The Panama Canal: A Shortcut Across a Continent
A ship sailing from New York to San Francisco once faced a long journey around the southern tip of South America. Today, it can take a shortcut through Panama, a country on the narrow strip of land connecting North and South America. The Panama Canal links the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, saving many ships thousands of miles of travel.
A Water Staircase
The canal is not simply a ditch filled with seawater. Much of its route crosses land higher than either ocean. Ships travel through a series of locks, which are chambers with gates at each end. The locks work like steps in a water staircase.
When a ship enters a lock, the gates close behind it. Water flows into or out of the chamber, raising or lowering the ship. The gates then open, and the ship moves on. Ships are lifted to Gatun Lake, a large artificial lake created by damming the Chagres River. After crossing the lake and passing through a channel cut between hills, they are lowered toward the other ocean.
Fresh water from Gatun Lake and nearby reservoirs helps operate the locks. Rainfall is important because water used in lock passages flows toward the sea. During dry periods, canal officials may limit the number of ships or how heavily they are loaded to conserve water.
- reservoirs:
- Places where water is stored for later use.
- conserve:
- To use carefully so that less is wasted.
- construction:
- The work of building something.
- hazardous:
- Dangerous or likely to cause harm.
- machinery:
- Machines used to do work.
- transit:
- A journey through or across a place.
- engineering:
- The use of science and practical skills to design and build things.
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Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1Why is the Panama Canal a useful shortcut for ships traveling between New York and San Francisco?
- 2How do locks allow ships to cross land higher than the oceans?
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About this explanatory article passage for Upper Elementary
“The Panama Canal: A Shortcut Across a Continent” is a explanatory article reading passage about The Panama Canal, written for Upper Elementary. It takes about 4 minutes to read (540 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.