2. Read and translate the text. Pirates on board the Milamar
One evening after sunset when the Milamar was in port, three men came on board. They were pirates who intended to steal personal belongings from the crew They knew that the Milamar was in port for four days and that many of the crew members were visiting the town for the evening. In fact, fifteen of the twenty-five crew were not on board the vessel that evening.
The pirates used grappling hooks to climb aboard the vessel. The two crew members on watch didn't hear the pirates jump over the railings because they were listening to the radio. The Captain was sleeping and didn’t hear the three men as they ran past his cabin door. The pirates went straight to the ratings’ cabins hoping to steal money, stereos, watches and other valuable items.
The pirates heard a seafarer snoring in the first cabin so they didn’t enter. But they didn’t hear anything in the second cabin. So two of the pirates broke the lock of the door and one kept watch outside. They didn’t know that a young cadet was sleeping inside the cabin.
The cadet heard something strange. He was getting out of bed to check the noise when the two pirates opened his door and switched on the light. The cadet was shocked to see three men holding guns in his room and he shouted for help.
The pirates were shocked to see him in the room and they pushed him to the floor. The cadet hit his head and fell unconscious.
Down the corridor, an engineer heard the call for help. He ran to the cadet’s cabin wearing his socks and pyjamas. But when he got there, the door was open, the cadet was lying unconscious on the floor and the pirates were running down the corridor.
The engineer tried to chase the pirates but he slipped on the stairs in his socks. He started shouting for help but it was too late. The pirates were already climbing down the rope, jumping into their boat and escaping back to the shore. One of the pirates was carrying a bag from the cadet’s cabin.
3. Give the English equivalents to the following Russian ones. Use Participle I or II where it is necessary.
Пираты, имеющие намерение украсть вещи; члены экипажа, посещающие город; использованные крюки; прыгая через перила; вахтенные, слушающие радио; направляясь к каютам; украденные вещи; мужчина, громко храпящий, сломанный замок; спящий кадет; ворвавшиеся в каюту пираты, испуганный кадет; люди, держащие в руках оружие; услышанный крик о помощи; человек, в пижаме и носках; курсант, лежащий без сознания; погнавшись за пиратами; спустившиеся в лодку пираты; унесенная сумка.
4. Rearrange sentences according to the contents of the text. Each sentence must express the main idea of each paragraph. There is one extra sentence which you don`t need.
The engineer tried to chase the pirates but he wasn`t able as he slipped on the stairs.
When the Milamar was in the port the pirates came on board.
Many crew members were visiting the town for the evening.
On hearing the cry for help the engineer was going to help the cadet.
The pirates went to the ratings` cabins because they intended to steal valuable items there.
The cadet was shocked as he saw strangers holding guns in his room.
The pirates broke the lock of the door and burst into the cabin.
5. Look at the pictures. Compare the pictures with the story in Exercise 2. What is wrong with each picture?
(Nisbet, A. English for Seafarers (Study Pack 1). Unit 7.5)
6. Work in pairs.
Using the information from the text explain to your study partner why:
The pirates decided to board the Milamar;
Nobody saw or heard the pirates;
The pirates went straight to the ratings` cabins;
They didn`t enter the first cabin but burst into the second one;
The cadet hit his head and fell unconscious;
The engineer was not able to catch the pirates.
Tell the story about the incident with the pirates on behalf of:
The crew member who was on watch;
The cadet;
The engineer.