Free levelled English reading practice. Read for meaning first, then use the full Speed Reading tool to time yourself and track your progress.
The Panama Canal cuts across the narrow Isthmus of Panama, linking the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Before it opened, ships travelling between the east and west coasts of the Americas often had to make the long and dangerous journey around Cape Horn at the bottom of South America. A French company began a canal project in the 1880s but failed because of engineering difficulties, financial problems and deadly diseases. The United States later took over construction, while major public-health campaigns reduced yellow fever and malaria. The canal opened in 1914. Ships are raised and lowered through locks so they can cross the higher interior of Panama. In 1999, control of the canal passed fully to Panama. An expansion completed in 2016 allowed larger ships to use it. The canal remains a crucial route for international trade, although drought and changing rainfall can affect the amount of water available for its locks.
Comprehension questions
What two oceans does the Panama Canal link?
Why did the French project fail?
When did the canal open?
What do the locks do?
What environmental issue can affect canal operations?
