PassageThree
Questions31to35arebasedonthefollowingpassage.
Itwasaterribletragedy,sixtimesmoredeadlythantheTitanic(泰坦尼克号).WhentheGermanshipWilhelmGustloffwashitbytorpedoes(鱼雷)firedfromaRussiansubmarine(潜水艇)inthefinalwinterofWorldWarII,morethan10,000people---mostlywomen,childrenandoldpeoplefleeingthefinalRedArmypushintoGermany—werepackedaboard.Anicestormhadturnedthedicksintofrozensheetsthatsenthundredsoffamiliesslidingintoseaastheshiplistedandbegantogodown.
Othersdesperatelytriedtoputlifeboatsdown.Somewhosucceededfoughtoffthoseinthewaterwhohadthestrengthtotrytogetaboard.
Mostpeoplefrozeimmediately.“I’llneverforgetthescreams,”saysChristaNutzmann,87,oneofthe1,200survivors.
Sherecallswatchingtheship,brightlylit,slippingintoitsdarkgrave—andrarelymentionedformorethanhalfacentury.
ThelongsilenceaboutthesinkingoftheWilhelmGustloffwasprobablyunavoidable—andnecessary.
Byunreservedlyconfessingtheircountry’shorriblecrimesGermanshavemanagedtowinacceptanceabroadandmakepeacewiththeirneighbors.
Today’sunifiedGermanyismoreprosperousandstablethanatanytimeinitslong,troubledhistory.
Forthat,ahalfcenturyofwillfulforgettingaboutpainfulmemoriesliketheGermanTitanicwasperhapsareasonablepricetopay.
ButeventhemostpoliticallycorrectGermansbelievethatthey’venowearnedtherighttodiscussthefullhistoricalrecord.
NottoidentifyGermansufferingwiththatofitsvictims,butsimplytoacknowledgeaterribletragedy.
31.TheWilhelmGustloffwentdownbecause
.A.itranintoanicestorm
.B.itwashitbyanothership
.C.itcrashedintoasubmarine
.D.itwasattackedbytorpedoes