TheStoryofanEyewitnessCONTENTSIntroduction

Facingthedisaster,whatcouldpeopledotosurviveandsavetheirproperty?Sometimestheycouldfightagainstit,but,forsometimes,theycouldnotdoanythingaboutit.Thepowerofnatureisveryhugeanditcomesusuallysuddenlysothathumanbeingshavenotimetoresist.Thatisanotherstoryaboutadisaster,butdifferently,forthistime,theworldwasdestroyedandthehumanbecamethevictimandwitness.QuestionsandAnswersFindtheanswersofthefollowingquestioninthetext.1.Whatthetypeofdisasterinthispassage?2.Howaboutthecityafterthedisaster?3.WhytherewasnooneinthestreetatthemidnightonWednesday?4.Howdidtheauthorfeelaboutthelosssufferedbypeopleaftertheearthquake?

Earthquake

ThewholecitywasinruinsandthewholecitywascrashedatWednesdaynight.

Thecityhasbeenwipedoutandabsolutelyabandonedsothatnoonecoulddoanythingtofightagainstthedisaster.

Hedidfeelsympathetic.

IntensiveReading

OnWednesdaymorning,ataquarterpastfive,therewasanearthquake.Aminutelater,firesbrokeouteverywhere.Therewasnoorganization,nocommunication.Thisverymoderncitywasallofasuddeninruins,withthestreetsdestroyedandforminggreatdepressionsintheearth,thetelephonelinesfallingeveryway,andthewatermainspouringoutallovertheplace.Thecityseemedtohavebeenwipedoutbythisrandomactofnature.

Para.1Para.2-3ByWednesdayafternoon,insideoftwelvehours,halfthecitywasgone.Atthattime,Iwatchedfromoutonthebay.Thewaterwasdeadcalm－therewasnowindatall.Yet,fromeveryside,windwaspouringinuponthecity.Thehotairwasrising,creatinganenormousrushofviolentwind.Andthefiresburnedonandon.

Asremarkableasitmayseem,Wednesdaynight,asthewholecitycrashedandburnedintoruin,thereseemedtobeacollectivesilenceinthestreets.Therewasnocrowdofpeople,nogreatsymphonyofshoutingandyelling,andnodisorder.IspentWednesdaynightinthepathoftheadvancingfires,andinallthoseterriblehours,Isawnotonewomanwhowept,notonemanwhowasexcited,

notonepersonwhowasbothered

intheleast.

Para.4-5

Atnineo'clockWednesdayevening,Iwalkeddownthroughtheheartofthecity.Iwalkedthroughmilesandmilesofmagnificentbuildingsandtoweringskyscrapers.Here,therewasnofire－allwasinperfectorder.Thepoliceweretheretoinvestigatethescene.Everybuildinghaditswatchmanatthedoor.Andyet,itwasgoingtogo－allofit.Therewasnowater,onlythedenseheatfromthefiresweepingdownuponitall.Atoneo'clockinthemorning,Iwalkeddownthroughthesamesection.Everythingwasstillinitsplace.Therewasnofire.Andyettherewasachange:arainofasheswasfalling.Thewatchmenatthedoorsweregone.Thepolicehadbeenwithdrawn.Therewerenofiremen,notrucks,andnoonewasfightingagainsttheelements.Thedistricthadbeenabsolutelyabandoned.IstoodatthecornerofKearneyandMarket,intheveryheartofSanFrancisco.KearneyStreetwasdeserted.

Para.6-7

ItwasatUnionSquarethatIsawamanofferingathousanddollarsforateamofhorses.Hewasinchargeofacartpiledhighwithcargofromsomehotel.Ithadbeenpulledhere,toaplacewherehethoughtitwassafe,andthehorseshadbeentakenout.However,henowhadtodealwiththe

simultaneousburningofflamesonthreesidesoftheSquare,andstill,therewerenohorsesabout.Also,atthistime,standingbesidethecart,Iurgedamantoseeksafetyinflight.Hewasallbuttrappedbythethreatofseveralsmallfiresapproachingquickly.Hewasanoldmanandlookedinjured.Hesaid,"Todayismybirthday.Lastnight,Iwasworththirtythousanddollars.Iboughtfivebottlesofchampagne,somedelicatefish,andsomeotherthingsformybirthdaydinner.Now,Ihavenodinner,andIownnothing."Para.

8-9OnThursdaymorning,ataquarterpastfive,justtwenty-fourhoursaftertheearthquake,IsatonthestepsofasmallresidenceonNobHill.Iaccompaniedtheownerofthehouseinside.Hewascoolandcheerfulandhospitable."Yesterdaymorning,"hesaid,"Iwasworthsixhundredthousanddollars.ThismorningthishouseisallIhaveleft.Itwillgoinfifteenminutes."Hepointedtoalargecabinet."Thatismywife'scollectionofchina.Thisruguponwhichwestandisapresent.Itcostfifteenhundreddollars.Trythatpiano.Listentoitstone.Therearefewlikeit.Therearenohorses.Theflameswillbehereinfifteenminutes,andeverythingIownwill

roast."Ilookedatthemanandthelossandthesorrow;somethingsinlife,weshouldjustneverbeallowedtosee.inruins:

completelydestroyed成為廢墟戰(zhàn)爭把建筑物變成一片廢墟。e.g.-Thegardenusedtobelongtotheroyalfamily;nowit'sinruins.

這花園以前屬皇家所有；現(xiàn)在已成為廢墟。Buildingswereinruinsduringthewar.insideof:Pleasenotice"insideof"isanAmericanEnglishexpression,whichisthesameas"inside"andmeans"withinaparticularperiodoftime".

heleast:

not...atall一點也不

eg:—Youmustbedisappointedatlosingthechance.

失去這次機(jī)會，你肯定很失望吧。

—Notintheleast.Therewillbemorechances.

一點也不。還會有更多的機(jī)會我一點也不因為他們遲到而惱火；他們來之前我有很多事情要做.Iwasnotannoyedattheirbeinglateinthe

least;Ihadalottodobeforetheycame.

sweep:v.橫掃；掠過

疫病席卷全國e.g.-Thesailorwassweptoffthedeckbyahugewave.

水手被巨浪從甲板上掃進(jìn)海里。Apestilence(疫病)sweptoverthecountry.withdrawn:v.撤退；撤出

將軍命令軍隊立即撤退。e.g.-Whydidtheplayerwithdrawfromtherace?

那個選手為什么退出比賽？

Thegeneraldemandedthatthearmywithdrawimmediately.desert：vt.離棄；舍棄敵人棄城而逃。

e.g.-Manypeopledesertedtheirhomevillageduringthefamine(饑荒).

很多人在饑荒時背井離鄉(xiāng)。Theenemy

deserted

thecityandfledaway.

inchargeof:負(fù)責(zé)；照料；掌管負(fù)責(zé)我們部門工作的經(jīng)理下個月退休。

e.g.-Ibelieveheistherightpersontobeinchargeofthismatter.我相信他是負(fù)責(zé)這件事的合適人選。

Themanager

inchargeof

ourdepartmentwillretirenextmonth.

pile:

v.堆疊；堆起

課桌上高高地堆著書。

e.g.-TheWhiteswerebusypilingthecartwithfarmingproduce.

懷特一家正忙著往馬車上堆放農(nóng)產(chǎn)品。Thebooksare

piled

highonthedesk.

simultaneous:adj.

同時發(fā)生的

這個事件和那個事件幾乎同時發(fā)生。e.g.-simultaneousinterpreting同聲傳譯

Thisincidentwasalmostsimultaneouswiththatone.

residence:n.[C;U]住所；住宅

首相的官邸在哪？e.g.-Hisresidenceinthesuburbcosthimafortune.

他在郊區(qū)的住宅花了他一大筆錢。Whereistheofficial

residenceforthePrimeMinister?accompany:vt.

陪同；陪伴誰陪你去歐洲?e.g.-Iwasaccompaniedbymymothertothehospitalforaphysicalexamination.我由母親陪伴去醫(yī)院做了檢查。WhowillaccompanyyouonyourtriptoEurope?

roast:v.

烤他們在烤肉，香味誘人。e.g.-Idon’twanttoroastmyselfinthescorchingsun.我可不想在灼熱的陽光下把自己烤焦了。Themeattheyareroastingsmellsonice.sorrow:n.[U]悲傷；悲痛你能不能告訴我為什么傷心？或許我能幫你。e.g.-Hetoldmewithsorrowthathehadjustdivorcedhiswife.

他悲傷地告訴我，他剛和妻子離婚了。Couldyoutellmethereasonforyoursorrow?Imightbeabletohelpyou.TestYourselfSectionA:Fillintheblankswiththewordsgivenbelow.Changetheformwherenecessary.absolute pile desert sweepeyewitness dense accompany withdraw1.Thegeneralwouldratherfighttilldeaththan______thecityandescape.

2.Thelittlegirl,____________byherparents,wenttothekindergartenhappily.

3.Theviolentwind_______acrossthecityandthetemperaturedropped.

4.Thefarmer______hiscartwithvegetablesandfruitsandleftforthemarket.

desertaccompaniedsweptpiled5.Theboy__________hishandsfromthefireinahurry.6.Thestorytoldbymybrotheris_________true.7.Several____________toldthesamestoryofwhattheysawatthescene.8.Herunsasmallbusinessina________populatedcity.withdrewabsolutelyeyewitnessesdenselyHalfofthepopulationwaswiped_______byplague.Thegarden,now＿ruins,usedtoattractthousandsofvisitorsaday