5．Somali pirates（海盗） robbed three Thai fishing ships with 77sailors on board nearly l，200Miles off the Somali coast，the farthest-off-shore attack to date，an officer said Tuesday．
Pirates have gone farther south and east in answer to increased patrols（巡逻）by warships off the Somali shore．The robbing of the three ships Sunday was about 600miles outside the normal operation area for the international force，said a spokesman．
The spokesman said the attack so far out at sea was a clear sign that the international patrols against pirates were having a"marked effect on pirate activity in the area"．
"Once they start attacking that far out，you're not even really talking about the Somali basin or areas of water that have any connection with Somalia，"said an officer，Roger Middleton．"Once you're that far out，it's just the Indian Ocean，and it means you're looking at trade going from the Gulf to Asia，from Asia to South Africa．"
"This is the farthest robbing to date．They are now operating near the Maldives and India，"said another officer．
The three ships--the MV Prantalay l l，12，and l 4-had 77members on board in total．All of them are Thai，the spokesman said．Before the Sunday robbing，pirates held l l ships and 228sailors．
Pirates have increased attacks over the past year in hopes．f catching more dollar payments．Because of increased patrols and defenses on board ships，the success rate（率）has gone down，though the number of successful attacks has stayed the same year over year．
53．The pirate attack reported in the text happenedA．
A．far out in the Indian Ocean
B．in the normal patrol area
C．near the Somali，coast
D．in the south of Africa
54．According to the text，which can best describe the situation of the pirate problems？B
A．More goods on board are lost．
B．Pirate attacks happen in a larger area now．
C．The number of attacks has stayed the same these years．
D．Pirate attacks are as serious as before along the Somali coast．
55．Which is true about the warship patrols according to the text？B
A．The patrols are of little effect．
B．The patrols are more difficult．
C．More patrols are quite necessary even in Asia．
D．The patrols only drive the pirates to other areas．
56．How many sailors were held by the pirates up to the time of the report？D
A．228．B．77．C．383．D．305．
分析 文章大意：本篇文章为新闻报道类文体．报道索马里海盗抢劫三艘泰国渔船，并引用了官员的话，让读者了解当前的索马里海盗的形势．
解答 53．A 细节理解题．"The robbing of the three ships Sunday was about 600 miles outside the normal operation area for the international force"以及"Once you're that far out，it's just the Indian Ocean…"句意为"这次海盗袭击发生在国际护卫部队正常保护区域六百英里外"，"一旦你到了那么远，那就是印度洋了"可知正确答案为A项．
54．B 主旨大意题．文章主要报道发生在周末的对泰国渔船的袭击，就此事件引出索马里海盗的袭击已超越国际保卫队的正常护卫范围，而进入了更远的海域．
55．B．细节理解题．依据…the international patrols against pirates were having a"marked effect on pirate activity in the area"及Once you're that far out，it's just the Indian Ocean，and it means you're looking at trade going from the Gulf to Asia，from Asia to South Africa．可知应是巡逻难度加大了．
56．D 推理计算题．由文章首句"Somali pirates robbed three Thai fishing ships with 77 sailors on board…"及"Before the Sunday robbing，pirates held 11 ships and 228 sailors．"可知，到发报道为止，索马里海盗应劫持水手77+228=305人．
点评 对文章有了全面的了解之后，可以按照文章要求以及上下文之间的关系，做出推理判断．在进行推理判断的时候，需要综合考虑句型、语法、句子之间的逻辑关系、文化背景等方面的因素．
