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A letter written by a Titanic survivor to a friend in New York sold at auction this week for $11,875 in Boston.The remarks were written on Lady Lucy Duff-Gordon’s personal letter dated May 27, 1912 —six weeks after Titanic struck an iceberg and sank on its maiden voyage —and seem to indicate that she and her husband, Sir Cosmo Duff-Gordon, didn’t receive such a warm welcome home after their rescue.

“According to the way we’ve been treated by England on our return we didn’t seem to have done the right thing in being saved at all!!!! Isn’t it disgraceful?” Lady Duff-Gordon wrote. The London fashion designer and her husband, a Scottish, escaped by boarding Lifeboat 1, which transported 12 passengers despite having capacity for 40. Less than one-third of the more than 2,200 people aboard Titanic survived, hundreds fewer than could have lived if all of the lifeboats had been filled.

Lifeboat 1 became known as the “Money Boat”. Rumors that the Duff-Gordons tried to stop the crew from making other rescues were never proved, but Lady Duff-Gordon later said her husband was “brokenhearted over the negative coverage for the rest of his life”.

Many people remain fascinated by the Titanic tragedy and will for years to come. A cup and saucer from the Titanic sold for $13,750. Also auctioned was a letter Grateful Dead front man Jerry Garcia sent to a former Vogue cover model he met at a New York party in 1980. In the letter, which sold for $32,500, Garcia tells the woman, “Pardon my handwriting, this is the first letter I’ve written in years.” He includes a sketch with the words, “Grateful Dead just played our first outdoor show of the year at a place called the Greek Theatre.”

1.Why could many more people have survived in Atlantic?

A Because one-third people wanted to save others.

B Because more than 2,200 people were on Titanic.

C Because many lifeboats could carry 12 passengers.

D Because all the lifeboats weren’t full when leaving.

解析：选D。D。推理判断题。根据第2段最后1句的...hundreds fewer than could have lived if all of the lifeboats had been filled可知救生艇离开的时候并没有载满，因此很多本该获救的人丢掉了性命。

2.What kind of feeling did Lady Lucy Duff-Gordon express in her letter?

A Gratitude.

B Anger.

C Happiness.

D Anxiousness.

解析：选B。B。推理判断题。根据第2段第1句的the way we’ve been treated by England on our return we didn’t seem to have done the right thing in being saved at all可知 Lady Lucy Duff-Gordon感觉他们“被挽救似乎是做了错事”，她感觉受到了不好的待遇，那么她应该是感觉很”生气”。

3.Duff-Gordon was “brokenhearted” because _____.

A he was thought to have made money from Lifeboat 1

B he was considered to have refused to save the others

C he was said to have spread the rumor of his wife

D he was reported to cover the false report of Titanic

解析：选B。B。细节理解题。根据第3段第2句的Rumors that the Duff-Gordons tried to stop the crew from making other rescues were never proved可知有传言说他拒绝救助其他人，这个传言以及后来的新闻报道让他很心碎。

4.Which of the following sold most?

A The letter from Grateful Dead.

B A cup and saucer.

C The letter from Lucy Duff-Gordon.

D Lifeboat 1.

解析：选A。A。细节理解题。根据第4段第4句的In the letter, which sold for $32,500可知该信拍卖的价格最高。另外两件拍卖品A cup and saucer from the Titanic sold for $13,750. The letter from Lucy Duff-Gordon sold for $11,875.由此可知选A。

5.What is the main idea of Paragraph 4?

A Titanic tragedy is sill attractive.

B The Greek Theatre is very popular.

C Many things are auctioned.

D A former Vogue cover model appears.

解析：选A。A。主旨大意题。根据第4段第1句的Many people remain fascinated by the Titanic tragedy and will for years to come可以得知，直到今天，泰坦尼克号的悲剧还令许多人感兴趣。