On the first of August I set sail in the steamer Caledonia for England. At four o'clock in the afternoon, we were out of sight of land; one by one, we had taken leave of every object which could be seen from the departing vessel; and now nothing was visible to us but the sky, the ocean meeting it in its wide, unbroken circle, the sun gradually sinking in the west, and our small but only house, the ship. How strange, how inspiring the scene was! So lonely, so magnificent, so solemn! At last the sun set, gilding the clouds, and looking, to my tearful eyes, as if that too said farewell! Then the moon appeared; and the long, indefinite line of light from where her rays first touched the waters to our ship, and the dancing of the waves as they crossed it, catching the light as they passed, were so beautiful that I was unwilling to leave the deck when the hour for rest arrived.
The wind was against us, and we did not get on very fast; but I enjoyed the novel scene the next day, and passed all my time on deck, watching the sailors and the passengers, and noticing the difference between Englishmen and Americans.
On Sunday it was very cold, and the wind, still contrary, rose higher and higher; it was impossible to set any sail, but I still kept on deck, and thus avoided sickness. Soon after breakfast I saw white foam rising in different places occasionally, and was told that it was whales spouting; I saw a great number, and enjoyed it highly. Presently someone called out, "An iceberg!" and, far off against the sky, I saw this floating wonder. It was very beautiful; such a splendid white, so calm and majestic, and so lonely; it was shaped, as I thought, like an old cathedral, but others thought like a sleeping lion, taking what I called the ruined tower for his head and mane.
Soon after this, the man on the lookout cried, "Steamship America;" and in a few moments more we saw her coming rapidly towards us with her sails all set, for the wind was fair for her. Captain Leitch then told me that he should stop his vessel and send a boat on board, and that he would send a letter by it if I would write one quickly; to others he said the same thing. In a moment the deck was cleared, and in a few more moments all had returned with their letters; and never was there a more beautiful sight than these two fine steamers maneuvering to stop at a respectful distance from each other; then our little boat was lowered, and O, how pretty it was to see her dancing over the rough waves to the other steamer! We sent to the America the sad news of the loss of the Kestrel. After what seemed to us a long time, the boat returned and brought papers, etc., but no important news; and in a few moments the two steamers curtsied to each other, and each went on her way.
I. Mark (+) next to true statements and (- next to false statements.
1. The traveller is going to America.
2. The traveller didn't want to go to bed on the first night.
3. The wind helped the traveller's ship.
4. There were only English people on the ship.
5. The traveller saw whales on Sunday morning
6. The people on the ship saw the iceberg in summer.
7. The traveller saw a sleeping lion and an old cathedral on the journey.
8. The traveller thought the meeting of the two ships was the most beautiful sight ever.
9. We can assume some tragedy happened to the Kestrel.
10. We know that the traveller is a woman.
Il. Circle the correct answer:
11. At four o'clock on the first day the traveller:
A watched the sunset.
B couldn't see land.
C saw an iceberg.
D set sail.
16. On Sunday the traveller decided to stay on deck in order to:
A breathe the fresh salty air.
B have breakfast.
C evadegetting seasick.
D see the Steamship America.
12. The traveller used many words to describe the first day of the journey,
ЕХСЕРТ:
A strange
B inspiring
C magnificent
D solemn
17. Synonyms for these words were used to describe the iceberg EXCEPT:
A quiet
B gorgeous
C isolated
D enormous
13. On the first evening of the journey the traveller noticed how the moon:
A was shining on the water.
B was full.
C was low on the horizon.
D was dancing in the sky.
18. The Steamship America was travelling:
A faster than the traveller's ship.
B in the same direction as the traveller's ship.
C slower than the traveller's ship.
D to England.
14. The traveller watched the sailors and passengers on:
A the first of August.
B Sunday.
C the second day of the journey.
D the sixteenth of April.
19. The deck of the traveller's ship was cleared because:
A everyone wanted to go to the other ship.
B everyone was writing letters.
C it was time for lunch.
D the weather that day was horrible.
15. On Sunday the weather was:
A warm and windy.
B cold and still.
C warm and still.
D cold and windy.
20. What happened when the two ships met?
A The ships crashed into the Kestrel.
The traveller went to the America.
C Leitch sent a boat to the America.
D The Steamship America sent sad news to the
Ответы
Ответ:
I. True/False:
1. - The traveller is going to America. (+)
2. + The traveller didn't want to go to bed on the first night.
3. - The wind helped the traveller's ship. (+)
4. - There were only English people on the ship. (+)
5. + The traveller saw whales on Sunday morning.
6. - The people on the ship saw the iceberg in summer. (+)
7. - The traveller saw a sleeping lion and an old cathedral on the journey. (+)
8. + The traveller thought the meeting of the two ships was the most beautiful sight ever.
9. + We can assume some tragedy happened to the Kestrel.
10. - We know that the traveller is a woman. (+)
II. Circle the correct answer:
11. D - set sail.
12. C - evade getting seasick.
13. B - was full.
14. C - the second day of the journey.
15. D - cold and windy.
16. B - have breakfast.
17. A - quiet.
18. B - in the same direction as the traveller's ship.
19. D - the weather that day was horrible.
20. C - Leitch sent a boat to the America.