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Water Transport

The idea of traveling by water probably came to people when they watched logs and leaves float down a river. After land, water has been the second most popular medium of transportation used by humans. Early humans built simple rafts, which were improved upon in every way over thousands of years.

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Rafts or planks of wood were probably the earliest modes of transportation by water. The earliest boat found dates back to 6300 bc. The boat was a hollowed-out tree trunk, also called a dugout. Some people sailed coracles, which were boats made of animal skin stretched over a wooden frame. Oars changed water transport. They allowed people to decide where they wanted to go, rather than depend on the current. Around 4000 bc, the Egyptians made long narrow boats powered by many oarsmen.

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By 3000 BC, people knew how to tie a cotton sail. Sails allowed people to use wind power instead of muscle power. Now people used ships for trade. By 1200 BC, the Phoenicians and Greeks built trading ships that had special places to store the cargo. By 500 bc, they had ships with two masts.

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Early ships had to sail close to shore as the sailors could not find their way in open sea. By about 100 bc, technology improved and the sailors could navigate with gadgets like the astrolabe. The early Chinese used a spoon much like a compass. Sailors from other countries also used a lodestone, which is a natural compass. By the twelfth century, the magnetic compass was in use. As the science of cartography (mapping) improved in the Middle Ages, getting lost was less of a risk for sailors. In 1757, the sextant, a device to measure latitude, was invented.

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American seaman Joshua Slocum was the first man to sail around the world single-handedly. He started off from Boston on 24 April 1895, and returned to Newport, Rhode Island on 27 June 1898, having sailed 74,000 kilometers (46,000 miles) in over three years.

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The hovercraft can travel on water and land. It stays suspended a few centimeters above the ground or water surface with the help of an air cushion that it creates by the thrust of its jet engines. It is used as a fast patrol boat by the police and military of several countries and also for water sports.

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A titanic disaster

The Titanic was a British luxury liner that weighed 46,000 gross tons. It was one of the grandest ships ever built, and was believed to be unsinkable. On its first voyage from Southampton to New York City, it struck an iceberg about 153 kilometers (95 miles) south of Newfoundland around midnight on 14 April 1912. It sank in less than three hours, taking about 1,513 of the 2,220 people on board with it.

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A submarine is a ship that can be entirely submerged underwater. Submarines became popular during World War II since they could launch surprise attacks on enemy vessels. Early submarines had to surface often to replenish their oxygen supply. Today, submarines use nuclear power or liquid oxygen to propel their engines and can stay underwater for several months.

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Water craft can be used for virtually any purpose now. There are car ferries and tugboats and water sports vehicles like rowing boats, kayaks, yachts and motorboats. Most big ships carry cargo from one port to another, but there are luxury ships called cruisers which carry many tourists at a time.

3. Дайте відповіді на запитання.

1. What were the first boats like?

2. When were the first sails used?

3. How did ships navigate?

4. Who was the first person to sail around the world single-handedly?

5. What is a hovercraft?

6. What are submarines?

7. What are ships used for today?

8. What was one of the grandest ships ever built?

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