29.1 After reading the following text, write a question for the answer about maglev trains: No, they don’t use wheels. They move on a cushion of air.

MAGLEV TRAINS

■ High speed
Over the years, technology has revolutionised our daily lives in many ways: new tools help us to work, study, entertain, communicate, and move from one place to another, making life easier, faster and safer.
In our century, a new means of transport is likely to completely change transportation, just like airplanes did in the previous century. High speed trains have already become a reality in most developed countries, but a real revolution in this sector is being brought about by maglev trains.

■ The main characteristics of maglev trains
Maglev stands for magnetic levitation; this is the technology the trains use to move instead of wheels. The trains float on a cushion of air, which eliminates friction, and electromagnets levitate the train so that it hovers just above the guideway. Magnets on top of the guideway repel magnets having the same polarity in the bottom of the maglev and this pushes the train upward into a hovering position. This system has three components: a huge electrical power source, metal coils lining a guideway or track, and large guidance magnets attached to the underside of the track.

■ Pros and cons
Compared to conventional trains, maglev trains have superior control and safety: even though they can reach a speed of 600 km per hour, they are able to stop quickly and produce less noise than other means of transport. What’s more, they pollute less as they use electricity and can run on solar, wind, and other renewable resources.
Unfortunately, even though they do not require a lot of maintenance, they cannot use existing train rails, so new infrastructures have to be built, and this makes the cost of these new trains even higher. aperta

29.2 After reading the text in the previous exercise, write a question for the answer about maglev trains: There is no friction because electromagnets levitate the train above the guideways.
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29.3 After reading the text in the Exercise 29.1, write a question for the answer about maglev trains: The repulsion force of similar magnetic poles makes the train hover.
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29.4 After reading the text in the Exercise 29.1, write a question for the answer about maglev trains: 600 km/h.
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29.5 After reading the text in the Exercise 29.1, write a question for the answer about maglev trains: Because they use renewable resouces.
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29.6 After reading the text in the Exercise 29.1, write a question for the answer about maglev trains: No, they aren’t, because installation costs are high.
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