Question
The table below gives information about the underground railway system in six cities. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.| City | Date opened | Kilometres of route | Passengers per year (in millions) |
|---|---|---|---|
| London | 1863 | 394 | 775 |
| Paris | 1900 | 199 | 1191 |
| Tokyo | 1927 | 155 | 1927 |
| Washington DC | 1976 | 126 | 144 |
| Kyoto | 1981 | 11 | 45 |
| Los Angeles | 2001 | 28 | 50 |
| City | Date opened | Kms of route | Pgr per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| London | 1863 | 394 | 775 |
| Paris | 1900 | 199 | 1191 |
| Tokyo | 1927 | 155 | 1927 |
| DC | 1976 | 126 | 144 |
| Kyoto | 1981 | 11 | 45 |
| LA | 2001 | 28 | 50 |
Model Answer
The table shows the extent and usage of six subway systems along with the date they opened. It can be clearly seen that the older networks generally have more passengers.
Paris, London and Tokyo are all at least 90 years old. Of these, London is the oldest having been built in 1863. All three have extensive networks, averaging around 250 kilometres of route each, with London heading the list at 394. In terms of passengers, London is surpassed by Tokyo and Paris. Tokyo carries almost two billion passengers annually, which is as much as Paris and London combined.
The other subway systems are relatively new; Washington, Kyoto and LA were built in 1976, 1981, and 2001 respectively. The newer metros have shorter routes, averaging just 55 kilometres each. Washington is the longest overall, covering 126 kilometres. Correspondingly, it also has the most passengers of the newer systems with 144 million a year, three times that of both Kyoto and Los Angeles but still far fewer than the older networks.
(169 words)