UNIT 7

A MAN IN THE SEA

We first became aware that something usual was happening when one of the
ships officers came up to the Chief Engineer, who sat at our table, and spoke to him
in a low voice. The Chief Engineer at once stood up and with a brief excuse, which
told us nothing, left the dining-room. At first we thought that there had been an
accident or that a fire had broken out on board ship, but soon the word went round
that a man had seen floating in these sea. Then we noticed that the ship had slowed
down and was beginning to turn round, with rather a violent motion. Some of the
passengers did not wait finish their meal, but at once rushed up on deck. Others
crowded round the portholes, making it impossible for us to eat in comfort. There was
such confusion in the dining-room that we decided to join those who had gone up on
deck.
There we learnt that one of the crew had seen a man in the sea some distance
from the ship. He had informed the captain, who at once ordered the ship to be turned
round. We were now only two hundred yards or so from the man, and a lifeboat had
already been lowered into the sea. In it there were four sailors, who were sitting ready
at the oars, an officer and the ships doctor. The officer shouted an order and the
sailors began to row away from the ship. By looking in the same direction as the boat
was going, we were able to make out the position of the man in the water. He was
clinging to a large piece of wood.
At last, after what seemed to us an age, the lifeboat reached the man and two
of the sailors pulled him on board.
This was not at all easy, for the sea was rather rough. Then the sailors began to
row back to the ship again. The lifeboat was raised out of the water and the rescued
man, wrapped in a blanket, was helped out on to the deck. Leaning on the arm of the
ships doctor, but still able to walk in spite of his terrible experience, he was led off to
the ships hospital. As he passed along the deck, everyone cheered loudly.
(Donn Byrne: Intermediate Comprehension Passages, p. 56)
VOCABULARY:
to become, became, become; becoming
to become aware
ships officer
to come, came, come; coming
to come up to a person
Chief Engineer
to speak, spoke, spoken; speaking
to speak in a low voice
with a brief excuse
dining-room
to break, broke, broken, breaking
to break out (a fire)
on board ship

- postati
- postati svjestan
- brodski oficir
- doi do koga
- prvi oficir stroja
- tiho govoriti
- uz kratku ispriku
- salon restoran
- izbiti (vatra)
- na brodu

UNIT 7

)
- prouti se
- plutati; biti noen strujom (plivati)
- ovjek u moru
- zamijetiti
- usporiti, smanjiti brzinu
- okrenuti, okretati se
- uz snaan (silan) trzaj (silovito kretanje)
- potrati na palubu, pohrliti, pojuriti
- (na) gurati (se)
- okrugao prozori na boku broda
- na miru (komotno, udobno)
- zbrka
- pridruiti se kome
- popeti se na palubu
- saznati
- posada (broda)
- na izvjesnoj udaljenosti (od) (nedaleko)
- zapovjednik broda, kapetan
- zapovijediti
- (mjera za duljinu) jard
- brodski amac za spasavanje
- spustiti u more
- mornar
- prihvatiti se vesla
(biti, sjediti na veslima)
- brodski lijenik
- veslati
- razabrati, shvatiti; utvrditi
- pripiti se
- vrsto se drati
- stii doi do
- uzburkan (more)
- (po) dii
- izvui iz vode
- spaen
- umotati (u)
- osloniti se, biti naslonjen na
- iskustvo
- voditi
- odvesti koga
- klicati nekome

UNIT 7

1. When did the passengers on board ship become aware that something unusual was
happening?
2. How did the Chief Engineer react?
3. What did the passengers do?
4. What did the officer and the sailors do?
5. How were the passengers able to make out the position of the man in the water?
6. What was the man doing?
7. Was the sea calm?
8. What happened as the lifeboat was raised out of the water?
9. What was the rescued man able to do?
10. What did everyone do as he passed along the deck?
RECONSTRUCT THE PASSAGE:
TRANSLATE:
Putovanje brodom lijep je a ponekad i uzbudljiv doivljaj. Pogotovo ako se radi o
krstarenju. Za vrijeme jela i putnici i posada okupe se u salon-restoranu, a tijekom
dana na palubi. Osim zapovjednika i brodskih oficira te mornara tu je jo i brodski
lijenik. Za svaki sluaj brod je opremljen i amcima za spaavanje na vesla, postoji i
brodska ambulanta ako kojem putniku zatreba kakva pomo. Na sreu, nesree, vatra
na brodu ili pak spaavanje na moru rijetko se dogaaju.
MAKE SENTENCES OF YOUR OWN:
(to) become aware (to) speak in a low voice with a brief excuse (to) break out
on board ship (to) float (to) slow down (to) turn round in comfort (to) lower
(to) row (to) make out (to) raise out of (to) rescue
EXERCISES:
I. TENSE STUDY
Preterit/ Preterit Continuous vs. Pluperfect/ Pluperfect
They became aware that something usual was happening.
They thought that there had been an accident.
Soon the word went round that a man had been seen floating in the sea.
They noticed that the ship had slowed down and was beginning to turn round.
They decided to join those who had gone up on deck.
* WHICH TENSES ARE USED HERE TO DESCRIBE THE PAST ACTIONS
(EVENTS)? WHAT DO THEY HELP US EXPRESS?
* Complete these sentences:
Last evening I (study) ... my English lessons. When my brother (come) ... back from
the disco I (study still) ... To my disappointment I (realize) ... that I (learn not) ...
much although I (do not) ...l anything else for the past three hours.

UNIT 7

Three days ago I (visit) ... my grandfather. While he (work) ... in the garden I (try) ...
to repair his old radio. I (repair, it, once before) ... but this time the set (seem) ...
beyond repair. I (realize) ... I (try) ... do the impossible for straight two hours.
I saw him several days ago.
* before
I hadnt seen him before.
* since
I havent seen him since.
I visited her two weeks ago.
* before
* since
She received a letter from him month ago.
* before
* since
I telephoned him a couple of days ago.
* before
* since
I saw him downtown a week ago.
* before
* since
I met him several months ago.
* before
* since
We went to the movie a few nights ago.
* before
* since
QUESTIONS: You met her two years ago. When did you meet her? I met her ...
before: Had you met her before* No, I hadnt met her before.
since: Have you met her since? No, I havent met her since.
EXERCISE: STUDY THE ABOVE SENTENCES AND COMPLETE THEM AS IN
THE REFERENCE EXAMPLE.
II. INDICATE THE NAME OF THE TENSE/ITS CONTINUOUS ASPECT:
What have you said?
I havent said anything.
I havent even moved my lips.
Havent you noticed that I am not a great talker?
* Underline the characteristic verbal forms.
* Write similar sentences of your own.

UNIT 7

_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
What have you been doing for the past few minutes?
I have been trying to unlock the door.
Thats why I havent been listening to what you two have been talking about.
In fact, I havent been listening at all to what your sister has been traying to
say.
* Underline the characteristic verbal forms.
* Write similar sentences of your own.
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Yesterday, I entered the room and found him sitting at my desk.
He looked up at me boldly and told me that I was fired. Did you
tell him anything? No, I didnt. I wasnt able to say a word. Why
didnt you at least tell him to mind his own bussiness?
* Underline the characteristic verbal forms.
* Make similar sentences of your own.
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
In fact, I was trying to think of a right statement to make, while
he was looking at me self-contentedly. Then he got up and
towards me, and all of a sudden I realized that he was trying
to push me out into the corridor.
* Underline the characteristic verbal forms.
* Make similar sentences of your own.
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Where had you been earlier yesterday? We needed the fourth
for the game of cards.
Did you know that she hadnt invited John to her birthday party?
She hadnt?
Where did you think I had the money?
I thought you had won on the lottery.
Hadnt you seen him ever before the two of you met at the

UNIT 7

yesterday evenings party?

No, I hadnt.
But I had heard a lot about him earlier.
When he entered the room I closed the book I had been reading
for hours. Had you been doing nothing but reading this silly
book?, asked he maliciously.
I had not been doing anything else, was my brisk answer.
* Underline the characteristic verbal forms.
* Write similar sentences of your own.
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

III. MAKE SENTENCES USING THE ELEMENTS OFFERED.

SHOW THE VERB IN EACH OF THE TENSES YOU HAVE ALREADY
STUDIED.
-

We give parties
I study hard
she practice English grammar

from time to time____________________________________________________

once a week________________________________________________________
never______________________________________________________________
often______________________________________________________________
now_______________________________________________________________
over (?)____________________________________________________________
since last year_______________________________________________________
When I entered the room_______________________________________________
since last Monday (neg.)_______________________________________________
she claimed that she___________________________________________________
from 8 to 9 yesterday__________________________________________________