Light rail

High school (ages 12+)
Transportation

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/light-rail

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the definition category?Urban passenger rail transit, bridging tram and rapid transit characteristics
2. What is the origin of term?Coined in the United States in 1972, translating the German 'Stadtbahn'
3. How does light rail help the environment?It runs on electricity from overhead wires, so it produces no smoke or noise, keeping city air cleaner.
4. Where can light rail run?Light rail can travel on its own dedicated tracks or share streets with cars, giving cities flexibility to build routes.

Rolling Stock: The vehicles used on a railway, such as trains and trams.
Grade-Separated: Where a transportation route passes over or under another without intersecting.
Catenary System: A network of overhead wires used to supply electricity to electric trains or trams.
Urban Regeneration: The process of improving an urban area that has been run down or neglected.