The Island Ferry

Off the west coast of Scotland, there is a small island with a population of just over two hundred people. The only way to get there is by ferry, a thirty-minute crossing that runs twice a day. — choose for gap 1 —1. But Angus has never let the weather stop him from making the crossing if it is safe to do …2. The council decided the ferry service was too expensive and should be stopped3. In many ways, he has become part of the island itself4. Most of the islanders have their own boats and rarely use the ferry5. Angus is thinking about retiring and moving to the mainland6. Angus has become much more than a ferry captain — he is the lifeline of the island7. The ferry carries everything from food and post to building materials and farm animals8. He insists that he must be the one to captain the new ferry Without it, the island community would not be able to survive. For the past twenty-five years, the ferry has been operated by a man called Angus. He makes the first crossing at seven in the morning and the last one at five in the afternoon. — choose for gap 2 —1. But Angus has never let the weather stop him from making the crossing if it is safe to do …2. The council decided the ferry service was too expensive and should be stopped3. In many ways, he has become part of the island itself4. Most of the islanders have their own boats and rarely use the ferry5. Angus is thinking about retiring and moving to the mainland6. Angus has become much more than a ferry captain — he is the lifeline of the island7. The ferry carries everything from food and post to building materials and farm animals8. He insists that he must be the one to captain the new ferry He knows every passenger by name, and they all know him. The journey can be rough, especially in winter when strong winds and high waves make the crossing dangerous. — choose for gap 3 —1. But Angus has never let the weather stop him from making the crossing if it is safe to do …2. The council decided the ferry service was too expensive and should be stopped3. In many ways, he has become part of the island itself4. Most of the islanders have their own boats and rarely use the ferry5. Angus is thinking about retiring and moving to the mainland6. Angus has become much more than a ferry captain — he is the lifeline of the island7. The ferry carries everything from food and post to building materials and farm animals8. He insists that he must be the one to captain the new ferry He once told me that in all his years of working on the ferry, he has only cancelled the service three times, and each time it was because the coastguard ordered him to stay in port. Angus does much more than simply drive the boat. He carries supplies for the island's only shop, delivers medicine to elderly residents, and even transports children to school on the mainland. — choose for gap 4 —1. But Angus has never let the weather stop him from making the crossing if it is safe to do …2. The council decided the ferry service was too expensive and should be stopped3. In many ways, he has become part of the island itself4. Most of the islanders have their own boats and rarely use the ferry5. Angus is thinking about retiring and moving to the mainland6. Angus has become much more than a ferry captain — he is the lifeline of the island7. The ferry carries everything from food and post to building materials and farm animals8. He insists that he must be the one to captain the new ferry People say the island would fall apart without him. Recently, the local council discussed replacing the old ferry with a larger, modern vessel. Angus supports the idea, but he has one condition. — choose for gap 5 —1. But Angus has never let the weather stop him from making the crossing if it is safe to do …2. The council decided the ferry service was too expensive and should be stopped3. In many ways, he has become part of the island itself4. Most of the islanders have their own boats and rarely use the ferry5. Angus is thinking about retiring and moving to the mainland6. Angus has become much more than a ferry captain — he is the lifeline of the island7. The ferry carries everything from food and post to building materials and farm animals8. He insists that he must be the one to captain the new ferry The council agreed, and Angus says he plans to keep making the crossing for as long as the sea lets him.