The first of the two ships to reach Java after the race had begun was the Thermopylae, but on the Indian Ocean, the Cutty Sark took the lead. It seemed certain that she would be the first ship home, but during the race she had a lot of bad luck. In August, she was struck by a very heavy storm during which her rudder was torn away.

　　10.The first of the two ships to reach Java after the race had begun was the Thermopylae, but on the Indian Ocean, the Cutty Sark took the lead.

　　比赛开始后，“赛姆皮雷”号率先抵达爪哇岛。但在印度洋上，“卡萨萨克”号驶到了前面。

　　语言点:take the lead的意思为“领先，带头”。应特别注意的是，短语中的lead作名词用，不作动词。

　　11.It seemed certain that she would be the first ship home, but during the race she had a lot of bad luck.

　　看来，它首先返抵英国是确信无疑的了，但它却在比赛中连遭厄运。

　　语言点:句子结构分析:it作形式主语，真正的主语是that引导的从句she would be the first ship home,即“它首先返抵英国是…的”

　　12.In August, she was struck by a very heavy storm during which her rudder was torn away.

　　8月份“卡蒂萨克”号遭到一场特大风暴的袭击，失去了一只舵。

　　语言点:句子结构分析:during which为“介词+关系代词”的结构，引导定语从句，修饰storm,如果还原成during the storm…,则重复了storm,显得啰嗦，所以用which代替the storm。