2． It's perhaps the world's most famous underwater attraction that remained in film and in legend：the Titanic.But now experts say the ocean liner，once a wonder of the high seas，is falling to pieces.
Capt.Alfred McLaren，the scientist who in July led the most recent expedition to the ship's underwater grave，said his team saw clear signs of the accelerating damage of the wreck （殘?。?There was damage likely caused by rust and sea life，and the captain's cabin had collapsed.
"I was absolutely astonished，" McLaren said.
Worse still，the fallen mast （桅桿） that crushed the ship's deck is believed by many to be the result of an unapproved salvage （打撈） operation. "It was almost depressing to see how quickly she was getting worse，" McLaren says. "I would be really surprised if there's very much standing up from the bottom，two decades from now."
Ed Kamuda，who runs the Titanic Historical Society in Springfield，Mass.，says adventure tourists ― who pay ＄36，000 each to visit the wreck ― are also contributing to the destruction of it.
"This is something I expected.I just didn't expect it to happen so quickly，" Kamuda said. "People are going down just as an ego trip to say 'I was there.' All this takes a fare on the ship."
The Titanic has sat at the bottom of the Atlantic since it sank after hitting an iceberg on its maiden voyage on April 14，1912.More than 1，500 people died that night.The ship came to rest at the bottom of the freezing North Atlantic，more than 2 miles beneath the waves.The wreck was discovered in 1985，and since then it has been repeatedly visited by treasure hunters.
But still some scientists say those divers，and other thrill seekers are not necessarily to blame for the Titanic's current problems.
Capt.Craig McLean of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration went on an expedition to the Titanic in June as part of a government study that is monitoring the condition of the ship.He says it's unclear what part of the damage is from Mother Nature and which is from human nature.
"It's too early and there isn't enough evidence to put our fingers on anything，" McLean said.
Regardless，most agree there's little that can be done for this most famous of wrecks.And soon，the mighty Titanic could well be lost again.
（1）McLaren expected that in twenty years
.
A.Only a minor part of the wreck would remain as it is
B.The wreck would be getting worse at a faster speed
C.Only salvage operation with the purpose of research would be approved
D.The wreck would be completely destroyed by unapproved treasure hunters
（2）What is the tourist's purpose of visiting the wreck，according to Kamuda？
A.To contribute to the breaking down of the Titanic.
B.To help finance the preservation of the Titanic.
C.To satisfy their curiosity and adventurousness.
D.To better understand the history of the Titanic.
（3）Craig McLean is one of the scientists who believe
.
A.Visitors should not be prohibited from the Titanic and other famous wrecks
B.The influence of the thrill seekers on the wreck will finally be determined
C.The government should contribute more to the monitoring of the Titanic
D.The damage of the Titanic is not necessarily attributed to the adventure tourists
（4）The author is most likely to agree that the future of the Titanic is
.
A.promising
B.discouraging
C.controllable
D.vague
