The Ghost Ship

The Mary Celeste had always been B (0) an unlucky ship, but no one could have predicted what would happen to it when it ________ (1) sail from New York in November 1872. It was _________ (2) for Genoa with a cargo of alcohol - __________ (3) which should have taken about five weeks. However, Captain Briggs, his wife, his two-year-old daughter, his crew of seven sailors were never seen __________ (4).

The Mary Celeste was ___________ (5) off the Azores by a British ship called the Dei Gratia. It appeared to be in trouble, so Captain Morehouse sailed closer in order to __________ (6). Nobody answered his calls, so he sent three sailors in a boat to ___________ (7) help. They ___________ (8) the ship totally deserted. Some of the sails had been slightly ____________ (9) by a storm but, ____________ (10) from that, the Mary Celeste was in perfect _________ (11).

One small boat was missing, along with a map, and some navigation equipment. So it was __________ (12) that the crew had left the ship voluntarily. But why would they have left a large, safe ship in good ___________ (13) order for a much smaller, weaker boat?

Many ____________ (14) have been made to explain this mystery. Could it have been pirates? Nothing was stolen. An attack by a sea monster? The ship was not damaged. UFOs? To this day, no one has offered an explanation which is entirely ____________ (15).

0	A believed	B considered	C known	D regarded
1	A made	B set	C gave	D went
2	A heading	B traveling	C running	D going
3	A travel	B sail	C cruise	D journey
4	A later	B once	C more	D again
5	A looked	B spotted	C noted	D watched
6	A detect	B test	C experiment	D investigate
7	A put	B offer	C hand	D serve
8	A searched	B found	C saw	D met
9	A hurt	B injured	C damaged	D broken
10	A except	B apart	C far	D away
11	A condition	B state	C way	D health
12	A clean	B actual	C clear	D transparent
13	A going	B operating	C standing	D working
14	A tries	B goes	C turns	D attempts
15	A complete	B satisfactory	C enough	D efficient

Exercise 12. Optional task. Develop your communication skills.

Persuading. Giving way in arguments. Interrupting. Study the expressions in the box.

Persuading Don't you agree (that)... I'm sure you'd agree (that)... Don't you think (that)... Surely you'd agree (that)... Wouldn't you accept (that) ... Isn't it fact that... Giving way in arguments That's true. That's may be true. You've got a point there. I can see that but... Interrupting Now, hold on a second. Wait a minute. Could I just make a quick point, please? (polite, usually used in group discussions) I'd like to come in here, if I may.

In pairs or groups discuss advantages and disadvantages of building a new road round the city.