The telephone rang in the police station at Richmond, California, USA. “Police station？ A train for Santa FE collide（碰撞）with a（n）　31　at the McDonald Street Crossing. Please go there at once, with an ambulance too. A man is badly injured，” said a（n）　32　voice of a young woman.

“Just a minute, we’ll come　33　. Please stay there and wait，” answered the policeman.

Within a minute, a police car and an ambulance　34　. Soon they got to the　35　, but only to　36　everything was fine. No collision, no　37　man.

“What a dirty trick！” said the policeman　38　. “We must find out that mischievous（恶作剧的）　39　and.”

They had not been able to say anything about a punishment　40　they heard the whistle of a train: the train was nearing them quickly. All　41　a sudden, a truck appeared. It came fast towards them, too. 　42　it was passing the crossing, it suddenly refused to move on. Right then and there, before the eyes of all the people present, the train collided with the truck heavily and struck it　43　meters away.

When Randolph Bruce, the driver was　44　out of the damaged truck, he was　45　hurt just　46　the young woman had foretold on the phone. As he was taken to the　47　in time, he was saved at last.

Later the policemen did　48　they could to find the woman who had telephoned them, but　49　.

It is　50　that a prophecy（预言）should coincide（巧合）with the fact so exactly.

The telephone rang in the police station at Richmond， California， USA. “Police station？ A train for Santa FE collide(碰撞)with a(n)　31　at the McDonald Street Crossing. Please go there at once， with an ambulance too. A man is badly injured，” said a(n)　32　voice of a young woman.

“Just a minute， we’ll come　33　. Please stay there and wait，” answered the policeman.

Within a minute， a police car and an ambulance　34　. Soon they got to the　35　， but only to　36　everything was fine. No collision， no　37　man.

“What a dirty trick！” said the policeman　38　. “We must find out that mischievous(恶作剧的)　39　and. . . ”

They had not been able to say anything about a punishment　40　they heard the whistle of a train： the train was nearing them quickly. All　41　a sudden， a truck appeared. It came fast towards them， too. 　42　it was passing the crossing， it suddenly refused to move on. Right then and there， before the eyes of all the people present， the train collided with the truck heavily and struck it　43　meters away.

When Randolph Bruce， the driver was　44　out of the damaged truck， he was　45　hurt just　46　the young woman had foretold on the phone. As he was taken to the　47　in time， he was saved at last.

Later the policemen did　48　they could to find the woman who had telephoned them， but　49　.

It is　50　that a prophecy(预言)should coincide(巧合)with the fact so exactly.

31. A. ambulance　　　　B. truck　　　　C. car　　　　　D. bus

32. A. anxious         B. sweet             C. gentle            D. low

33. A. fast            B. ahead             C. soon              D. later

34. A. went by        B. set off             C. got there           D. came on

35. A. telephone       B. street             C. station             D. crossing

36. A. feel            B. find              C. have              D. tell

37. A. injured         B. trapped            C. frightened         D. killed

38. A. happily         B. excitedly          C. angrily            D. disappointedly

39. A. man           B. policeman          C. woman           D. boy

40. A. until           B. since              C. while             D. when

41. A. at             B. of                C. by                D. for

42. A. When          B. Where            C. That              D. Which

43. A. dozen          B. dozens            C. dozen of           D. dozens of

44. A. raised          B. helped            C. pushed            D. forced

45. A. slightly         B. clearly            C. hardly            D. badly

46. A. as             B. so                C. before            D. for

47. A. police station    B. market            C. hospital           D. sidewalk

48. A. that            B. which             C. however          D. whatever

49. A. delayed         B. worked           C. stopped            D. failed

50. A. surprised        B. surprising         C. satisfied           D. satisfying

The telephone rang in the police station at Richmond， California， USA. “Police station？ A train for Santa FE collide(碰撞)with a(n)　31　at the McDonald Street Crossing. Please go there at once， with an ambulance too. A man is badly injured，” said a(n)　32　voice of a young woman.

“Just a minute， we’ll come　33　. Please stay there and wait，” answered the policeman.

Within a minute， a police car and an ambulance　34　. Soon they got to the　35　， but only to　36　everything was fine. No collision， no　37　man.

“What a dirty trick！” said the policeman　38　. “We must find out that mischievous(恶作剧的)　39　and. . . ”

They had not been able to say anything about a punishment　40　they heard the whistle of a train： the train was nearing them quickly. All　41　a sudden， a truck appeared. It came fast towards them， too. 　42　it was passing the crossing， it suddenly refused to move on. Right then and there， before the eyes of all the people present， the train collided with the truck heavily and struck it　43　meters away.

When Randolph Bruce， the driver was　44　out of the damaged truck， he was　45　hurt just　46　the young woman had foretold on the phone. As he was taken to the　47　in time， he was saved at last.

Later the policemen did　48　they could to find the woman who had telephoned them， but　49　.

It is　50　that a prophecy(预言)should coincide(巧合)with the fact so exactly.

31. A. ambulance　　　　B. truck　　　　C. car　　　　　D. bus

32. A. anxious         B. sweet             C. gentle            D. low

33. A. fast            B. ahead             C. soon              D. later

34. A. went by        B. set off             C. got there           D. came on

35. A. telephone       B. street             C. station             D. crossing

36. A. feel            B. find              C. have              D. tell

37. A. injured         B. trapped            C. frightened         D. killed

38. A. happily         B. excitedly          C. angrily            D. disappointedly

39. A. man           B. policeman          C. woman           D. boy

40. A. until           B. since              C. while             D. when

41. A. at             B. of                C. by                D. for

42. A. When          B. Where            C. That              D. Which

43. A. dozen          B. dozens            C. dozen of           D. dozens of

44. A. raised          B. helped            C. pushed            D. forced

45. A. slightly         B. clearly            C. hardly            D. badly

46. A. as             B. so                C. before            D. for

47. A. police station    B. market            C. hospital           D. sidewalk

48. A. that            B. which             C. however          D. whatever

49. A. delayed         B. worked           C. stopped            D. failed

50. A. surprised        B. surprising         C. satisfied           D. satisfying

A．Williams, who knew the dangers of the area, had refused to consult charts or maps and had become utterly lost in the bad weather.

B．When the Titanic sank, the stories of the courage mainly showed in the face of inevitable(不可避免的) death moved the world.

C．Major Sexton ordered the survivors on deck, and in one of the more remarkable displays of courage seen, the soldiers stood silently to attention as the women and children were loaded into the life-boats.

D．Within fourteen minutes t had sunk, taking with it 1,012 ordinary people.

E．Their behavior was shocking.

F．There were about six hundred and eighty on board, of whom fifty were women and children.

The Best and the Worst

　　　 Under the extreme conditions of a disaster, human beings display the best and worst they are capable of. In the midst of chaos “women and children first” is the traditional way of doing things.

71 . Sixty years before that, the passengers of another ship had shown even greater discipline and nobility in terrible circumstances.

　　　 The ship was the Birkenhead, a steam-powered troopship transporting British troops to South Africa. On 26 February, 1852, the ship hit an uncharted rock while rounding the Cape of Good Hope. 72　 . The remainders were soldiers and officers of the 74^th Highlanders, led by Major Alexander Sexton. In addition, the ship was laden with horses.

　　　 The initial collision had already caused dozens of the troops to be drowned as they slept below decks. 73　 . The ship was sinking rapidly and leaning, but they continued to stand until all the women and horses were driven over-board to give them a chance. Only then, at the order from Major Sexton, did they break ranks and try to save their own lives. But the ship broke up, and four hundred and eighty-eight of the soldiers died.

　　　 In complete opposition to this bravery, was the occasion when nearly all the casualties(人员伤亡) were women and children. This happened on 1 April, 1873. The White Star liner Atlantic, under the command of the incompetent Captain Williams, was wrecked on rocks off the coast of Nova Scotia. 　74　 . In the panic, the male passengers deserted their families and tried to escape ashore.　 75　 . There were five hundred and sixty deaths. Of the four hundred survivors, not one was a woman.