Story
In April 1912, the world’s largest and most luxurious ship set out on its first voyage across the Atlantic Ocean. It was called the Titanic, and people believed it was “unsinkable.” The ship was a symbol of progress and modern technology, built with the strongest materials and designed for comfort. Rich passengers filled the upper decks, while hundreds of immigrants seeking new lives in America traveled in the lower decks.
The Titanic left Southampton, England, on April 10, 1912. It stopped briefly in France and Ireland before heading toward New York City. On board were more than 2,200 people—passengers and crew members. For four days, the journey was calm and pleasant. The ship’s restaurants, music rooms, and grand staircase made it feel like a floating palace.
But on the night of April 14, everything changed. Around 11:40 p.m., lookouts saw a dark shape in the water—a massive iceberg. The ship tried to turn, but it was too late. The iceberg scraped along the Titanic’s side, tearing holes below the waterline. At first, many passengers didn’t realize the danger. The engines stopped, and the ship slowly began to tilt.
The captain, Edward Smith, and his crew quickly sent out distress signals. They knew there were not enough lifeboats for everyone. The Titanic carried only 20 lifeboats—far fewer than needed. The rule at the time required lifeboats for weight, not for the number of passengers.
As the crew tried to lower the boats, panic spread. The band played music to calm people. Many of the rich passengers didn’t believe the ship could sink and waited too long to leave. In the freezing night, the lifeboats were lowered half-empty. The ship’s lights flickered, and then, around 2:20 a.m., the Titanic broke in two and disappeared beneath the water.
Out of more than 2,200 people, only about 700 survived. Most of the others died in the icy ocean before help arrived. The rescue ship Carpathia reached the area a few hours later, picking up those who had escaped in lifeboats.
News of the disaster shocked the world. People could not believe that such a great ship had sunk on its first trip. Questions quickly followed: Why were there so few lifeboats? Could the crew have turned sooner? Was the ship going too fast through dangerous waters?
In later years, investigations revealed that safety rules were outdated and that the Titanic had been traveling too fast despite warnings of icebergs. The tragedy led to major changes in ship safety, including lifeboats for all passengers and 24-hour radio communication.
Today, the Titanic remains one of history’s greatest mysteries and lessons. The wreck was discovered in 1985, two miles below the ocean surface. Visitors to museums around the world still look at pieces recovered from the ship and imagine that cold April night when the “unsinkable” ship met its fate.
Vocabulary List
Tap the speaker to hear each word.
- voyage — A long trip by sea or in space.
- unsinkable — Impossible to sink (believed to be).
- iceberg — A large block of ice floating in the sea.
- distress signal — A call for help in an emergency.
- lifeboat — A small boat used to escape from a ship.
- outdated — Old and not useful anymore.
- warning — A message that danger is near.
- wreck — The remains of something destroyed, like a ship.
- immigrant — A person who moves to another country to live.
- tragedy — A very sad event that causes suffering.
Comprehension Questions
- Why did people believe the Titanic was unsinkable?
- What happened on the night of April 14, 1912?
- Why were there not enough lifeboats on the Titanic?
- How did the crew and band try to manage the situation?
- How many people survived, and which ship rescued them?
- What safety changes were made after the disaster?
- Why does the Titanic still interest people today?