A young officer on a small vessel was being tested on his knowledge of what to do if someone fell overboard while he was in charge of the ship. A big can was thrown into the sea, and the officer had to pretend it was a man who had fallen in and try to save it. The officer was inexperienced, and the first thing that happened was that the can was pulled under by the ship's propeller. The officer quickly stopped the ship and went backwards. There was a loud crash as he struck the can again. Then he went forwards, went around in a circle, and struck the can once more straight in front of the ship.

A sailor who was observing all this now said, "Excuse me, sir, but if I'm ever unfortunate enough to fall into the sea while you're steering the ship, please let me swim to shore by myself!"

B    Which of these answers is correct? Write down the questions and the correct answers.

1. What kind of test was the young officer having?

1. It was a test of whether he could save a person who fell into the sea.
2. It was a test of whether he was in charge of the ship.

2. What did the officer have to save in the test?

1. A man who had fallen into the sea.
2. A can which had been thrown into the sea.

3. What did the propeller do to the can?

1. It made it go around.
2. It pulled it under the water.

4. How did the officer hit the can the second time?

1. He hit it when he had stopped.
2. He hit it while he was going backwards.

5. How did he hit it the third time?

1. He went around and hit it with the front of the ship,
2. He put it in a circle and hit it with the back of the ship.

6. What did a sailor want the officer to do?

1. To let him swim to shore if he ever fell into the sea.
2. To save him if he ever fell into the sea.

C     Write this story, putting one word in each blank space. You will find all the correct words in the story.

The captain of a small _______ went below deck to sleep, leaving a young officer in _______ of the ship. This young man did not have much ______ about ________ a ship yet, and he was too _______ to avoid hitting a large rock. The ship _______ it twice. The ________ woke the captain, and he _______ put on his clothes and hurried onto the deck.

He stood for a few seconds, ________ the scene and then said, "Well, you said you'd never been in a shipwreck before: now you're in one."