I often hear or read about “natural disasters” – the eruption of Mount St. Helen, a volcano in the state of Washington, Hurricane Andrew in Florida, the floods in the American Midwest, terrible all over the world, huge fires, and so on.
But I’ll never forget my first personal experience with the strangeness of nature – “the London Killer Fog” of 1952. It began on Thursday, December 4th, when a high-pressure system (warm air) covered southern England. With the freezing – cold air below, heavy fog formed. Pollution from factories, cars, and coal stoves mixed with the fog. The humidity was high, there was no breeze at all. Traffic (cars, trains, and boats) stopped. People couldn’t see, and some walked onto the railroad tracks of into the river. It was hard to breathe, and many people got sick. Finally, on Tuesday, December 9th, the wind came and the fog went away. But after that, even more people got sick. Many of them died.
- A tornado is a natural disaster which isn’t mentioned in the text. _________________
- His unforgettable personal experience is the heavy fog in London in 1925. _________________
- The “London Killer Fog” lasted for five days. _________________
- The traffic stopped because of the heavy fog. _________________
Read the passage again and choose the best answer.
- What is the synonym with “terrible”?
A. horrific B. wonderful C. severe D. intense
- According to the passage, which of the following is true?
A. The London Killer Fog ended on Thursday, December 4th, 1952.
B. During the London Killer Fog, people travelled normally.
C. After the London Killer Fog, no one got sick.
D. The humidity in the London Killer Fog was extremely high.
