Considering the effort and skill involved in making large canals, it’s not surprising that numerous lists of the most impressive ones have been compiled. Three that will be found on any such list are the Grand Canal, the Suez Canal, and the Panama Canal.
We’ll start with the Grand Canal. Stretching for a distance of more than 1,775 kilometers, this waterway in China links the Yellow River with the Yangtze River, making it the longest canal on the planet. In addition, with construction starting in the fourth century BCE, the Grand Canal is the oldest canal still in operation. It has served as a crucial means of transportation for grain and raw materials over centuries, and it remains an important inland waterway to this day.
When it comes to assisting international trade, two of the most vital artificial waterways are the Suez and Panama Canals. Both allow large container ships to transport goods to various parts of the world more rapidly than previously possible. Opened in 1869, the Suez Canal runs a distance of 193 kilometers and cuts through Egypt to connect the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. This allows items to be transported from Europe to Asia, and vice versa, much more conveniently.
On the other side of the world, the Panama Canal, which began operating in 1914, provides a more convenient 82-kilometer passage. It spans the distance from the west and east coasts of North America by cutting through a narrow stretch of land known as the Isthmus of Panama, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean. Without this engineering achievement, ships bound from one coast of North America to the other would need to travel an extra 13,000 kilometers and risk the dangerous conditions that accompany a journey around the tip of South America.
1. Which of the following functions of canals is NOT mentioned in the passage?
(A) For diverting water flow.
(B) For providing water for growing crops.
(C) For moving people or goods from one place to another.
(D) For generating power for countries with limited access to electricity.
2. According to the passage, which of the following statements is true?
(A) A canal lock can alter the depth of its body of water.
(B) Throughout the Middle Ages, 85% of the trade in Europe was associated with canals.
(C) The canals built by the Romans were carefully maintained even after their empire crumbled.
(D) People in ancient China were interested in canals, but their technologies were poorly developed.
3. Which comparison made among the Grand Canal, the Suez Canal, and the Panama Canal is correct?
(A) Two of the three canals opened in the 19th century.
(B) The Suez Canal came into operation about 150 years ago.
(C) The Grand Canal plays a central role in international transportation.
(D) The Panama Canal is longer than the Suez Canal, but shorter than the Grand Canal.
4. Amy just posted on her social media account about her trip. Which place did she visit, according to the passage? This morning I went on a boat tour of an amazing canal and got to see lots of massive container ships sail into its locks. I’m so amazed at how this waterway here in America can connect two of the biggest oceans in the world, especially when it’s less than 100 kilometers long. This feat of engineering is truly awe-inspiring.
(A) The Grand Canal.
(B) Canals of Venice.
(C) The Panama Canal.
(D) The Suez Canal.
