Text 6. Medical officials in Brazil have ruled out anthrax

Medical officials in Brazil have ruled out anthrax as the cause of an Egyptian sailor's death.

It was feared that seaman Soliman Ibrahim had been exposed to anthrax after an autopsy indicated the presence of the poison.

He was found dead in his cabin on the ship Wadi al Arab on April 11,
a few days after arriving in Brazil by plane from Cairo. But, after conducting
a second examination and doing tests on the ship, officials in Brazil and Canada found no evidence of anthrax – although they say they still do not know what killed the sailor.

The vessel was shipping a cargo of bauxite from Brazil to Canada and quarantine measures – imposed by Canada after it received word of the possible anthrax-related death – have now been lifted.

A first autopsy found the sailor had suffered from vomiting, internal bleeding and multiple organ failure, but also discovered an indication of anthrax. This prompted speculation that a suitcase he was given in Cairo and asked to deliver to someone in Canada may have held the substance.

Canadian health officials had quarantined the ship around the port of Halifax on the Atlantic coast.

Some health experts say the confusion may have been caused by the discovery of bacteria in the crew member's body that looked like anthrax.

Group Work

Two texts below are about the same accident but comprise different information. Each student has to read one text. Exchange the information. Work in pairs.

Text 7. Italian ship sinks, 1 missing after collision

2007-08-03

An Italian research ship sank and a Russian researcher onboard went missing on Friday after the ship collided with another vessel in the Mediterranean Sea off Italy's Sicily Island.

The collision took place in heavy fog about 6 km off the Sicilian port of Mazara del Vallo between the Thetis, which belonged to the Italian National Research Council, and a Panamanian-registered cargo vessel en route from Israel to Spain.

The Thetis was carrying a crew of six and eight researchers – two Russians and six Italians – doing oceanological research.

The other 13 people aboard the Thetis were rescued and taken to hospital as a precautionbut no one appeared to have been seriously injured.

Italian Transport Minister Alessandro Bianchi left a cabinet meeting in Rome to oversee rescue operations and the investigation into the accident.

Text 8. Italian research ship sinks, all passengers safe

Aug 3, 2007

A research ship operated by Italy's National Research Council (CNR) sank in the Mediterranean Sea on Friday after colliding with a merchant vessel amid heavy fog.

Eleven people initially given as missing were eventually rescued by Italy's coast guards, assisted in their search by air force units.

The accident took place about four miles off the coast of Sicily.

Transport Minister Alessandro Bianchi left a cabinet meeting in Rome to follow developmentsand questioned why the ships' radars had not helped the crew avoid the collision.

The research ship, the Thetis, is 31.5 metres long and carries out research into fisheries, environment and physical oceanography on behalf[20] of CNR.

The other ship involved in the accident, the Heleni, was described by reports as a Panama-registered merchant vessel operating on the Israel.

TERM 6

UNIT 1. Lost at Sea

Text 1. Death of man on ferry negligent

I. Read the text.

Make sure you understand the words below:

liability	responsibility
probability	possibility, chance
gap	hole
gate	door

The High Court[21] has decided that the death of a man who drowned when he fell overboard from the deck of Koningin Beatrix ferry was due to negligence.

Michael Davis, 35, died during a Stena Line[22] crossing from Rosslare to Fishguard in October 2000.

The firm denies liability and said he must have gone overboard deliberately.

But the judge said Mr Davis's death was caused by the negligence of Stena and of the captain.

About five minutes after Mr Davis went overboard he was seen in the sea by a number of passengers and the alarm was raised. A lifeboat was launched, two rescue helicopters were scrambled and a nearby container ship joined in the search.

About fifty minutes after he had gone overboard, Mr Davis, a well-built man who was a very strong swimmer, was spotted "still very much alive" by
a crew member on the container ship.

The judge said the probability was that Mr Davis had lost his footing[23] and fallen over the safety rails, or through a gap where an access gate had been left open. Besides, before Mr Davis was spotted, those on the ferry had no clear and carefully prepared plan of rescue.

Vocabulary

negligent	допущенный по небрежности
to drown	тонуть
negligence	небрежность
to deny	отрицать
deliberately	умышленно
judge	судья
alarm	тревога
to scramble	поднимать в воздух (вертолеты) по тревоге
to spot	заметить
safety rails	защитные поручни
access	проход

II. Vocabulary Practice

1. Match the words from column A and column B similar in their meaning.

A	B
1. spot	a) danger signal
2. deny	b) go down
3. drown	c) carelessness
4. negligence	d) responsibility
5. alarm	e) refuse
6. liability	f) notice

2. Match the words in column A with those in column B to form a phrase. Use them in the sentences of your own.

A	B
1. to fall	a) death
2. to deny	b) a helicopter
3. to go	c) overboard
4. to cause	d) liability
5. to scramble	e) an alarm
6. to raise	f) a lifeboat
7. to launch

III. Speech Practice

1. Explain the underlined parts in your own words.

1. He must have gone overboard deliberately.

2. He was spotted"still very much alive".

2. Rephrase the following sentences:

1.	The death of a man who drowned when he fell overboard was due to negligence.
	Negligence resulted in…
2.	About five minutes after Mr Davis went overboard he was seen in the sea by a number of passengers and the alarm was raised.
	The alarm was raised after…
3.	A lifeboat was launched, two rescue helicopters were scrambled and a nearby container ship joined in the search.
	The search operation involved…
4.	The probability was that Mr Davis had lost his footing and fallen over the safety rails.
	Mr Davis might have…