Complete the text with the correct word for each blank. There are TWO words you will not need.


The London Underground, or the Tube as it is often called, is the oldest underground train in the world. Opened in 1863 there are a total of eleven lines, 270 stations and over 400 km of , making it the third longest subway system in the world. The London Underground carries over a billion passengers a year, or about 3 million every day. The deepest stations are over 60 metres below the , however 55% of the tracks run above it.

In the 1830s London’s had the idea of linking the centre of London with the large train stations which were located farther away. In 1863 the first underground railway, the Metropolitan Line, opened. Wooden carriages were powered by locomotives. The system of tracks gradually expanded. By the end of the 19th century most lines used to power the trains. During World War II many tube stations were air-raid shelters where people sought during the German bombing of the city.

Over the course of history, the size of the tunnels changed, so that today, two different types of trains travel across the city. Modern bring passengers to the deep level stations of the tube. The Jubilee Line is the last line to be built. It was opened in 1979 in honour of Queen Elizabeth’s 25th as monarch. In the 1990s it was extended eastwards to the Docklands.

The London Underground normally daily between 5 a.m. and midnight. Some lines stay open throughout the night on special occasions, like New Year’s Eve. London Underground stations can get very crowded during the weekday hours. Even though the system is so large, trains usually on time. The well-known symbol of the London Underground, a red circle with a blue bar, was developed at the beginning of the 20th century and has not changed much since then.

Some of London’s Underground stations are buildings which have a special architectural value. Many original stations have been and look similar to the way they did over a century ago. Although so many people use the underground every day, the record of the system is very good.