I. Fill in the blanks with the correct words.

1. Agricultural and industrial products must be moved to ___and ports, just as raw materials and labour must be transported to the _____ .

2. In the Middle Ages river transport played a major role in the British transport system, because all the large towns of the time were situated on ___ rivers.

3. Once coastal shipping was the most important form of transport to move ___from North-East England to London, but now most coastal shipping is passenger-carrying.

4. As industrialization continued the canals were found inadequate to cope with the volume of ___, and railways were built to cope with the problem.

5. Gradually railways took the place of the canals, and towns grew up and developed at railway ___and along the main lines.

6. As roads were improved, and motor vehicles became faster, more reliable and more numerous, with the advantage of door-to-door delivery, many railway lines lost ___ and became ___to run.

7. The real importance of the road system did not emerge until the early 20th century, when the ___of the motor-car created a revolution in ___ transport.

8. In order to pay for these goods Britain must export her ___ goods to other countries throughout the world.

9. Of great importance for the port activity are___, when the rising water reaches its maximum mark.

10. Due to the ___ many towns which are situated dozens of kilometres from the coast have become sea ports.

II. Complete the sentences with the best answer (a, b or c).

1. During the 20th century needs have changed again, so that emphasis is placed not only upon ease of communications but also

a) quality of communications.

b) speed of communications.

c) diversity of communications.

2. The construction of the railways after 1830 meant the gradual decline of waterways, many canals were no longer used for commercial traffic, but for

a) passenger traffic.

b) freight traffic.

c) pleasure boating.

3. Railways were speedier, in many respects more flexible, and also were a more convenient means of transporting goods to and from

a) importing ports.

b) exporting ports.

c) foreign ports.

4. The first public railway, between Stockton and Darlington, was opened in 1825, in

a) northern England.

b) southern England.

c) south-eastern England.

5. Although the modern network is really a product of the last two centuries, the pattern of roads in Britain still bears traces of

a) the Norman road network.

b) the Roman road network.

c) the Anglo-Saxon road network.

6. Built, in the first place, to link settlements, such roads formed long distance links which were not the most

a) speedy.

b) direct or efficient.

c) profitable.

7. By the end of the 19th century dependence on trade had become so great that Britain was conducting more than one-third of world trade in

a) raw materials.

b) manufactured goods.

c) consumer goods.

8. The most striking development in the field of transport in recent years has been the growth of

a) motor vehicle traffic.

b) air traffic.

c) shipping.