It was a nervous time. World War II had started, and British ships were always watching for German submarines called U-boats. The ship Ben Lomond had left Cape Town, South Africa, with a crew of 55, including a young officer named Poon Lim.
On November 23, 1942, the worst fear came true. The Ben Lomond was attacked by a U-boat. Within minutes the boat was sinking. Poon Lim grabbed a life jacket and leaped over the side. He swam rapidly away from the ship in case it exploded. Sure enough, it let out a large boom and sank beneath the waves. For two hours Poon Lim struggled in the water. Once he almost got onto a life raft with five other sailors, but it got away from his grasp. Then he saw another life raft that was empty, swam to it, and climbed aboard. He found a few cans of biscuits, a water jug, some flares, and a flashlight, which could be enough supplies for about a month.
Day after day Poon Lim had his few biscuits and a couple of sips of water. He searched the horizon for ships. Twice he leaped up to shout and wave when he saw help coming. Once he saw a freight ship. It passed him. At a later time, he saw a United States Navy plane. It flew low over the raft but then disappeared. Still later a U-boat spotted him but for some reason left him alone.
Poon Lim knew he needed to stay strong. He couldn’t get much exercise on an eight-foot-square raft, but he could swim. A couple of times a day, he circled the raft, always watching for sharks. Soon his food and water ran low. He knew that drinking seawater would make him sick, so he tore off the canvas cover on his life jacket and set it out to catch rainwater. Then he took apart the flashlight and used a wire inside to make a fishhook. For months Poon Lim drifted, catching fish and sometimes birds. One time he even caught a shark. Finally, after 130 days, he noticed that the color of the water was changing. Two days later, on his 133rd day, he saw a boat. Three sailors in a small sailboat picked him up and took him to Belem, a city on the coast of Brazil. Poon Lim had crossed the Atlantic Ocean.
No one ever had survived longer on a raft at sea. Poon Lim received many honors, including Britain’s highest award. A booklet of his survival methods was put into every British life raft.
4. What happened just after Poon Lim’s ship was hit?
A. It immediately exploded.
B. Poon Lim jumped over the side.
C. Poon Lim found a life raft.
D. The U-boat picked up survivors.
5. What did Poon Lim do just after his food and water ran low?
A. He jumped up and down and waved, hoping to attract help.
B. He went swimming, hoping to find some fish.
C. He made a rain catcher and some fishing equipment.
D. He spotted a United States Navy plane.
6. Which of these things happened last?
A. Poon Lim noticed that the water had changed color.
B. Poon Lim landed in a Brazilian city.
C. Some sailors picked up Poon Lim.
D. Poon Lim caught a shark with his fishhook.
7. Why was Poon Lim presented with many honors?
A. He had voyaged the longest time on the Atlantic Ocean.
B. He managed to spend 133 days on a life raft with determination.
C. He had a knowledge of survival methods on the sea.
D. He didn’t surrender himself to German U-boats.
【答案】
On November 23, 1942, the worst fear came true. The Ben Lomond was attacked by a U-boat. Within minutes the boat was sinking. Poon Lim grabbed a life jacket and leaped over the side. He swam rapidly away from the ship in case it exploded. Sure enough, it let out a large boom and sank beneath the waves. For two hours Poon Lim struggled in the water. Once he almost got onto a life raft with five other sailors, but it got away from his grasp. Then he saw another life raft that was empty, swam to it, and climbed aboard. He found a few cans of biscuits, a water jug, some flares, and a flashlight, which could be enough supplies for about a month.
Day after day Poon Lim had his few biscuits and a couple of sips of water. He searched the horizon for ships. Twice he leaped up to shout and wave when he saw help coming. Once he saw a freight ship. It passed him. At a later time, he saw a United States Navy plane. It flew low over the raft but then disappeared. Still later a U-boat spotted him but for some reason left him alone.
Poon Lim knew he needed to stay strong. He couldn’t get much exercise on an eight-foot-square raft, but he could swim. A couple of times a day, he circled the raft, always watching for sharks. Soon his food and water ran low. He knew that drinking seawater would make him sick, so he tore off the canvas cover on his life jacket and set it out to catch rainwater. Then he took apart the flashlight and used a wire inside to make a fishhook. For months Poon Lim drifted, catching fish and sometimes birds. One time he even caught a shark. Finally, after 130 days, he noticed that the color of the water was changing. Two days later, on his 133rd day, he saw a boat. Three sailors in a small sailboat picked him up and took him to Belem, a city on the coast of Brazil. Poon Lim had crossed the Atlantic Ocean.
No one ever had survived longer on a raft at sea. Poon Lim received many honors, including Britain’s highest award. A booklet of his survival methods was put into every British life raft.
4. What happened just after Poon Lim’s ship was hit?
A. It immediately exploded.
B. Poon Lim jumped over the side.
C. Poon Lim found a life raft.
D. The U-boat picked up survivors.
5. What did Poon Lim do just after his food and water ran low?
A. He jumped up and down and waved, hoping to attract help.
B. He went swimming, hoping to find some fish.
C. He made a rain catcher and some fishing equipment.
D. He spotted a United States Navy plane.
6. Which of these things happened last?
A. Poon Lim noticed that the water had changed color.
B. Poon Lim landed in a Brazilian city.
C. Some sailors picked up Poon Lim.
D. Poon Lim caught a shark with his fishhook.
7. Why was Poon Lim presented with many honors?
A. He had voyaged the longest time on the Atlantic Ocean.
B. He managed to spend 133 days on a life raft with determination.
C. He had a knowledge of survival methods on the sea.
D. He didn’t surrender himself to German U-boats.
【答案】
苏19057182-3号