Test
Read through the
text. Decide if each of the 10 statements is true or false and mark one. The unusual
cruise
Every year the
sea between Finland and Sweden, which is called the Bay of Bothnia, freezes
over for several months. There are about 60 Finnish ports in this ice zone, and
during the winter about a third are kept open by the ice-breakers. These are
the strongest ships in the world, three times heavier and three times more
powerful than any other ship of the same size. They can slice though one-meter
thick ice without any effort. The Arctic icebreaker Sampo is a majestic vessel.
For 30 years the Sampo was used to clear a path for smaller ships carrying
goods to the port of Kemi, at the tip of the Bay of Bothnia. Now this fine old
ship is retired and taken on a new, lighter role, carrying passengers on one of
the most unusual cruises in the world.From mid-December to April thousands of
tourists get on the Sampo at Kemi for an unforgettable day trip through the
frozen sea. The night before, they stay at Kemi Snow Castle Hotel beside the
harbor. This hotel is built out of sculpted snow and ice, complete with towers,
dining room and even a wedding hall, which is very popular. Guests sleep
comfortably in several layers of sleeping bags on blocks of ice in the little
white bedrooms. As summer approaches, the hotel melts away and is rebuilt later
in the year. The style of the facility, including the theme, shape, size and decorations,
changes annually. Most tourists board the Sampo from the quay⃰ at Kemi, but
there is another way to access the ship. Dressed in the thickest possible
snowsuit, boots, gloves and hard helmet, the bravest of them can travel for ten
kilometers across the frozen bay by skidoo. After a brief lesson on how to
control this ‘motorbike on skis’, people find riding across the ice at high
speed breathtakingly exciting. There is a stop for a cup of coffee and a
sandwich at a farm on one of the small wooded islands before the ride continues
and the Sampo appears in the mist.
1. In winter, all the ports in the Bay of Bothnia are kept clear of ice.
2. The strongest ships in the world are made in Finland and Sweden.
3. The Sampo is still used for its original purpose.
4. Cruises on the Sampo take several days.
5. It is possible to get married at the Snow Castle Hotel.
6. The Snow Castle Hotel offers accommodation all year round.
7. Guests in the Snow Castle Hotel are provided with comfortable rooms
while their visit.
8. The Snow Castle Hotel is rebuilt every year with a new design each
time.
9. The majority of passengers board the Sampo from the quay.
10. Skidoo-riders are given some instruction before they set out across the ice.
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