©(AP Photo/Joanna Chan)
Pre-reading questions:
I will read each question. Then, please answer them.
- What do you think it feels like to walk inside a dark tunnel deep underground?
- If you could explore a secret place from the past, what kind of place would it be? Why?
Vocabulary:
I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me.
- network /NET-wurk/
- underground /UHN-der-GROUND/
- intelligence /in-TEL-i-juhns/
- conflict /kuhn-FLIKT/
- project /PROJ-ekt/
[noun] – a group or system of connected people, things, or organizations
The city built a network of bike lanes to help people travel safely.
[adverb] – below the surface of the earth; below ground
The workers went underground to fix the broken pipe.
[noun] – secret information collected about an enemy or a competitor
The army used satellite images to gather intelligence before the mission.
[noun] – a serious disagreement or fight between countries or groups
Many conflicts in the past were caused by land disputes.
[noun] – a planned piece of work or activity that is designed to achieve a particular goal
The government started a new project to build more parks in the city.
Article reading:
Please read the whole article. Then, I will check your pronunciation and intonation.
A large network of secret tunnels under London will open to the public in 2028. The tunnels are in the Holborn area, around 30 meters underground. They were built in 1940 during World War II to protect people from air attacks. At first, they were meant to shelter 8,000 people, but other places were already used when the tunnels were finished in 1942. Later, the tunnels became a secret base for the Special Operations Executive and then a communication center during the Cold War. Local authorities recently approved a plan to turn the 8,400-square-meter area into a new attraction. It will include a military intelligence museum, a World War II memorial, and one of the world’s deepest underground bars.
The tunnels were important during global conflicts. In the 1950s, they became part of a network for international telephone lines. In 1962, during the Cuban Missile Crisis, an emergency line between the United States and the Soviet Union passed through the site. Organizers hope to teach the public about intelligence work, war history, and how to recognize false information. The Military Intelligence Museum will also move its collection to the tunnels. This includes items from secret missions. Around 4.2 million people are expected to visit each year. The project will help share this important part of history with a wider audience.
The tunnels were important during global conflicts. In the 1950s, they became part of a network for international telephone lines. In 1962, during the Cuban Missile Crisis, an emergency line between the United States and the Soviet Union passed through the site. Organizers hope to teach the public about intelligence work, war history, and how to recognize false information. The Military Intelligence Museum will also move its collection to the tunnels. This includes items from secret missions. Around 4.2 million people are expected to visit each year. The project will help share this important part of history with a wider audience.
Comprehension questions
I will read each question. Then, please answer them based on the article.
- Where are the secret tunnels located?
- When will the tunnels open to the public?
- Why were the tunnels built in 1940?
- What was the new purpose of the tunnels after 1942?
- What do the organizers want to teach the public?
Discussion questions
I will read each question. Then, please answer them.
- Have you ever visited a museum about history or war? If yes, what did you see there? If not, would you like to visit one? Why or why not?
- Have you ever been to an underground place like a tunnel or cave? If yes, what did it look like? If not, would you be excited or scared to go underground? Why?
- Do you agree that old places from wartime should be opened to the public?
- Why is it important to remember events like World War II?
- How can stories from the past help people make better choices in the future?