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was sinking rapidly； for five of her sixteen water…
tight compartments had already been flooded ！ The order to abandon ship was given and hundreds of people plunged into the icy water。 As there were not enough life…boats for everybody； 1500 lives were lost。
Lesson11 Not guilty
Going through the Customs is a tiresome business。 The strangest thing about it is that really honest people are often made to feel guilty。 The hardened professional smuggler； on the other hand； is never troubled by such feelings； even if he has five hundred gold watches hidden in his suitcase。 When I returned from abroad recently； a particularly officious young Customs Officer clearly regarded me as a smuggler。
'Have you anything to declare？' he asked； looking me in the eye。
'No；' I answered confidently。
'Would you mind unlocking this suitcase please ？'
'Not at all；' I answered。
The Officer went through the case with great care。 All the things I had packed so carefully were soon in a dreadful mess。 I felt sure I would never be able to close the case again。 Suddenly； I saw the Officer's face light up。 He had spotted a tiny bottle at the bottom of my case and he pounced on it with delight。
'Perfume； eh？' he asked sarcastically。 'You should have declared that。' Perfume is not exempt from import duty。'
'But it isn't perfume；' I said。' It's hair…oil。' Then I added with a smile；' It's a strange mixture I make myself。' As I expected； he did not believe me。
'Try it！' I said encouragingly。
The Officer unscrewed the cap and put the bottle to his nostrils。 He was greeted by an unpleasant smell which convinced him that I was telling the truth。 A few minutes later； I was able to hurry away with precious chalk…marks on my baggage。
Lesson12 Life on a desert island
Most of us have formed an unrealistic picture of life on a desert island。 We sometimes imagine a desert island to be a sort of paradise where the sun always shines。 Life there is simple and good。
Ripe fruit falls from the trees and you never have to work。 The other side of the picture is quite the opposite。 Life on a desert island is wretched。 You either starve to death or live like Robinson Crusoe； waiting for a boat which never comes。 Perhaps there is an element of truth in both these pictures； but few of us have had the opportunity to find out。
Two men who recently spent five days on a coral island wished they had stayed there longer。 They were taking a badly damaged boat from the Virgin Islands to Miami to have it repaired。 During the journey； their boat began to sink。 They quickly loaded a small rubber dinghy with food； matches； and tins of beer and rowed for a few miles across the Caribbean until they arrived at a tiny coral island。 There were hardly any trees on the island and there was no water； but this did not prove to be a problem。 The men collected rain…water in the rubber dinghy。 As they had brought a spear gun with them； they had plenty to eat。 They caught lobster and fish every day； and； as one of them put it 'ate like kings'。 When a passing tanker rescued them five days later； both men were genuinely sorry that they had to leave。
Lesson13 It鈥檚 only me
After her husband had gone to work； Mrs Richards sent her children to school and went upstairs to her bedroom。 She was too excited to do any housework that morning； for in the evening she would be going to a fancy dress party with her husband。 She intended to dress up as a ghost and as she had made her costume the night before； she was impatient to try it on。 Though the costume consisted only of a sheet； it was very effective。 After putting it on； Mrs Richards went downstairs。 She wanted to find out whether it would be comfortable to wear。
Just as Mrs Richards was entering the dining…room； there was a knock on the front door。 She knew that it must be the baker。 She had told him to come straight in if ever she failed to open the door and to leave the bread on the kitchen table。 Not wanting to frighten the poor man； Mrs Richards quickly hid in the small store…room under the stairs。 She heard the front door open and heavy footsteps in the hall。 Suddenly the door of the store…room was opened and a man entered。 Mrs Richards realized that it must be the man from the Electricity Board who had come to read the meter。 She tried to explain the situation； saying' It's only me'； but it was too late。 The man let out a cry and jumped back several paces。 When Mrs Richards walked towards him； he fled； slamming the door behind him。
Lesson14 A noble gangster
There was a time when the owners of shop and businesses in Chicago had to pay large sums of money to gangsters in return for' protection' If the money was not paid promptly； the gangsters would quickly put a man out of business by destroying his shop。 Obtaining 'protechon money' is not a modern crime。 As long ago as the fourteenth century； an Englishman； Sir John Hawkwood； made the remarkable discovery that people would rather pay large sums of money than have their life work destroyed by gangsters。
Six hundred years ago； Sir John Hawkwood arrived in Italy with a band of soldiers and settled near Florence。 He soon made a name for himself and came to be known to the Italians as Giovanni Acuto。 Whenever the Italian city…states were at war with each other； Hawkwood used to hire his soldiers to princes who were willing to pay the high price he demanded。 In times of peace； when business was bad； Hawkwood and his men would march into a city…state and； after burning down a few farms； would offer to go away if protection money was paid to them。 Hawkwood made large sums of money in this way。 In spite of this； the Italians regarded him as a sort of hero。 When he died at the age of eighty； the Florentines gave him a state funeral and had a picture painted which was dedicated to the memory of 'the most valiant soldier and most notable leader； Signor Giovanni Haukodue'。
Lesson15 Fifty pence worth of trouble
Children always appreciate small gifts of money。 Father； of course； provides a regular supply of pocket…money； but uncles and aunts are always a source of extra income。 With some children； small sums go a long way。 If sixpences are not exchanged for sweets； they rattle for months inside money…boxes。 Only very thrifty children manage to fill up a money…box。 For most of them； sixpence is a small price to pay for a satisfying bar of chocolate。
My nephew； George； has a money…box but it is always empty。 Very few of the sixpences I have given him have found their way there。 I gave him sixpence yesterday and advised him to save it。 Instead； he bought himself sixpence worth of trouble。 On his way to the sweet shop； he dropped his sixpence and it rolled along the pavement and then disappeared down a drain。 George took off
his jacket； rolled up his sleeves and pushed his right arm through the drain cover。 He could not find his sixpence anywhere； and what is more； he could not get his arm out。 A crowd of people gathered round him and a lady rubbed his arm with soap and butter； but George was firmly stuck。 The fire…brigade was called and two firemen freed George using a special type of grease。 George was not too upset by his experience because the lady who owns the sweet shop heard about his