Sailor Missing After Boat Found Adrift Off French Coast
Listen to the story
A sailboat was found near the island of Yeu, in France. The boat was adrift. This means it was moving on the water with no one to control it.
The sailboat is a catamaran. This is a boat with two hulls. People found the broken boat, or wreck, near Brittany, a place in France.
The person who sails the boat is called the skipper. He was not on the boat. People looked for him near Penmarc'h, a town on the coast.
Many people helped search for the skipper. They used boats and other tools. But they could not find him.
The maritime prefect is an important official for the sea. This person decided to stop the search. They said the search is now suspended.
This means no one is looking for the skipper right now. The story shows how dangerous the sea can be for sailors.
Vocabulary12 words
- sailboat
- a boat that moves with wind and sails
- adrift
- moving on water with no control
- catamaran
- a boat with two long parts (hulls)
- wreck
- a boat that is broken or destroyed
- skipper
- the person who leads and sails a boat
- maritime prefect
- an important government person for the sea
- suspended
- stopped for now, but maybe not forever
- coast
- the land next to the sea
- search
- looking for someone or something
- island
- land with water all around it
- Brittany
- a place in the west of France
- missing
- not able to be found
Quiz
Answer key
1. A sailboat 2. The skipper 3. False
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
A _____ was found near the island of Yeu, in France. The boat was _____. This means it was moving on the water with no one to control it.
The sailboat is a _____. This is a boat with two hulls. People found the broken boat, or _____, near Brittany, a place in France.
The person who sails the boat is called the _____. He was not on the boat. People looked for him near Penmarc'h, a town on the _____.
Many people helped _____ for the skipper. They used boats and other tools. But they could not find him.
The maritime _____ is an important official for the sea. This person decided to stop the search. They said the search is now _____.