Tomake the route shorter and safer, it was decided to build a canal.Panama was chosen because it is the narrowest country in theAmericas. The French started building the canal as early as 1880, buttheir attempt failed after 21,900 people died of diseases andaccidents. The Americans finally completed the project, and thePanama Canal opened in 1914. A total of about 27,500 people had diedin building the 77-kilometer (48-mile) canal, but it has made travelby ship much safer and has become one of the world’s most importantshipping lanes.

   About14,000 ships go through the canal every year, and by 2002, it wasestimated that about 800,000 ships had passed through it. Becausemost of the canal is about 26 meters above sea level, three locks (alittle like water elevators) lift ships up to the canal on one sideand lower them on the other. Ships of all sizes use the locks, fromlarge commercial container ships to small private yachts.

    Sinceit opened, the Panama Canal has been very successful and has enjoyedan enormous impact on shipping between the two oceans. Today it isstill as important as it ever was for world maritime trade, and itsimportance will continue for many decades, until a larger canal isbuilt. (文章來源:Success With Reading / Cosmos)