DIY sailor Owen Warboys has finally launched his homemade boat — after spending nearly 30 years building it in his mum’s garden.
Owen, 66, a retired engineer from Hordle, New Milton, Hants, first started work on the 40ft—long boat in 1982 because he could not afford to buy his own. He told mum Edith that it would only take five years but after suffering “a few problems” it lasted nearly three decades.
When he finally finished, he was left with the head-scratching task of getting the 18-tonne boat out of the back garden. After some time he found a way. A huge crane (起重机) was brought in to carefully raise it 40ft in the air over his mother’s house and onto a lorry. It was then driven to the seaside and, to Owen’s delight, it floated and showed no signs of leaking when lowered into the water.
Now, 28 years after he first started, Owen is at last preparing to set sail in his beloved boat, Wight Dolphin, with his long-suffering wife Anne. Owen said, “I am so relieved that it’s finished. There were times when I thought it would never end but I’m the sort of person who likes to finish something once I’ve started.”
At first he persuaded his mum to let him do it in her garden and started taking in sheets of steel and pieces of wood. “My mother was happy for me to build it at her house but only bacause I told her it would only take five years.”
【小题1】Why did Owen decide to make his own boat by himself?A．He wanted to kill time after his retirementB．He wished to set a new world recordC．He didn’t have enough money to buy a boat D．He had a hobby of making things by hand【小题2】What problem did Owen face when he finished his boat?A．It leaked when lowered into the water B．It couldn’t be sent onto a truck C．He couldn’t afford to hire a crane.D．He didn’t know how to move it out.【小题3】Which of the following is TRUE about the boat ?A．It was built by Owen and his supportive wife B．It was in good condition after being put in the seaC．Owen’s mother was relieved to see it was finished D．Owen and his wife will sail around the world in it【小题4】We can infer from the passage that .A．the boat will enter a race petition B．Owen retired early in order to make his boatC．Owen’s wife gave the boat the name of Wight DolphinD．It took 23 more years to finish the boat than expectedC
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(答案→)C
解析：
【小题1】C 细节题。根据第二段1,2行first started work on the 40ft—long boat in 1982 because he could not afford to buy his own.说明C正确。
【小题2】D 细节题。根据第三段1,2行When he finally finished, he was left with the head-scratching task of getting the 18-tonne boat out of the back garden.说明D正确。
【小题3】B 细节题。根据第三段最后两行It was then driven to the seaside and, to Owen’s delight, it floated and showed no signs of leaking when lowered into the water.说明下水以后，这条船情况良好，故B正确。
【小题4】D推理题。根据Now, 28 years after he first started和I told her it would only take five years.说明他本来计划5年完成，但是最终话了28年，多花了23年，故D正确。