b Read the text and complete it with the missing words.
Nowadays, there 0) so many means of transport, from
bicycles and buses to sports cars and jet airplanes, that
travellers arc spoilt for choice. In fact, 1)..... of us don’t even think
about how we travel; plane or train, it doesn’t matter. Because, at the
end of the day, it’s just about getting 2)..... one place to the other.
There are, however, some means of transport that have made an
impression on people and have taken 3)....... place in history. One
means of transport that truly won 4)...... hearts of many Americans
was the river steamboat. A steamboat, as its name indicates, is a boat
that is powered 5)....... steam. The steam rotates a paddlewheel or
propeller that in turn causes the boat to move forward.
In the 18th century, there were many attempts to build better
vessels, but it wasn’t until 1807 that the first successful steamboat,
The Clermont, made a commercial voyage. These riverboats became
popular 6)........ the next few years and were used to transport
passengers and merchandise on the major rivers of America. The
Mississippi River was especially known 7)...... its riverboats, and
Mark Twain celebrated three steamboats in his book "Life on the
Mississippi”.
Steamboats have now disappeared from most American rivers,
but they have become a symbol of the Mississippi River. Many
people think of these boats when they hear the name Mississippi.
Fortunately, a small number of 8)...... are being used today to offer
river cruises so 9)........ people can get a feel of what it's like to
travel 10) steamboat.
