure. It was due a neglicting conduct of the captain who made a miscalculation in his navigation and impacted the bridge. Fortunately, there weren't loss lives but it put out of action the tourism in the Island.
I know the Bosphorus Bridge in Istanbul. It connects the European and Asian continents, so it's very famous, and I have visited it many times before.
I don’t know any famous bridges but I’d love to visit some of them someday.
Thanks for the lesson.
Great site!
The most famous bridges I know are Ponte Estaiada in Sao Paulo, Brookling and Manhattan Bridges both in New York City, Lodon Bridge in London and the beautifull Golden Gate Bridge above the Baia San Francisco in California.
The most famous bridges that I know are: Tower Bridge, Ponte Estaiada, Tacoma Narrows Bridge (that collapsed because the frequency of wind's sound), Rio-Niteroi Bridge, Golden Gate, Puente de la Mujer, Manhatam Bridge.
The most famous bridges are The London bridge, Brookyn bridge, Australian harbour bridge, Rialto bridge in Venecia, Women's bridge in Buenos Aires. I have visited only two of them.
I saw the bridge across the river Sava in Belgrade. It is not very big bridge like many in the world but it is very important for Belgrade and whole country. It connects old and new part of the city. Thousends cars, buses and trucks pass it every day. Also, there were many collapsed bridges in my country due to bombing in the end of last century