I was a lucky survivor (幸 存 者) from the Titanic. Although many years have passed, I still remember clearly everything happened at that night.
When the Titanic struck the iceberg, I was in bed. For some reason, I was awake and felt the boat shaking. A waiter on the boat knocked on the door and asked us to get dressed, put on life preservers (救生用具) and go to the boat deck (甲板). The elevators were not working, so we walked up to the boat deck. All was calm and orderly. An officer was in charge. “Women and children first，” he said, as he ordered lifeboat Number 11 to be filled. Many people began to say goodbye to their friends or families tearfully. I and Uncle Jim said goodbye.
The lowering of the lifeboat 70 feet to the sea was perilous. Finally, with many people’s effort, the lifeboats full of children and women pulled some distance away from the lights (下 沉 的) Titanic successfully. Row by row, the lights of the Titanic sank into the sea. When the Titanic almost totally sank into the sea, thousands of people were thrown into the sea. I shall never forget the screams of the people as they died gradually in the water.
As a British kid, you were not allowed to cry. You were a “little man”. So I lay down in the bottom of the lifeboat and went to sleep. When I awoke it was broad daylight as we approached another ship, the Carpathia. Looking around, it seemed to me like the Arctic, with icebergs everywhere.
36．When the Titanic struck the iceberg, ________.
A．all the passengers were asleep except the author
B．the passengers were scared and everything was in a mess
C．the author and others went to the deck by elevator
D．the author was awake
37．The underlined word, “perilous”， in the third paragraph, can be replaced by “________”．
A．easy B．simple
C．quick D．dangerous
38．What can we learn from the third paragraph?
A．There were many men in the lifeboats.
B．The people in the lifeboats could see nothing.
C．The author would never forget the screams of the dying people.
D．Most passengers on Titanic died because of the cold water.
39．What can we know about the author?
A．All his family members had left the Titanic successfully.
B．He was very young when the Titanic accident happened.
C．He cried sadly and was sent to the bottom of the lifeboat to sleep.
D．He finally arrived in America.
40．Which of the following words can describe the author?
A．Lucky. B．Optimistic.
C．Naughty. D．Wise.