The US Standard railroad gauge (distance between the rails) is 4 feet, 8.5 inches. That’s an exceedingly odd number. Why was that gauge used? Because that’s the way they built them in England, and the US railroads were built by English expatriates. Why did the English people build them like that? Because the first rail lines were built by the same people who built the pre-railroad tramways, and that’s the gauge they used. Why did «they» use that gauge then? Because the people who built the tramways used the same jigs and tools that they used for building wagons, which used that wheel spacing. Why did the wagons use that odd wheel spacing? Well, if they tried to use any other spacing the wagons would break on the old long distance roads, because that’s the spacing of the old wheel ruts. So who built these old rutted roads? The first long distance roads in Europe were built by Imperial Rome for the benefit of their legions. The roads have been used ever since. And the ruts? The initial ruts, which everyone else had to match for fear of destroying their wagons, were first made by Roman war chariots. Since the chariots were made for or by Imperial Rome they were all alike in the matter of wheel spacing. Thus, we have the answer to the original questions. The United States standard railroad gauge of 4 feet, 8.5 inches derives from the original specification for an Imperial Roman army war chariot. Specs and Bureaucracies live forever. So, the next time you are handed a specification and wonder what horse’s behind came up with it, you may be exactly right. Because the Imperial Roman chariots were made to be just wide enough to accommodate the back-ends of two warhorses.
Проект на английском языке на тему здоровое питание.
To eat out of one's hand перевод.
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- Значение идиомы by inches[by inches] {adv. phr.} By small or slow degrees; little by little; gradually. The river was rising by inches. They got a heavy wooden beam under the barn for a lever, and managed to move it by inches. He was dying by inches....
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- Перевод слова distanceDistance — расстояние, дистанция Перевод слова Air-line distance — расстояние по прямой free distance — зазор, просвет the station is no distance at all — до станции рукой подать Our oxen scented the water at a Distance. Наш скот издали почуял воду. I heard thunder grumbling in the Distance. Я слышал, как вдалеке грохочет гром. ... Читать далее...
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- Shopping for a TelevisionByung: This is what I’m talking about! It’s time To upgrade to a Big-screen TV and this is the perfect place to buy one. Nelly: They certainly have a large Selection. These new TVs have Pictures that are much Sharper than our current one. Byung: There’s no Comparison. These new TVs have a much better ... Читать далее...
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- Значение идиомы Roman collar[Roman collar] {n.} The high, plain, white collar worn by priestsand clergymen. The man with the Roman collar is the newEpiscopalian preacher. Many Protestant churches do not requiretheir ministers to wear Roman collars....
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- Значение идиомы put one’s shoulder to the wheel[put one’s shoulder to the wheel] {v. phr.} To make a great effortyourself or with others; try hard; cooperate. The effort to get anew high school succeeded because everyone put his shoulder to thewheel. The company was failing in business until a new manager puthis shoulder to the wheel....
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It goes way back