1. Write down the words according to the definitions.
1.pommel To keep hitting hard repeatedly, esp with the fist.
2.hurricane a violent storm with extremely strong winds.
3.convince to make sb. believe; to persuade
4.methodically Orderly and systematically
5.bathtub A container in which you wash you whole body
6.disintegrate To break up, lose or cause to lose wholeness.
7.scud to move swiftly across the sky
8.fling To throw, esp. with force or violence
9.demolish To pull or tear down
10.mattress The soft part of a bed that you lie on
2.Fill in the blanks based on the general knowledge
1.Depending on where they occur, tropical storms are labeled hurricane, typhoon and tropical cyclone.
2.Hurricanes are classified into five categories according to Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.
3.Currently, there are six lists of male and female names in alphabetical order used alternatively for hurricanes.
4.China Meteorological Administration adopts a color-coded warning system for severe weather conditions, such as extreme temperature, torrential rainfall, drought, etc. The alerts are labeled in blue, yellow, orange and red from the lowest to the highest.
5.Although different from country to country, the emergency telephone number often consists of three digits so that it can be remembered easily and dialed quickly.
6.Worldwide, emergency services mainly deal with police, fire and medical rescues.
7.The European Union adopts 112 as an emergency number in addition to other local emergency numbers. In the United States and Canada, people dial 911 in case of emergency.
8.The climax, or the turning point of a narration, occurs when the conflicts reach the summit, and the most exciting action or highest tension occurs.
9.In general, there are four basic conflicts in a narration: man against man, man against nature, man against himself and man against society.
10.The main character of a literary work, around whom the events of the narration revolve, is called the protagonist. Against him/her is the antagonist, a character or an institution that represents the opposition.
3.Judge if the following statements are true or false. Mark “T” for true and “F” for false.
1.Pop Koshak was an expert machinist and so took the job of preparing the generator for the hurricane. ( T )
2.According to NHC, Hurricane Camille was the greatest recorded storm ever to hit a populated area in the Western Hemisphere. ( F )
3.When the family were forced into the television room upstairs, Pop Koshak dragged a double mattress from a bedroom to make a lean-to against the wind. ( F )
4.It was a painful time for the family to sort out the wreckage of the house, as it reminded them of the horrible experience in the storm. ( F )
5.The story ended with the talk between John and his parents to show that people gained more than physical damage in the storm. ( T )
1. The paragraphs are taken from the text you have learned. Try to translate them in your own way and then compare your version with the original one.
By this time, organizations within the area and, in effect, the entire population of the United States had come to the aid of the devastated coast. Before dawn, the Mississippi National Guard and civil-defense units were moving in to handle traffic, guard property, set up communications centers, help clear the debris and take the homeless by truck and bus to refugee centers. By 10 a.m., the Salvation Army’s canteen trucks and Red Cross volunteers and staffers were going wherever possible to distribute hot drinks, food, clothing and bedding.
2.Explain the following sentences in your own words.
1.Our house is 23 feet above sea level.
2.The house was built in 1915, and since then no hurricane has done any damage to it.
3.We can make the necessary preparations and survive the hurricane without much damage.
4.Water got into the generator, it stopped working. As a result all lights were put out.
5.She sang a few words alone and then her voice gradually grew dimmer and stopped.