Life on British Rivers

LIFE ON THE BRITISH RIVERS
Great Britain has a lots of rivers: the Thames, Avon, Severn, Trent and Mersey, to mention a few. Rowing on the river is a popular pastime in Great Britain. People still enjoy rowing their boats up and down rivers. They usually do this at weekends or on holidays.
Some people own houseboats on the Thames and the other rivers. They spend their weekends there. The famous competition between the University of Oxford)dark blue) and Cambridge(light blue) is called the Boat Race. It takes place each spring on the River Thames. This is a very important event.
Most of Great Britain’s important cities are found on rivers. Rivers and other railways make transportation of goods easy. London, the biggest port in Britain, is on the River Thames. Liverpool, another important city, is on the River Mersey. Cardiff is on the River Taff, and Glasgow is on the River Clyde. Rivers have always been very important for the British economy. They are a means of communication, they provide electricity and water for the farm lands.
The are also many locks on the British rivers and canals. Locks are like stairs with gates. They let boats go up or down the river by changing the level of the water. The lever of the water is changed while the boat is in the lock. There is a lock-keeper at each lock, who opens and shut the gates of the lock when boats go through. Locks are very important for river navigation.