AS IT IS 2016-04-20 Castaways Get HELP

AS IT IS 2016-04-20 Castaways Get HELP

After their small boat turned over, three men swam to a small island in the Pacific Ocean. They used the leaves and branches of palm trees to spell the word HELP hoping someone could see them.

Just like in a movie, a U.S. Navy¹ airplane spotted² the castaways on a small island in Micronesia a week later. The island is close to Guam, a U.S. territory in the Pacific.

The flight crew searching for the men used a camera that can read heat signals to discover that they might be on the island. The men had started a fire, hoping to be found.

The pilot flew around the island and discovered the word spelled on the beach.

When the plane was close enough, the men ran out from some trees and started waving their orange life vests.

The plane flew close to the ground more than once, and tipped its wings to show the men it knew they were there. The crew also threw a smoke signal into the water.

The Navy airplane reported the castaways’ location to the U.S Coast Guard and a boat from a nearby island left to pick the men up.

Lieutenant³ Commander John Harkins said he and his crew celebrated⁴ when they found the men, because they did not think they would find them.

The Associated Press news service reports the men arrived home safely and were not injured.

Words in This Story

castaway –n. a person who is left alone in a place (such as an island) as a result of a storm, shipwreck⁵, etc.

1 navy   

n.海军，海军人员，海军军力，藏青色

参考例句：

• My brother is in the navy.我兄弟在海军服役。
• He has transferred from the army to the navy.他从陆军转到海军。

2 spotted   

adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的

参考例句：

• The milkman selected the spotted cows,from among a herd of two hundred.牛奶商从一群200头牛中选出有斑点的牛。
• Sam's shop stocks short spotted socks.山姆的商店屯积了有斑点的短袜。

3 lieutenant   

n.陆军中尉，海军上尉；代理官员，副职官员

参考例句：

• He was promoted to be a lieutenant in the army.他被提升为陆军中尉。
• He prevailed on the lieutenant to send in a short note.他说动那个副官，递上了一张简短的便条进去。

4 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

5 shipwreck   

n.船舶失事，海难

参考例句：

• He walked away from the shipwreck.他船难中平安地脱险了。
• The shipwreck was a harrowing experience.那次船难是一个惨痛的经历。