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