Boat Accident with Students in Congo

剛果學生船難事故


Introduction

A wooden boat sank in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Students were on the boat after their school tests. Many people died.

一艘木船在剛果民主共和國沉沒。學生們在學校考試後登上該船。許多人死亡。

Main Body

The boat sank on Friday in the Kasai province. A leader says 20 people died and 80 people lived. But another man says more than 200 people were on the boat.

該船於週五在卡薩伊省沉沒。一名領導者表示 20 人死亡,80 人獲救。但另一名男子表示船上共有 200 多人。

Many boats sink in this area. The boats are too old and have too many people. Some boats travel at night, and this is dangerous.

該地區經常發生船隻沉沒事件。船隻過於老舊且載客過多。部分船隻在夜間航行,這非常危險。

One leader says the boat owners only want money. They do not care about safety. Because of this, many people die every year.

一名領導者表示船主只想要錢,並不關心安全。因此,每年都有許多人死亡。

Conclusion

The government says at least 20 people died in the boat accident.

政府表示此次船難至少造成 20 人死亡。

Vocabulary Learning

⚓ The 'Sank' vs 'Sink' Pattern

In the story, we see two versions of the same action. One is for the past (it already happened) and one is for general facts.

1. The Past Event (Finished)

  • The boat sank.
  • Meaning: It happened on Friday. It is over.
  • Sank → Action in the past.

2. The General Fact (Always True)

  • Many boats sink in this area.
  • Meaning: This happens often. It is a regular problem.
  • Sink → Action that happens generally.

Quick Guide for A2 Learners:

If you talk about...Use this wordExample
Yesterday / Last weekSankThe boat sank yesterday.
Usually / Every yearSinkOld boats sink easily.

💡 Pro Tip: Notice the phrase "too many people." When something is too [adjective], it means it is a problem.

  • Too old \rightarrow Danger!
  • Too many \rightarrow Danger!

Vocabulary Learning

sank (v.)
Went down under the water
Example:The heavy stone sank to the bottom of the river.
province (n.)
A specific area or region of a country
Example:He lives in a small town in the northern province.
dangerous (adj.)
Something that can hurt you or cause a problem
Example:It is dangerous to walk alone in the dark.
safety (n.)
The state of being safe from danger
Example:The school cares about the safety of all students.
accident (n.)
Something bad that happens by chance
Example:He had a car accident last week.
Practice A2 words in a crossword