The correct answer is ... too few.
Why? The key to this is:
***This sentence isn't really complete, it could be something like:
As there were too few lifeboats for everbody, (the captain decided women and children should be rescued first)".
因为这个句子以 As 开头,表示了一层因果关系.紧随其后的 ... "for everybody" 表明了是“太少”救生艇,不够给所有人乘坐.
假如只是单纯说救生艇不多,用 very few 就没错：
There were very few lifeboats. 语法正确且完整.
因此,必须透彻了解话中没说出来的意思再作选择.