It seems impossible. But it is true. The Titanic is going to sink! The captain gives his orders. Wake the passengers! Radio for help! And make the lifeboats（救生船） ready!
這似乎不可能，但這是事實。泰坦尼克号要沉了!船長發出指令：叫醒乘客!用無線電求救!準備好救生艇!
The captain is afraid. He knows that 2,227 people are on board（在船上）. And there are only enough lifeboats for l,100 of them.
船長很害怕。他知道船上有2227人， 但救生艇隻夠容納一千一百人。
The passengers do not know this. As people come out on deck, they laugh and joke. Some are in evening gowns（禮服）. Others wear life jackets over pajamas（睡衣）. But they are not worried. They still think they are on a ship that cannot sink.
乘客們并不知到發生的一切。人們走到甲闆上時，還大笑着，開着玩笑。有些人穿着晚禮服，其他人則在睡衣外面套上救生衣。但他們并不擔心。他們仍然認為他們在一艘不會沉沒的船上。
“Get in the lifeboats”, the sailors tell them. “Women and children go first. Men go only if there is room”. Many do not want to get in. The big ship seems so safe. The little lifeboats do not.
“上救生艇”，水手們告訴他們。“婦女和兒童先走。男人隻有在有地方的時候才能上去。”許多人不想上救生艇。這艘大船看起來很安全。而小救生艇則不然。
The sailors are in a hurry. They know there is trouble. They rush（推） people into the lifeboats. Some are only half full, but the sailors lower（放下） them anyway.
水手們在趕時間。他們知道有麻煩。他們把人們推上救生艇。有些救生艇走裝滿了一半，但水手們還是放低了它們。
Many passengers are far from the lifeboats. They are the poor ones. Their rooms are down below. They know there is trouble too. But they do not know where to go. A few try to find their way. They go up stairs and down halls. Some are helped by seamen. Most just wait below.
許多乘客離救生艇很遠。他們是窮人，他們的房間在下面。他們也知道有麻煩，但不知道該去哪裡。一些人試圖找逃生的路。他們拾階又向下奔向大廳。有些人得到了水手的幫助，而大多數人隻是在下面等着。
In the radio room the operator（話務員） calls for help. Other ships answer. But they are many, many miles away.
在無線電室裡，接線員呼救。其他船隻應聲。但這些船都在很遠很遠的地方。
One ship is not far away. Its name is the Californian（加利福尼亞号輪船）. This ship is only ten miles from the Titanic. It could reach the sinking ship in minutes and save everyone.
一艘船就在不遠處，是加利福尼亞号。這艘船離泰坦尼克号隻有10英裡。它可以在幾分鐘内到達要沉沒的船隻并救下所有人。