 |
Olympics swimmers carrying the Olympic torch wade through the Amur River in Blagoveshchensk, Russia. The river runs through southeastern Russia and northeastern China. |
SW visits famous waterways
By Itsarin Tisantia
Photos courtesy of Bangkok Post
Rivers are an important source of food, transport and life for humans and other living creatures. Numerous famous rivers run along borders between countries across the globe.
For this week’s Freeze Frame, SW takes a look at some of the world’s longest and most magnificent rivers.
 |
A boy sits on a small pier along the Amazon River, which as well as being one of the longest rivers is also the world’s largest and widest river. The river, the width of which ranges between 1.6 and 10 kilometres, flows through Peru, Brazil and Colombia. |
 |
The sunset enhances the beauty of the world’s longest river, The Nile, which is 6,853 kilometres in length. It passes through 11 countries, including Egypt and Sudan. |
 |
US Secretary of State John Kerry looks at the world’s deepest river, The Congo or Zaire River, the deepest point of which is 200 metres. The river runs through large areas of 10 countries, including Angola, Tanzania, the Republic of the Congo and Central African Republic. |
 |
A military ship patrols one of Asia’s best-known rivers, The Mekong, which runs through China, Burma, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. The river is a major trading route that links China’s Yunnan province with neighbouring countries. |
 |
The Yangtze River is the longest river in Asia. Located in China, the 6,300 kilometre-long river plays an important role in the history, commerce and culture of China. |
 |
A woman sunbathes next to a bank of the Yenisei River in Krasnoyarsk between the borders of Russia and Mongolia. Part of the river becomes frozen during winter. |
Exercises
Match each of the following vocabulary words used in Freeze Frame with the correct definitions from the choices given.
| …… 1. torch | a. located or living near or next to a place or person |
| …… 2. border | b. trade, especially between countries; the buying and selling of goods and services |
| …… 3. commerce | c. a long piece of wood that has material at one end that is set on fire and that people carry to give light |
| …… 4. neighbouring | d. the line that divides two countries or areas |
Vocabulary
- riveting (adj): so interesting and exciting that it holds your attention completely
wade (v): to walk with an effort through something, especially water or mud
sunbathe (v): to sit or lie in the sun, especially in order to go brown and get a suntan
