Language Practice

Match the words with their definitions.

1. knots 1. a light pleasant wind

2. port 2. to suggest what will happen in the story

3. warning 3. full of something

4. breeze 4. immediately, to occur in a moment

5. engine 5. annoying or uncomfortable

6. sway 6. a sign of possible danger or problem

7. brimful 7. familiar with

8. instantaneausly 8. a measure of the speed of the ships

9. disturbing 9. to move slowly side to side

10. accustumed to 10. round window in a cabin of a ship

11. occur 11. a very unpleasant feeling of cold

12. bitterly cold 12. become aware, understand something

13. sudden 13. unexpected, surprising

14. realize 14. to happen in an unexpected way

15. foreshadow 15. a machine that makes a vehicle move

Complete the chart. Write four adjectives, four nouns and four verbs.

Nouns Adjectives Verb

__________________________ __________________________ __________________________

__________________________ __________________________ __________________________

__________________________ __________________________ __________________________

__________________________ __________________________ __________________________

©2020 Moro Gregorio All Rights Reserved PHOTOCOPIABLE 1

 Language Practice

Complete the text with the words from activity 1.

We were steaming along at 22 or 23 knots, not reducing speed at all, in spite of the many
(1)_________________ of the presence of ice, which had come in from other ships during the
afternoon and evening.

I had called 'Good night' to my Father and Mother in the next room. In order to get plenty of air, I
had half opened the port', and the breeze was coming through with a quiet humming whistle.
There was the steady rhythmic pulsation of the (2) ___________________ and screws, the feel and
heaving of which becomes second nature to one, after a few hours at sea. It was a fine night for
sleeping, and with the day's air and exercise, I was sleepy.

I wound my watch — it was 11:45 pm — and was just about to step into bed when I seemed to
(3)___________________ slightly. I immediately realised that the ship had veered to port2 as
though she had been gently pushed. If I had had a brimful glass of water in my hand, not a drop
would have been spilled, the shock was so slight. Almost (4) ___________________, the engines
stopped. The sudden quiet was startling and disturbing. Like the subdued quiet in a sleeping car,
at a stop, after a continuous run. Not a sound except the breeze whistling through the half-open
port. Then there was the distant noise of running feet and muffled voices, as several people
hurried through the passageway. Very shortly the engines started up again — slowly — not with
the bright vibration to which we were (5) _________________, but as though they were tired. After
very few revolutions they again stopped.

I hurried into my heavy overcoat and drew 25 on my slippers. All excited, but not thinking
anything serious had occurred, I called in to my Father and Mother that I was 'going up on deck
to see the fun.' Father said he would put on his clothes and come right up and join me. It was
bitterly cold.

©2020 Moro Gregorio All Rights Reserved PHOTOCOPIABLE 2