Learn English > English lessons and exercises > English test #90004: Merchant Navy

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Merchant Navy

The Merchant Navy

A ship in a storm


A sailing vessel, ship
A mast
A yard
The sails
The rigging
A coil of rope
A three master
Under full canvas
The wake
To tack about
To drift

A shipyard

To launch

To fit out

To man

The home port

To be moored

The quay - The wharf

The docks

The harbour

A pier - a jetty

A lighthouse

A tug

To tow - to tug

A channel

A buoy

To sail

To be bound for

To head to open sea

To call at / To put in at

A canal

A barge

The tow-path

A lock

A sluice

A ferry

A ferryman

The casualties

To collide with

To spring a leak

A lifejacket

A lifeboat

A raft

To be wrecked

A shipwreck

A wreck

To sink

Disabled

To run aground, ashore

To be washed overboard

To be drowned

To capsize

To be adrift

To lower the boats

To be sea sick

A distress sign

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Sailing vessels are becoming fewer and fewer. They have and yards which support the sails, the whole being worked by means of the rigging. The number of coils of rope on the deck must be confusing! A flying under full canvas, leaving a long wake behind her, used to be such a grand sight! On the other hand, when the winds were contrary, she had to tack about and when there was no wind at all she might drift dangerously. Ships are built in shipyards. The launching of a ship is always a great affair. After being launched, ships must be fitted out, then manned. A ship has a home port. It is moored alongside the quay (or wharf) or in the . The harbour is protected by a pier or jetty, at the end of which rises the . A tug tows the ship out of the docks. The channel is marked by buoys, The ship sails out of the harbour, bound for some overseas destination. It soon stands to sea and sails away. Inland navigation still plays an important part in the traffic of goods. Formerly barges used to be towed along rivers and by horses following the tow-path. They are now mostly self-propelled. Locks, with opening and closing sluices, are used to raise or lower from one level to another. When no bridge can be built over a river, a ferry(-boat) will convey the passengers across. The man in charge of it is the ferryman. Accidents are not uncommon at sea, and casualties are often heavy. A ship may with another ship and spring a leak. Then the sailors put on their and hurry to the lifeboats and rafts. They must get away before the ship is wrecked. The greatest in history was the one of the Titanic which sank on its maiden voyage. If a ship is disabled it may run aground. What is left of her is called a wreck. During a storm a sailor may be washed overboard and be .

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