Part 1 The Korean Shipwreck

Sandra： Oh my God！ Kenny， have you been keeping up to date on what’s happening with the 1）fallout from the South Korean Shipwreck？

Kenny： Yeah， it’s horrible； such a senseless tragedy. I heard the death toll is now upwards of 200， with hundreds more still missing.

Sandra： I know. The search efforts are ongoing， but it’s hard to maintain hope under such 2）dire circumstances.

Kenny： Especially when most of the people on board were just high-school students.

Sandra： Rescuers have managed to save 174 so far， ①but I have a feeling that number will pale in comparison to the eventual number of young lives needlessly lost in the fray.

Kenny： It’s hard to imagine a 6，825-ton ship sinking to the bottom of the sea in this day and age. I mean， Korean ships sinking， Malaysian planes disappearing—What’s next？

Sandra： Who knows？ Did you hear that Korean police authorities have already 3）detained the ship’s captain， who was one of the first to escape the 4）vessel via lifeboat？

Kenny： Yeah！ I was outraged when I heard about it. Everyone knows the captain is supposed to go down with the ship. But this guy simply ran away， or floated away as the case may be. Talk about the ultimate showing of 5）cowardice.

Sandra： Yeah. It’s always been women and children first， not selfish captains scared for their lives.

Kenny： And that saying， about the captain going down with the ship， is so well known that it’s 6）permeated into all parts of society. ②To the point where if any endeavor fails， it’s the leader’s responsibility to do whatever it takes to save the others， or else shoulder all the blame.

Sandra： You’re right. ③It’s a given， since leaders get to enjoy the most glory from success， they should also carry the most shame from failure.

Kenny： Do you think we’ll ever know what really happened on the boat？

Sandra： We already know a lot. The ship sank off the coast of Jindo Island at around 11：30 a.m. local time on Tuesday， April 15th. But， it sent out a 7）distress signal as early as 8：52 a.m. that morning. So it floated for hours with no help in sight.

Kenny： And the water current was so strong， it made rescuing the victims even more difficult.

Sandra： But that hasn’t stopped Korea from 8）deploying 72 rescue ships and 18 helicopters， who are doing all they can to search for survivors.

Kenny： So， did the ship 9）run aground？

Sandra： I can’t be sure， but passengers claim to have heard a loud thump from the bow， before the ship started to 10）tilt 11）portside.

Kenny： ④I just can’t get over it. ⑤Those poor kids running around in a panic， while the captain scurried off the ship， as fast as he could， with his tail tucked neatly between his legs.

Sandra： Forget him. Let’s just pray for the victims’ families and the terrible loss they must be feeling…

Smart Sentences

① But I have a feeling that number will pale in comparison to the eventual number of young lives needlessly lost in the fray. 但我覺得比起那些在混亂中無辜失去的年輕生命的最終數目來說，這個數字是多么蒼白。

lost in the fray： disappeared in the midst of chaos and confusion（消失在混亂中）。例如：

While officials were busy pointing fingers about the collapse of the building， rescue efforts were delayed and lives were lost in the fray.

由于官員忙著就大樓的倒塌相互指責，救援工作進展緩慢，生命也在漸漸地消失。

② To the point where if any endeavor fails， it’s the leader’s responsibility to do whatever it takes to save the others， or else shoulder all the blame. 如果到了任何努力都無濟于事的關頭，領導的責任就是竭盡全力救援他人，否則就要承擔所有的責任。

shoulder the blame： accept the responsibility for sth. that has happened（承擔責任）。例如：

Three days have passed， but nobody has stepped forward to shoulder the blame for the fatal fire.

三天過去了，但沒有人站出來為這場大火承擔責任。

③ It’s a given， since leaders get to enjoy the most glory from success， they should also carry the most shame from failure. 這是眾所周知的事，因為領導們從成功里享受最多的榮譽，他們也應該從失敗中承受最多的責難。

it’s a given： sth. that is acknowledged or assumed（眾所周知的事情）。例如：

—Did you know that all the students in Nancy’s class were accepted by universities？

你知道嗎？南希所在的年級全體畢業生都被大學錄取了。

—That’s a given. Her school has a reputation of full university enrollment.

人人都知道，她的那所學校以全部畢業生升大學而聞名。

④ I just can’t get over it. 我只是無法接受。

get over： recover from an unpleasant experience or unhappy emotion（恢復過來，從不愉快的經歷或情緒中恢復過來）。例如：

It took her three years to get over the divorce.

她過了三年才最終從離婚的創傷中恢復過來。

⑤ Those poor kids running around in a panic， while the captain scurried off the ship， as fast as he could， with his tail tucked neatly between his legs. 那些可憐的孩子在驚慌中東奔西跑，而船長用他最快的速度逃離客輪，他是個懦夫。

with one’s tail tucked between one’s legs： appearing frightened or cowardly（表現怯懦）。例如：

Once standing on the bungee jump platform， John forgot his heroic words， tucked his tail between his legs and backed off.

約翰一站在蹦極跳的平臺上，就忘了自己的豪言壯語，膽怯了，退縮了。