Lesson 86    Out of control

What was the danger?

As the man tried to swing the speedboat round, the steering wheel came away in his hands. He waved desperately to his companion, who had been water skiing last fifteen minutes. Both men had hardly had time to realize what was happening, they were thrown violently into the sea. The speedboat had struck a buoy, but it continued to move very quickly across the water. Both men had just begun to swim towards the shore, when they noticed with dismay that the speedboat was moving in a circle. It now came straight towards them at tremendous speed. In less than a minute, it roared past them a few feet away. After it had passed, they swam to as quickly as they could because they knew that the speedboat would soon return. They had just had enough time to swim out of the danger when the speedboat again completed a circle. On this occasion, however, it slowed down considerably. The petrol had nearly all been used up. Before long, the noise dropped completely and the boat began to drift gently across the water.

Summary writing

In not more than 80 words, describe what happened from the moment the men were thrown into the sea. Write two different paragraphs using the point and connections given below.

   The moment the speedboat struck the buoy, both men were thrown into the water. As it moved off very quickly across the water, the men began to swim towards the shore. Turning in a circle, the speedboat came straight towards them. After it had just missed them, they swam until they were out of danger. When the boat returned it had lost speed. Soon all the petrol was used up and it floated浮动漂行 across the water.   76 words

Because the speedboat had struck a buoy, both men were thrown into the water. It moved off very quickly and, while the men were swimming towards the shore, it turned in a circle, came straight towards them and only just missed them. They had no sooner swum out of danger than the boat returned. This time, however, it had lost speed because nearly all the petrol had been used up and it floated across the water.   76 words

Composition

Write two paragraphs in about 150 words using the ideas given below;

1 A speedboat was out of control---no one was in it---it was moving towards a small fishing boat---the fishermen tried to row away

2 The speedboat came nearer---the fishermen dived into the sea---the speedboat ran out of petrol---stopped just before it reached the fishermen.

A speedboat was moving smoothly. But it sped加速speed的过去分词 up suddenly and got out of control in the river. Fortunately, there was no one in it except the driver himself. He tried to keep the speedboat in control, but it continued to move very quickly across the water. It was moving towards a small fishing boat with two fishermen on it. The fishermen were greatly frightened and tried to row away.

 When the fishermen noticed with dismay that the speedboat came nearer and nearer, they dived into the sea. It now came straight towards them at tremendous speed. And the fishermen swam as quickly as they could to get out of danger. Suddenly, it slowed down considerably, for it had run out of petrol. It stopped completely just before it reached the fishermen.

                                        132 words

Letter writing

Which of the following ending are correct?

Yours sincerely真诚的

Your’s  sincerely

yours sincerely

Yours Sincerely

Your’s

Yours

Yours Very Sincerely

参考答案

Yours sincerely

Yours

Key structures

What had happened? What had been happening? 过去完成进行时

Special difficulties

Words often confused

Study these examples

Enough and Fairly

Your work is not good enough.

I missed the train this morning. I didn’t get up early enough.

They had just had enough time to swim out of danger.

I didn’t buy enough sugar. 

There are enough flowers in that vase.

George is a fairly tall person but still not tall enough to get into the police force军队

I knew he’s a fairly good player, but he doesn’t play well enough to get into the team.

note; fairly + adj./adv.

      adj./adv. + enough

Exercise

Supply the missing words in the following sentences;

1 It’s (fairly )cold today, but not really cold (enough) to light a fire.

2 This book was (fairly) interesting, but I didn’t enjoy it as much as I expected to.

3 This class has given me (enough) trouble so far.

4 You haven’t put (enough) flowers in that vase.

5 Is that suitcase large (enough) to take all these clothes?

Multiple choice question

Comprehension

1 The men were thrown into the water()

a when the steering wheel came away

b when the boat struck the buoy

c when the man tried to swing the speedboat round

d because they had been water skiing

b

2 While they were in the water the men thought that().

a the speedboat was moving in a circle

b the speedboat was going out to sea

c the speedboat was going to hit them

d the speedboat was going to stop

c

Structure

3 () did he wave to? his companion.

a Who

b Whose

c Which

d What

a

4 Both men realized what was happening. () could do anything about it.

a They neither不合语法

b Neither of them两个都不

c Neither they不合语法

d Either of them两个人中的任何一个，每个都

b

6 How fast did it go? () tremendous speed.

a With

b At

c In

d From

7 It had slowed down considerably. It had slowed down().

a much

b many

c very 不能单独修饰动词

d a lot

d

Vocabulary

8 The man tried to swing the boat round. He tried to().

a circle it 环绕它

b twist it 使它扭曲使它旋转

c make it turn

d wind it使它转动，使它弯曲前进

9 He waved desperately. He waved ().

a in despair 陷于绝望

b helplessly

c desperate令人绝望的adj. 不能修饰v

d with despair不是固定搭配

a

10 It roared past them. It () them.

a past

b passed

c pasted

d passing

b

11 It came straight towards them. It came () towards them.

a in direction方向指导

b directly直接的马上

c in the way

d on the way

b

12 The boat drifted across the water. It () across the water.

a stopped

b ran

c floated slowly

d wondered

c

Sentence structure

Join these sentences, then check your answer against the text.

It had passed. They swam on as quickly as they could. They knew that the boat would soon return.

After it had passed, they swam on as quickly as they could because they knew that the boat would soon return.