5,  It marked the end of the great tradition of ships with sails and the beginning of a new era.
 marked the end of : 标志…的结束.
 
6, 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.
 take the lead:      处于领先地位== go into the lead
      lose the lead:      失去领先地位
      in the lead:        处于领先地位（状态）
      take over the lead: 取得领先地位
 
7, In August, she was struck by a very heavy storm during which her rudder was torn away.
...was struck by a very heavy storm... 严重地遇到了雨／雪
     be caught in the rian/snow  遇到了雨／雪
     during 介词，用于关系代词which 之前，during the race, during the storm.新概念英语第二册