How Tunnels Are Drilled Through Mountains

An illustrated inventions story from Wonder Inventions — free to read, with narration.

How Tunnels Are Drilled Through Mountains — an illustrated inventions story, set in France. 10 illustrated pages, free to read on Wonder Inventions.

How Tunnels Are Drilled Through Mountains — book cover — Wonder Inventions
How Tunnels Are Drilled Through Mountains — an illustrated inventions story, set in France. 10 illustrated pages, free to read on Wonder Inventions.

Page 1

Nalini bounced on her heels, watching the village marketplace bustle with activity. "Look at all these amazing things, Auntie Salma!" she exclaimed, pointing to…
Nalini bounced on her heels, watching the village marketplace bustle with activity. "Look at all these amazing things, Auntie Salma!" she exclaimed, pointing to a vendor selling brightly colored spices. Salma smiled, adjusting the strap of her bag. "It's incredible how much we can get here, so easily." Nalini furrowed her brow. "But how do they even get here? I heard the next village is on the other side of the mountain!"

Nalini bounced on her heels, watching the village marketplace bustle with activity. "Look at all these amazing things, Auntie Salma!" she exclaimed, pointing to a vendor selling brightly colored spices. Salma smiled, adjusting the strap of her bag. "It's incredible how much we can get here, so easily." Nalini furrowed her brow. "But how do they even get here? I heard the next village is on the other side of the mountain!"

Page 2

"It's a long and difficult journey," Salma sighed. "They have to go all the way around. Imagine if there was a tunnel straight through!" Nalini's eyes widened.
"It's a long and difficult journey," Salma sighed. "They have to go all the way around. Imagine if there was a tunnel straight through!" Nalini's eyes widened. "A tunnel? Through a mountain? How is that even possible?" she grabbed her worn leather notebook, already scribbling furiously. "Come on, Auntie! We need to check my invention encyclopedia!"

"It's a long and difficult journey," Salma sighed. "They have to go all the way around. Imagine if there was a tunnel straight through!" Nalini's eyes widened. "A tunnel? Through a mountain? How is that even possible?" she grabbed her worn leather notebook, already scribbling furiously. "Come on, Auntie! We need to check my invention encyclopedia!"

Page 3

Back in her room, surrounded by science posters and model rockets, Nalini flipped open the glowing pages of her encyclopedia. The room began to shimmer.
Back in her room, surrounded by science posters and model rockets, Nalini flipped open the glowing pages of her encyclopedia. The room began to shimmer. "Tunnels through mountains...it says here that they use giant machines called tunnel boring machines!" Nalini exclaimed. Salma gasped as the room dissolved into swirling colors, and the familiar marketplace faded away. "Where are we going now, Nalini?"

Back in her room, surrounded by science posters and model rockets, Nalini flipped open the glowing pages of her encyclopedia. The room began to shimmer. "Tunnels through mountains...it says here that they use giant machines called tunnel boring machines!" Nalini exclaimed. Salma gasped as the room dissolved into swirling colors, and the familiar marketplace faded away. "Where are we going now, Nalini?"

Page 4

They landed with a gentle thump in a muddy field. "1853... France?" Nalini read aloud from a signpost. The air buzzed with activity.
They landed with a gentle thump in a muddy field. "1853... France?" Nalini read aloud from a signpost. The air buzzed with activity. Men in dusty overalls hauled equipment, while others shouted instructions in French. Salma shielded her eyes from the sun. "It looks like they're building something, Nalini. But what?"

They landed with a gentle thump in a muddy field. "1853... France?" Nalini read aloud from a signpost. The air buzzed with activity. Men in dusty overalls hauled equipment, while others shouted instructions in French. Salma shielded her eyes from the sun. "It looks like they're building something, Nalini. But what?"

Page 5

A man with a handlebar mustache approached them, wiping sweat from his brow. "Bonjour, mesdemoiselles!" he said. "I am Marc Brunel, and we are building a…
A man with a handlebar mustache approached them, wiping sweat from his brow. "Bonjour, mesdemoiselles!" he said. "I am Marc Brunel, and we are building a tunnel!" Nalini's eyes lit up. "Through the mountain? How? We use a tunneling shield! It's a massive iron structure that supports the earth as we dig, one section at a time!"

A man with a handlebar mustache approached them, wiping sweat from his brow. "Bonjour, mesdemoiselles!" he said. "I am Marc Brunel, and we are building a tunnel!" Nalini's eyes lit up. "Through the mountain? How? We use a tunneling shield! It's a massive iron structure that supports the earth as we dig, one section at a time!"

Page 6

Brunel led them into the tunnel. It was dark and damp, supported by heavy timbers. "Each section is built with brick, so the tunnel will last forever," he…
Brunel led them into the tunnel. It was dark and damp, supported by heavy timbers. "Each section is built with brick, so the tunnel will last forever," he explained, pointing to the newly laid brickwork. Nalini scribbled in her notebook. "But it must be dangerous! What if the tunnel collapses?" Brunel smiled grimly. "It is dangerous. But, as Thomas Jefferson said, 'With great risk comes great reward.' We will connect these villages together!"

Brunel led them into the tunnel. It was dark and damp, supported by heavy timbers. "Each section is built with brick, so the tunnel will last forever," he explained, pointing to the newly laid brickwork. Nalini scribbled in her notebook. "But it must be dangerous! What if the tunnel collapses?" Brunel smiled grimly. "It is dangerous. But, as Thomas Jefferson said, 'With great risk comes great reward.' We will connect these villages together!"

Page 7

"It took years of planning, setbacks, and financial worries to make this possible. At its peak, more than 3500 people were working on the tunnel!" Brunel…
"It took years of planning, setbacks, and financial worries to make this possible. At its peak, more than 3500 people were working on the tunnel!" Brunel explained. "The final cost was almost 200 million francs!" Salma gasped. "That's an incredible amount of money!" Nalini nodded. "But think of all the lives it will change! People will travel quicker, communicate easier, and trade more efficiently!"

"It took years of planning, setbacks, and financial worries to make this possible. At its peak, more than 3500 people were working on the tunnel!" Brunel explained. "The final cost was almost 200 million francs!" Salma gasped. "That's an incredible amount of money!" Nalini nodded. "But think of all the lives it will change! People will travel quicker, communicate easier, and trade more efficiently!"

Page 8

Nalini noticed a small hand-operated winch near one of the bricklaying stations. "What's this for?" she asked, pointing.
Nalini noticed a small hand-operated winch near one of the bricklaying stations. "What's this for?" she asked, pointing. Brunel explained, "It's a small model that helps us lift heavy bricks. We realized that by adjusting the gear ratios, we could move heavier objects faster! It was a very small improvement on its own, but essential when it came to saving costs on large volumes of supplies!" Nalini beamed. 'I get it! Small changes can still have huge effects!'

Nalini noticed a small hand-operated winch near one of the bricklaying stations. "What's this for?" she asked, pointing. Brunel explained, "It's a small model that helps us lift heavy bricks. We realized that by adjusting the gear ratios, we could move heavier objects faster! It was a very small improvement on its own, but essential when it came to saving costs on large volumes of supplies!" Nalini beamed. 'I get it! Small changes can still have huge effects!'

Page 9

Suddenly, the ground began to tremble. A worker shouted, "Cave-in!" Brunel grabbed Nalini and Salma. "We must go! Now!" They raced back through the tunnel as…
Suddenly, the ground began to tremble. A worker shouted, "Cave-in!" Brunel grabbed Nalini and Salma. "We must go! Now!" They raced back through the tunnel as the roof began to collapse behind them. With a final surge of light, they were back in Nalini's room.

Suddenly, the ground began to tremble. A worker shouted, "Cave-in!" Brunel grabbed Nalini and Salma. "We must go! Now!" They raced back through the tunnel as the roof began to collapse behind them. With a final surge of light, they were back in Nalini's room.

Page 10

Back in her room, Nalini excitedly closed the encyclopedia. "Auntie, can you believe it? They built a tunnel through a mountain!" Salma chuckled.
Back in her room, Nalini excitedly closed the encyclopedia. "Auntie, can you believe it? They built a tunnel through a mountain!" Salma chuckled. "It seems impossible, but they did it!" Nalini grabbed her scooter. "Now I understand! Even small changes, like gears, can make big things possible! I'm going to go see if I can build a miniature tunnel boring machine!" "Be careful," Salma called out.

Back in her room, Nalini excitedly closed the encyclopedia. "Auntie, can you believe it? They built a tunnel through a mountain!" Salma chuckled. "It seems impossible, but they did it!" Nalini grabbed her scooter. "Now I understand! Even small changes, like gears, can make big things possible! I'm going to go see if I can build a miniature tunnel boring machine!" "Be careful," Salma called out. "And remember, as Amelia Earhart said, 'The most effective way to do it, is to do it.'"

About this story

  • Location: France
  • Audience: kids (ages 6–12)

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