Russian Railways president Vladimir Yakunin recently presented his proposal to build a transcontinental superhighway through Russia that would link the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.

A massive project has been proposed that could provide a ground link for Europe, and the U.S. 

Russian Railways president Vladimir Yakunin presented his plan called Trans-Eurasian Belt Development at a recent meeting of the Russian Academy of Sciences in Moscow. 

In it, he envisions a new road, rail, and utility system that will span the entire length of Russia, estimated at around 6,200 miles, and could connect with existing systems in Europe and the U.S. for continuous travel from the Atlantic to the Pacific oceans.

No details were provided on how it would link Russia with Alaska, a 55-mile long distance at its shortest point.

The plan’s intention is to turn the country into a zone for high-tech industries and to connect Russians in the more isolated eastern regions with other parts of the world.

Despite an estimated cost of trillions of dollars, Yakunin believes the investment would be worth the expected financial benefits including the creation of jobs, cities and 10 to 15 new industries.

Read the short version of the news and fill in the gaps with words from the original text.

Recently, at a meeting of the Russian …………… (1), the president of Russian Railways …………… (2) the building of a …………… (3) superhighway to make …………… (4) travel possible from the Atlantic to the Pacific oceans, which would connect Russians in the more …………… (5) eastern regions with other parts of the world. We have no …………… (6), however, about how it would …………… (7) Russia with Alaska.

The …………… (8) cost of the project amounts to trillions of dollars but the president thinks it would be …………… (9) making the investment because of the financial …………… (10).

Key:

1. Academy of Sciences

2. proposed

3. transcontinental

4. continuous

5. isolated

6. details

7. link

8. estimated

9. worth

10 benefits