Clause Practice
Combine the following sentences.
The Panama Canal

1.    Rio Chagres (the river that became the Panama Canal) was liable to sudden flooding.
       The flooding multiplied the river's flow a hundred times in a few hours.

            Rio Chagres (the river that became the Panama Canal) was liable to sudden flooding which
                multiplied the river's flow a hundred times in a few hours.

2.    The plan for a sea-level canal was changed into a canal with locks.
        This presented various problems.
        The problems were finally solved by the Americans.

            When the plan for a sea-level canal had been changed into a canal with locks it presented
                various problems which were finally solved by the Americans.

3.     A huge dam  was to be built on Gamboa.
        The dam would hold the water coming down from the hills.

            A huge dam, which would hold the water coming down from the hills, was built on Gamboa.

4.     Headquarters were set up at Panama and Colon.
        After that the work itself began.

            Before the work itself began, headquarters were set up at Panama and Colon.

5.    The 40,000 workers on the Canal included the French painter Gauguin.
        He toiled with a shovel for a few months in 1886.

            The 40,000 workers on the Canal included the French painter Gauguin,
                who toiled with a shovel for a few months in 1886.

6.     Ferdinand de Lesseps was the main manager of the work on the Panama Canal.
        Philippe Bunau-Varilla, 25, is responsible for finishing the project.

            Although Ferdinand de Lesseps was the main manager of the work on the Panama Canal,
                Philippe Bunau-Varilla, 25, is responsible for finishing the project.

7.     de Lesseps was in charge of the project.
        Ironically, according to Bunau-Varilla, de Lesseps "was not an engineer and did not like
        engineers."

            Although de Lesseps was in charge of the project, ironically, according to Bunau-Varilla,
                de Lesseps "was not an engineer and did not like engineers."

8.    The workers were controlled by a supervisory staff of 700 Europeans.
        Unfortunately, they had to be frequently replaced.

            The workers were controlled by a supervisory staff of 700 Europeans, who unfortunately
                had to be frquently replaced.

9.     The canal was finally opened in 1915.
        The canal is 50 miles long.

            The canal, which is 50 miles long, was finally opened in 1915.



Adapted from Engineering Wonders of the World, 1958, by Rene Poirier, Barnes & Nobel Books.

Answer Key

Return to lesson