At ten o’clock on the morning of May 25, 2009, Nasir Uddin was standing outside his mud house. He noticed that the river next to his house was higher than ________. He looked toward the sea. He suddenly saw a huge wall of brown water. It was rushing toward him. Within minutes, the water came into his house. It washed away the mud walls. Uddin and his three young daughters jumped onto the kitchen table. “I was sure we were all dead,” he later said. ________, an empty boat passed by. He managed to put his daughters in the boat. He held on to its side. This Bangladeshi family was ________. They were saved, but hundreds of their neighbors died.

Floods happen when a river or the sea rises and covers dry land. Unfortunately, Bangladesh often experiences floods. This is because the majority of its land is less than 15 feet (5 meters) above sea level. The sea level is rising because of global warming. As it rises, it ________ more land in Bangladesh. In the worst-case scenario, the country may ________ one quarter of its land by the end of the century to the water. This is very serious because millions of people live close to the sea.

Coastal flooding is also very destructive because it ________ the land with salty seawater. The salt ________ in the soil even after the flood is over. When there is too much salt, farmers cannot grow their crops, which is ________ threatening farming communities in Bangladesh. Frequent coastal flooding is destroying farms and crops. As a result, many farmers can no longer farm. Worse still, farmers often have nowhere to go. They cannot move to a new area because Bangladesh is so ________. In fact, it is one of the most packed countries in the world.

Bangladeshis are facing many challenges from flooding. Yet this is a nation of strong people. They are finding solutions. Bangladeshi farmers now grow special rice ________ for salt water. They raise sea food such as shrimp and crab in areas closest to the sea. ________, they have built huge walls of earth. They hope these walls will keep the sea away from their vegetable farms. They have also stored temporary tents to ________ victims and developed an early-warning system. “Let me tell you about Bangladeshis,” says Zakir Kibria, a farming expert. “We may look poor..., but we are not ________. We don’t sit there waiting for help and we always ________ ourselves.”

So, when Uddin lost his home that day, he did what most Bangladeshis do: He rebuilt. This time, however, he built his house out of wood, not mud. He wants his home to ________ the next flood.

Find Ways to Respond to a Major Disaster

When natural disasters like hurricanes and earthquakes happen, there’s always a great need for coordinated (协调的) disaster relief and recovery.    20    

To take a hands-on approach to disaster recovery, volunteer your time and talents. You can travel to the affected regions to provide support.    21    It is recommended that you volunteer through one of the professional organisations for your safety and your skills can be put to best use.

Disaster victims often have lost their homes or need to relocate. In many cases, your money is just as valuable as your physical presence in helping with relief efforts. Many organisations provide temporary housing, food and other items for victims.     22     Even organisations like the Red Cross have been criticised for how donated funds have been allocated (分配).

If you can’t travel and don’t feel comfortable giving money, a need for donated blood always existed. The Red Cross and local medical organisations manage blood supplies that are important to disaster victims. Call the Red Cross to schedule an appointment.    23    

Goods are valuable in stricken areas. Building materials and donations of bottled water or household items can be placed on trucks and taken to the disaster areas. It is the best to allow the professional organisations to coordinate these donation efforts and see that the needed supplies reach a location where they will be best used for recovery.

Lightning is very common but one of the most powerful weather forces to hit the Earth.     25     (actual), every second about 100 lightning strikes hit     26    surface of the Earth. In some parts of the world, for example in India, summer lightning storms are very common. With the rainy season    27    (begin) there, storms often cover most of the country’s northern area. The last week in June, the Reuters News Agency     28    (report) lightning strikes killed more than 100 people in two areas of India.

If you are outside,     29     (expert) say you should take cover,     30    means finding a safe shelter for protection. During a lightning storm, no place outside is safe. If you hear-thunder, lightning is close enough to hit you. Most lightning victims are in open areas or near a tree.

If you are indoors during a lightning storm, you could still be     31    danger. Stay off wired phones, computers and other     32    (equip) that can put you in direct contact with electricity. Avoid any area with running water and stay away from windows and doors. Specialists at the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say that helping lightning strike victims can save    33    (they) lives. It is safe     34     (touch) a lightning strike victim. People struck by lightning do not carry charge. est. Some nutrients are easily lost in cooking if they are cooked in different ways.