Unit Twenty-Three Shipwreck

After the storm we surveyed the damage to the yacht. There was a lot of water pouring in through a large hole below the water-line. There were two alternatives: we could either stay with the boat and wait until a rescue helicopter turned up, or gather as much food as possible and try to swim to the island about a mile away. Eventually we decided on the latter, as the sea was threatening to tear our yacht apart.
The island, as well as being totally cut off from the outside world, had no fresh water. We reckoned that we would be able to do without food, but if we were not rescued within four days we would be in real trouble.

Notes

POUR IN E The water poured into AD the boat. It poured in through the hole. Money pours in after an appeal.

TURN UP E The helicopter would not definitely come, but they hoped it would turn up.

DECIDE ON AD Faced with two alternatives, they decided on one.

TEAR APART BC The sea would tear the boat apart. Civil war tears a country apart.

DO WITHOUT ADE As long as they had water, they would be able to do without food.

Exercises using verbs from the passage

A Complete these sentences:

1 He was faced with a number of possible partners, and eventually he Jan.

2 I when they were least expecting me.

3 The mountaineers left behind all the things they could

4 When the doors were opened the people

5 He lived for a while in a monastery, the world.

6 He could feel the oxygen his lungs from the canister on his back.

7 A dispute over Arthur's will the family

8 If need be, we can. a holiday this year.

B Answer these questions:

1 Name three things you cannot do without.

2 Is an island always cut off from the mainland?

3 Do you ever turn up late for work?

4 What would you do if you had to choose between two alternatives?

5 When do people pour into a shop?

6 What could a heavy storm do to a ship?

7 What could tear a country apart?

8 What is life for a lighthouse keeper like?

C Use the following pairs of verbs in sentences of your own:

1 pour in, tear apart.

2 decide on, do without.

3 cut off from, decide on.

4 turn up, do without.

A Vb + prep. + NP. B Vb+NP+ prep. C Vb pron. + prep. D Vb + prep. + pron. E Intrans.

23

Exercise: