posted 16 July 1998 06:34 AM               

THE ALBATROSS
The Story

A certain West Coast university scientist chartered a ship for exploration purposes. When a large white bird was sighted, the scientist asked permission to kill it. He stated that white albatrosses are usually found only off the coast of Australia. He wanted the bird as a specimen for the university museum.

The crew protested against the killing of the bird, calling the scientistâs attention to the old sea superstition that bad luck followed the killing of a white albatross.

Nevertheless, the captain granted permission to kill the bird and the bird was killed. These mishaps happened after the bird was killed:

¡ The net cables fouled up three times.
¡ The net caught on the bottom and was ripped to shreds.
¡ The shaft on the main winch snapped and it took the crew members five hours to reel in by hand 1700 feet of cable.
¡ A rib was broken when Jackie Larson, a scientific aide, fell down a hatch ladder.
¡ The scientist became seasick for the first time in his life.
¡ Lost gear forced the ship to head for land.
¡ The cook left his job.

Respond to the following statements:

1. The scientist had never been seasick before? T F Not Sure

2. After the scientist shot the albatross, the trouble happened. T F Not Sure

3. The scientist was not from a university or college. T F Not Sure

4. The scientist asked the captain for permission to kill the bird. T F Not Sure

5. A ship was chartered by a scientist. T F Not Sure

6. The net was ripped on the bottom of the sea. T F Not Sure

7. The white albatross was sighted near Australia. T F Not Sure

8. When an albatross was sighted flying near the ship, the scientist asked permission to kill it. T F Not Sure

9. The net was not damaged. T F Not Sure

10. The troubles happened after the albatross was killed. T F Not Sure

11. The ship, propelled by a motor, was in difficulty after the gear broke. T F Not Sure

12. Permission to kill the bird was given by the captain. T F Not Sure

13. The sailors were not disturbed when the scientist violated the old sea superstition. T F Not Sure

14. The person who fell down a hatch ladder was a man named Larson T F Not Sure

15. The scientist did not ask the crew for permission to kill the albatross. T F Not Sure

16. The scientistâs attention was called to the old sea superstition that bad luck follows the killing of a white albatross. T F Not Sure

17. The naturalist did not ask permission to kill the bird in order to secure it as a museum specimen. T F Not Sure

18. Lost gear was not the reason the ship landed. T F Not Sure

19. The crew protested against the killing of the bird. T F Not Sure

posted 16 July 1998 07:47 PM               

Suggest everyone print it out and pass it around and do just that...say over lunch or happy hour. Every time I use it...i need to have extra copies....it goes over well.