Passage 2 (P.129)
TheSultanawas a MississippiRiver steamboat destroyed in an explosion on April 27, 1865. An 1)estimated1,800 of the 2,400 passengers werekilled, and theSultanasank not farfrom Memphis, Tennessee. This disaster received little public attention, as ittook place soon after the President Abraham Lincoln was 2)assassinated.
The wooden steamboat was constructed in 1863 and 3)was intended tobe use for the lower Mississippicotton trade. Registering 1,719 tons, the steamboat was built to carry no morethan 376 people. For two years, it ran a regular route between St. Louis andNew Orleans. Sometimes it was asked to carry troops.
TheSultanaleft New Orleanson April 21, 1865. Most of the passengers were Union soldiers who had recentlybeen 4)released fromConfederateprison camps. The US government had 5)made acontract withtheSultanato transport these former prisoners of war back to their homes in the north.
At 2 a.m. on April 27, about seven miles north of Memphis, at least oneboiler 6)gave away, causing a hugeexplosion that destroyed the center portion of the boat, throwing sleeping menhigh into the air before landing in the river. Confusion and chaos 7)ensuedas men tried to save themselves andothers. Many drowned while others burned to death.
The direct cause of the explosion was later determined to be the leakyand poorly repaired steam boiler. Passengers who 8)survivedthe initial explosion had to risk their lives in the icy water of theMississippi or burn with the ship. Many died of drowning or coldness. Bodies of9)victimscontinue to be founddownriver for months. Many were never recovered. Some of theSultana’s crew, including the captain,were among those who 10)perished.
Key
(1) estimated
(2) assassinated
(3) was intended to
(4) released from
(5) made a contract with
(6) gave away
(7) ensued
(8) survived
(9) victims
(10) perished
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