1 The city of Venice, in Italy, is one of a kind. It is built on more than 120 islands, just off the coast. The islands are small and close together. The waterways between them are used as streets. They are called cannals.
2 In this watery world, people use boats to get from place to place. Gondolas, small boats that are moved with one oar, were once the only boats in the canals. But today motorboats make getting around faster. There are still lots of gondolas, though. Many tourists go to Venice. And they like to ride in the old-style boats.
3 If you aren't going far in this city, it's easier to go by foot. There are hundreds of narrow footpaths. About 400 low bridges connect the paths and the islands. But these bridges cause problems for the boaters. When the sea tide is high, the canal water rises. People in the boats must duck to fit under the bridges.
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