# New engineering designs Scottish case study - 科目：雅思听力真题（Part 4） - 考频：超高频 - 最近考试：2024.8.17 - 题目数：10 - 来源页：https://www.yaquan.site/paper/4c63635b-2a07-4f9e-822e-d49cc3bdce4a（在线机考练习与音频请访问该页面） - 数据更新：2026-10-29 ## 题目原文 00:00:00,960 Good morning, everyone. In the last lecture, we discussed innovation in engineering design. And today I want to look at a case study. I'll be talking about an engineering project which was recently carried out in Scotland to restore two old waterways, canals in fact, and then link them together. I'll talk about the design features, but first I'll tell you a little bit about the historical background of the project. One of these canals, called the Forth and Clyde, opened in seventeen ninety, and it's the oldest of Scotland's canals. The other, the Union Canal, opened in eighteen twenty-two. Although the two canals were built at different levels, together they enabled vessels to travel from west to east across central Scotland. This is because the canals were connected near a town called Falkirk by a complicated system of locks, which have steps and gates allowing boats to move from one level to another. However, from eighteen forty-two, the two canals faced serious competition when the railway opened which served the same cross-country route. After that, their use declined steadily, and in the nineteen thirties, the locks at Falkirk were demolished. Times change, however. Moving on now to the turn of the millennium, Scotland embarked on an ambitious new project. The aim was to upgrade the country's infrastructure, especially in the area of transport. There was a multimillion-pound budget for this. It was a very big investment indeed. And in fact, the whole project was just one part of a long-term plan which had been developed to stimulate the national economy. And amongst other things, it involved restoring the two old canals and bringing them back into use. However, there was one major challenge as I mentioned just now. The Forth and Clyde Canal lies below the level of the Union Canal. There's a thirty-five meter difference and the lock had been destroyed. So the problem was how to get boats from one level to the other. Whatever kind of solution was chosen, it was felt that it should be really innovative and imaginative, a fitting way to mark the beginning of a new millennium. The resulting structure was a mechanical lift for boats. And because it rotates, it was called the Falkirk Wheel. The Falkirk Wheel was completed in two thousand and two, and it was the first structure of its kind, an engineering innovation. The structure consists of two very large tanks, each large enough to contain a boat, in fact. These are fixed onto opposite sides of a vertical arm. Basically, what happens is that the arm lowers one boat from the higher canal to the canal below. And at the same time, it raises another boat from the lower canal to the level of the upper canal. 00:03:18,360 How does this work? Well, the tanks are mounted in such a way that they stay in a horizontal plane. 00:03:25,980 As one boat, together with the water that it floats in, sails into the upper tank, another floating boat simultaneously enters the lower tank. The system works on scientific principles which ensure that the weight of each boat plus the water that it floats in will be equal to the other. 00:03:46,260 So once the boats have entered the tank, the arm rotates. And because the tanks are in balance, only a very small amount of energy is required for this rotation. 00:03:58,460 Engineers generally agree that the Falkirk Wheel is highly functional. It's also visually stunning. It's an unusual shape. It looks very attractive with a lot of curves. In fact, it almost looks like a sculpture. 00:04:15,660 So where was the Falkirk Wheel manufactured? Well, it was produced entirely off-site at a place in England about three hundred and seventy kilometers away. It was constructed from steel, one thousand two hundred tons of it. It was also very strong. For example, the joints were bolted together as well as being welded. This was because a lot of stress would be placed on them by the weight of the boats and the water. Over fifteen thousand bolts were used and each one was tightened by hand. Of course, since it's been in use, the design has been tested on an ongoing basis. And it may be... ## 题目与答案 ### 31. Historical background ·1790: opening of the Forth and Clyde Canal (Scotland`s 31_____ canal) Historical background ·1790: opening of the Forth and Clyde Canal (Scotland`s 31_____ canal) **答案**：oldest 原文定位：the Forth and Clyde, opened in seventeen ninety, and it's the oldest of Scotland's canals ### 32. ·1822: opening of the Union Canal ·The two canals allowed boats to cross the 32_____ part of Scotland ·1822: opening of the Union Canal ·The two canals allowed boats to cross the 32_____ part of Scotland **答案**：central 原文定位：enabled vessels to travel from west to east across central Scotland ### 33. ·Locks(steps) connected the two cannals near Falkirk ·1842: competition from a new 33_____ ·1930s: the locks were demolished ·Locks(steps) connected the two cannals near Falkirk ·1842: competition from a new 33_____ ·1930s: the locks were demolished **答案**：railway 原文定位：faced serious competition when the railway opened which served the same cross-country route ### 34. Millennium Project ·Aim: to improve Scotland`s 34_____ Millennium Project ·Aim: to improve Scotland`s 34_____ **答案**：economy 原文定位：long‑term plan which had been developed to stimulate the national economy 同义替换：「improve」↔「stimulate」 ### 35. ·The long-term goal - to strengthen the Scottish 35_____ ·Involved restoration of the two canals ·Problem: one canal is 35m lower than the other ·The long-term goal - to strengthen the Scottish 35_____ ·Involved restoration of the two canals ·Problem: one canal is 35m lower than the other **答案**：transport 原文定位：upgrade the country's infrastructure, especially in the area of transport 同义替换：「strengthen」↔「upgrade」 ### 36. The Falkirk Wheel (a mechanical lift) ·Completed in 2002 ·Two large tanks are attached to the ends of an arm ·The tanks are designed to remain in a 36_____ position. The Falkirk Wheel (a mechanical lift) ·Completed in 2002 ·Two large tanks are attached to the ends of an arm ·The tanks are designed to remain in a 36_____ position. **答案**：horizontal 原文定位：the tanks are mounted in such a way that they stay in a horizontal plane 同义替换：「remain」↔「stay」；「position」↔「plane」 ### 37. ·A boat sails into each tank ·The weight of the tanks with their contents is always 37_____ . ·A boat sails into each tank ·The weight of the tanks with their contents is always 37_____ . **答案**：equal 原文定位：ensure that the weight of each boat plus the water that it floats in will be equal to the other ### 38. ·Little energy is needed to rotate the arm ·Visual quality - resembles a 38_____ ·Little energy is needed to rotate the arm ·Visual quality - resembles a 38_____ **答案**：sculpture 原文定位：In fact, it almost looks like a sculpture ### 39. Manufacturing ·All the parts were constructed off-site ·1,200 tonnes of 39_____ were used Manufacturing ·All the parts were constructed off-site ·1,200 tonnes of 39_____ were used **答案**：steel 原文定位：It was constructed from steel, one thousand two hundred tons of it ### 40. ·Joints were bolted and welded to reduce the effects of 40_____ . ·Joints were bolted and welded to reduce the effects of 40_____ . **答案**：stress 原文定位：This was because a lot of stress would be placed on them by the weight of the boats and the water --- 以上内容由鸭圈雅思真题库（www.yaquan.site）提供，收录近期雅思考试真题回忆，支持在线机考模式免费练习。