Practice #2
Writing in complete sentences

Each of the following passages contains one fragment. Make it into a complete sentence. Rewrite where necessary.

1. When the federal government created the semipublic, federally subsidized National Railroad Passenger Corporation in 1970. U.S. railroads got a new lease on life. The corporation, Amtrak, is financed by federal subsidies and several participating railroads.

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2. There has been an impressive rise in passenger use. While Amtrak still depends on federal subsidies for 28 percent of its operating budget. Initially Amtrak was only in the high-density corridors of Boston-New York-Washington, Los Angeles-San Diego, and Miami-Orlando-Tampa, but now it has expanded into several other states.

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3. One of the more successful train rides in the U.S. is the car-train that connects suburban Washington, D.C. with Florida. You can actually put your car on the train, spend the night on the train and arrive in Florida the next morning. Arriving in Florida relaxed and ready for vacation. Driving, it would take about two days.

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4. One of the most interesting train rides in the world is through the channel tunnel, connecting England and France. From London to Paris in about three hours! It cost in excess of $14 billion, but it's an interesting ride! Believe it or not, the French Emperor Napoleon talked of building a tunnel, but wanted to use it to invade England!

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5. You've probably heard about the famous Orient Express. Perhaps the most famous train in the world, it was inaugurated in 1833. Carrying the rich and powerful from Paris to Istanbul over a spectacularly scenic route. In 1977, the fabled Orient Express made its last run.

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6. In Japan, the Shinkansen bullet trains. Introduced in 1964, these trains criss cross densely populated Japan at speeds of 125 miles per hour and more. It's hard to believe, but tests of new bullet trains in 1999 showed the trains traveling more than 625 miles per hour.

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7. These new trains in Japan are called Maglev trains. Maglev trains use very high-strength magnets to propel the train. There is very little resistance because the trains actually levitate, or float above the ground. Traveling without wheels.

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8. Another unusual railroad project that involves a tunnel. That is the Bering Strait Tunnel project. It is a plan to connect 75 percent of the world's population by constructing a railroad link between Alaska and Siberia. This would give Canada and the U.S. access to the vast resources of Siberia.

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