Read the passage below and choose the best answer for each question. If you were to stop people in the street and ask them to name a ship that had been sunk, it is likely that nearly all of them would say the Titanic. For the sinking of the Titanic was, if not the most tragic, certainly the most famous sea disaster in the history of ocean travel. The Titanic was built as a luxury liner, intended to be the fastest in the world, and a great deal of publicity had surrounded it. The last point ...

Read the passage below and choose the best answer for each question.

If you were to stop people in the street and ask them to name a ship that had been sunk, it is likely that nearly all of them would say the Titanic. For the sinking of the Titanic was, if not the most tragic, certainly the most famous sea disaster in the history of ocean travel.

The Titanic was built as a luxury liner, intended to be the fastest in the world, and a great deal of publicity had surrounded it. The last point probably explains why so many important people from all walks of life were on the boat when it went down.

The Titanic was on its maiden voyage to America in 1912 when it struck an iceberg and sank. Of its 2,300 passengers, more than two-thirds were drowned. Because the Titanic was thought to be virtually unsinkable, no one was prepared for the tragedy. There was total panic as very few of the passengers had bothered to learn the necessary drill in the event of trouble. There was severe shortage of lifeboats and those that were launched were still half-empty. The one point of calm was to be found in the ballroom where the band carried on playing right to the very end.

What makes the sinking of the Titanic even more tragic is the fact that warnings of icebergs had been sent, yet the liner was still continuing at full speed. In addition, one ship was only ten miles away but did not receive the distress signal.

One good thing did, however, result from the disaster. The whole question of safety at sea was looked into, resulting in much better safety measures, including stricter lifeboat regulations and the establishment of an iceberg patrol.