Comprehension - Intermediate . [ 4 ]

[ 4 ] Comprehension . 

[  4  ]Intermediate 

Read the following , then answer the questions below :

                We first became aware that something unusual was happening , when one of the ship’s officers came up to the Chief Engineer , who sat at our table , and spoke to him in a low voice . The Chief  Engineer  at once stood up and with a brief excuse , which told  us nothing . left the dining-room . At first we thought there had been an accident or that a fire had broken out on board ship , but soon the word went round that a man had been floating in the sea . Then we noticed that the ship had slowed down and was beginning to turn round , with rather a violent motion . Some of the passengers did not wait to finish their meal , but at once rushed up on deck . Others crowded round the port holes , making it impossible for us to eat in comfort . There was such confusion in the  dining-room that we decided to join those who had gone up on deck .

                 There we learnt that one of the crew had seen a man in the sea some distance  from the ship . He had informed the captain , who at once ordered the ship to be turned round . We were now only two hundred yards , or so from the man , and a life boat had already been lowered into the sea . In it there were four  sailors , who were sitting ready at the oars , an officer and the ship’s doctor . The officer showed an order and the sailors began to run away from the ship . By looking in the same direction as the boat was going , we were able to make out the position of the man in the water . He was clinging to a large piece of wood .

                 At last , after what seemed to us as an age , the life boat reached the man and two of the sailors pulled him on board . This was not at all easy for the sea was rather rough . Then the sailors began to row back to the ship again . The life boat was raised out of the water and a rescued man wrapped in a blanket , was helped out on to the deck . Leaning on the arm of the ship’s doctor , but still able to walk in spite of his terrible experience , he was led off to the ship’s hospital . As he passed along the deck , everyone cheered loudly .

A-] Answer the following questions :

1-] Why did some of the passengers crowd round the portholes ?

……………………………………………………………………………………….

2-] How were the people on deck able to make out where the man in the water was ?

……………………………………………………………………………………….

3-] How did the man in the water manage to keep afloat ?

……………………………………………………………………………………….

B-] Choose the correct answer :    

 1-] The  people at the writer’s table decided to leave the dining-room because

A-] the ship was turning round rather violently . B-] the Chief Engineer had already left . C-] a man had been seen floating in the sea . D-] they couldn’t continue their meal in peace .

2-] Became aware means

A-] were frightened        B-] knew        C-] imagined       D-] decided

3-] The underlined word “ us”  refers to

A-] the sailors   B-] the passengers   C-] the ship’s doctor   D-] the ship’s officers