英语听力精选进阶版 7339

沉没游轮泰坦尼克号上最后一封书信在拍卖会上以11.9万英镑的高价成交。这封信由幸存者 Esther Hart 和她年幼的女儿于1912年在泰坦尼克号沉没数小时前书写。

Esther Hart sat down with her seven-year-old daughter Eva to write the letter just eight hours or so before the Titanic¹ hit the iceberg². It was for her mother in London. And in it Mrs Hart wrote that they were enjoying what she called "the wonderful journey".

She said they were likely to arrive in New York early because of the speed at which the ship was travelling.

The letter ended up in the coat pocket of her husband Benjamin and only survived because he gave her the coat to keep warm. He died along with more than 1,500 others.

Titanic memorabilia continues to be big business. A menu on the day of the disaster was recently sold for ￡76,000, whilst³ a violin, played as the ship sank, went for ￡900,000.

Quiz⁴ 听力测验

1. When was the letter written?

Eight hours before the Titanic hit the iceberg.

2. Why did Esther Hart think she would be in New York earlier than planned?

Because the ship was travelling faster than expected.

3. True or False?: The letter was found because Esther Hart kept it in her pocket.

False. It was in her husband's coat pocket.

4. Which word in the text means⁵ 'items⁶ which remind you of an important event'?

Memorabilia.

Glossary 词汇表

or so （时间）大约

hit 撞上了

likely 很可能

survived 保留下来

memorabilia 收藏品，重要物品

big business 大商机，大生意

1 titanic   

adj.巨人的，庞大的，强大的

参考例句：

• We have been making titanic effort to achieve our purpose.我们一直在作极大的努力，以达到我们的目的。
• The island was created by titanic powers and they are still at work today.台湾岛是由一个至今仍然在运作的巨大力量塑造出来的。

2 iceberg   

n.冰山，流冰，冷冰冰的人

参考例句：

• The ship hit an iceberg and went under.船撞上一座冰山而沉没了。
• The glacier calved a large iceberg.冰河崩解而形成一个大冰山。

3 whilst   

conj.一边...一边，当...的时候，同时，时时

参考例句：

• She sang whilst she worked.她边干活边唱歌。
• There was dead silence in the court,whilst the white rabbit read out these verses.当白兔子念诗的时候，法庭上鸦雀无声。

4 quiz   

n.智力竞赛；测验，小型考试

参考例句：

• They are having a quiz now.他们正进行小测验。
• He took part in a television quiz and won a prize.他参加了一个电视知识竞赛并得了奖。

5 means   

n.方法，手段，折中点，物质财富

参考例句：

• That man used artful means to find out secrets.那人使用狡猾的手段获取机密。
• We must get it done by some means or other.我们总得想办法把它干完。

6 items   

n.物料项目 （任何一种自制或采购的零部件或组装件，如最终产品、部件、子部件、零件或原材料）；条( item的名词复数 )；一项；一则；一件商品（或物品）

参考例句：

• Bulky items will be collected separately. 大件物品将分开收集。
• Customers with ten items or less can use the express lane. 购买十件商品以内的顾客可使用快速购物通道。