It is not easy for people to sail around the world in quite small boats. Sometimes the weather gets bad. Accidents can happen easily and quickly.
One family once had an accident. A big fish swam under their boat and bit holes in it. Sea water came, in and the boat soon sank（下沉）. Luckily these people had another small boat -a lifeboat, so they all got into the lifeboat. They stayed in the boat for many days. They ate, slept and always hoped. At last people in a ship saved them.
How do people live in a very small lifeboat for a long time? They must be strong in every way. They must have a hope, and they must have a strong desire（愿望） to live. People can't drink sea water. If they drink a lot of sea water, they will quickly die. They must collect rainwater and drink it. They must also catch fish and birds for food. Lifeboats do not often carry cookers. So people can't cook their food in the lifeboats. Raw fish and birds are not very nice but they are their only food. They must eatraw food, or they will die.
