HURRICANE KATRINA

New Orleans, in Louisiana, is known as the most unique city in the United States with distinctive architecture, cross-cultural heritage and annual music festivals. However, due to its location along the Mississippi River with lakes on the other side, and nearly half of the city below sea level, the city faces the danger of flooding. So, a levee system and drainage canals were built to protect the city.

Early in the morning of August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina, the most destructive natural disaster in the history of New Orleans, struck the city. The storm brought strong winds and heavy rains for several days. As a result, water from the river and lakes rose, breaking the levees and poured directly into the city. Soon 80 percent of the city was under the water. People scrambled to roof tops for safety, desperate for food and drinking water. The winds were so strong that even beds in Hyatt Hotel were seen flying out of the hotel windows. The loss was tremendous. Most of the major roads and bridges were destroyed, and houses collapsed. Nearly 2,000 people were killed. After the storm, several natural grounds for the breeding and migrating of different species of animals and birds were permanently lost.

1. New Orleans is famous for ______.
A. its modern architecture          B. its cross-cultural heritage       

 C. its Mississippi River             D. its location
2. Which statement is NOT correct about New Orleans?
A. It lies between the Mississippi River and lakes.   

B. One of its attractions is its annual music festivals.
C. The city is surrounded by water.                           

D. Most of the city is below sea level.
3. Which one is NOT mentioned as being damaged by Hurricane Katrina?
A. Distinctive architecture         B. The levee system             C. Major roads                     D. Houses
4. The word ‘tremendous’ means ______.
A. puzzling                   B. huge               C. unique          D. legendary
5.  The word ‘permanently’ is similar to ______.
A. temporarily               B. partially           C. forever         D. rarely

A hurricane is a huge storm that forms over warm ocean water. Bands of thunderstorms form and swirl around and around because the rotation of the earth. As more and more thunderstorms form, the hurricane gets bigger and bigger. A hurricane is one of the world's worst storms because it can last for days or weeks.

Hurricanes can also be very large. They may cover hundreds of miles and affect large areas of land. For a storm to be classified as a hurricane, wind speeds within the storm have to reach at least 74 per hour. But hurricane winds can reach speeds of over 155 miles per hour! A large amount of destruction may occur with winds that strong. Roofs may be torn off homes. Buildings may be flattened. Trees topple over. Hurricanes are deadly, but not just because of their winds. They can also produce very heavy rains and huge waves that slam into the coastline. Hurricanes are very common along the east coast of the United States. Here, wind, waves, and rain do the most damage.

Luckily, meteorologists (people who study weather) can forecast hurricanes days in advance by using radar technology. Radar is a little bit like a moving picture. It shows how big storms are and which way they are moving. Radar images people time to prepare for a coming storm. If the storm is very strong, home and business owners will put up plywood to protect their glass windows and doors. People who live along the coast will evacuate. They'll go to a hurricane shelter or stay with friends and relatives who live in safer places farther inland. Many lives are saved every year by people who take the necessary precautions.

Question28. What is a hurricane?

A. a tidal wave B. a huge storm C. a thunderstorm D. a tsunami

Question 29. What makes a hurricane?

A. thunderstorms B. strong winds C. seawater D. the earth rotation

Question 30. What of the following is not correct?

A. A hurricane is very dangerous because it lasts for days and weeks.

B. The hurricane wind speeds per hour can be nearly twice as fast as the wind speeds.

C. A hurricane can reach speeds of at least 74 km per hour.

D. Hurricanes often appear along the east coast of the United States.

Question 31. Who is meteorologist?

A. People study weather.

B. People do businesses in the meteorological field.

C. People live along the coast.

D. People are evacuated from the regions affected by hurricanes.

Question 32. What is radar used for?

A. making moving pictures

B. showing the size of hurricanes and their movements

C. giving people time to prepare for a coming storm

D. All above

Water pollution is a major global problem which requires ongoing evaluation and
revision of water resource policy at all levels. It has been suggested that water
pollution is the leading worldwide cause of deaths and diseases, and that it accounts
for the deaths of more than 14,000 people daily. An estimated 580 people in India
die of water pollution related illness every day. About 90 percent of the water in the
cities of China is polluted. As of 2007, half a billion Chinese had no access to safe
drinking water. In addition to the acute problems of water pollution in developing
countries, developed countries also continue to struggle with pollution problems. For
example, in the most recent national report on water quality in the United States, 44
percent of assessed stream miles, 64 percent of assessed lake acres, and 30
percent of assessed bays and estuarine square miles were classified as polluted.
The head of China’s national development agency said in 2007 that one quarter the
length of China’s seven main rivers were so poisoned the water harmed the skin.
Water is typically referred to as polluted when it is impaired by anthropogenic
contaminants and either does not support a human use, such as drinking water, or
undergoes a marked shift in its ability to support its constituent biotic communities,
such as fish. Natural phenomena such as volcanoes, algae blooms, storms, and

earthquakes also cause major changes in water quality and the ecological status of
water.
1. What is the leading worldwide cause of deaths and diseases?
2. How many people die every day by water pollution?
3. How many percent of the water in the cities of China is polluted?
5. What phenomena cause major changes in water quality and the ecological status
of water?

II. Read the text carefully, then do the tasks.

Vietnam usually has a dozen storms every year from June through the end of November, and most of which occur in the Central and northern provinces. November 2nd, 1997, however, was an unexpected day when the major storm Linda raged in the South. Linda was the worst typhoon in Southern Vietnam over 100 years. Formed in the sea of the Philippines, Linda strengthened as it moved westward. Later, it struck extreme Southern Vietnam with winds of 100 kilometres an hour. Over 3000 people were reported lost and died. Ca Mau province, suffered a direct hit by the storm, had the most damage. Gusts and heavy rainfalls caused flooding, destroyed crops, damaged about 200,000 houses and left about 383,000 people homeless. Linda later struck Thailand, causing flash flooding and at least 164 deaths. The storm also affected Myanmar, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Cambodia to a lesser degree.

Today, residents in Mekong Delta still remember Linda after 20 years. The duration of the time is enough for a kid to grow up from an unforgettable event. The memory of a particular typhoon improves everyone’s awareness of natural disasters.

A. Decide whether the following sentences are true (T) or false (F).

1. The tropical storm Linda hit northern Vietnam on November 2nd, 1997.

2. Linda was the worst typhoon in Vietnam for the last 100 years.    ..................

3. From the Philippines, the storm moved west and struck Southern Vietnam with winds of 100km/h.  .................

4. Approximately 3,000 people were killed during the disaster. .............

5. Ca Mau province was directly affected by the typhoon. ........

6. Typhoon Linda caused extensive damage to both property and human.  .........

B. Answer the questions.

1. When is the typhoon season in Vietnam?

________________________________________________________________

2. Where in Vietnam was struck by Typhoon Linda?

________________________________________________________________

3. What was the wind speed of Typhoon Linda when it hit Southern Vietnam?

________________________________________________________________

4. How many homes were destroyed in Typhoon Linda?

_______________________________________________________________

5. Where did Typhoon Linda pass over after striking Vietnam?________________________________________________________________

6. How many years have passed since the disaster?

________________________________________________________________

Read the passage, and choose the correct answer A, B, C or D.

Fabrizio from Venice: Of course, there’s a lot to see in Venice. It’s one of the most famous cities in the world. First of all, there are the canals. We don’t have cars in Venice so you have to travel everywhere by canal. The most famous place in Venice is the square. St. Mark’s Square with St. Mark’s Cathedral. And there are lots of museums and palaces, and beautiful bridges, too.

Yumi from Kyoto: For me, Kyoto is the most beautiful city in Japan. It’s also the oldest city. It has many old traditional buildings, and beautiful palaces, temples and gardens. The most famous temple is the Golden Pavilion. There are also very good markets, and also really good shops, and some beautiful modern buildings, too.

Murat from Istanbul: I think Istanbul is maybe the most beautiful city in the world, but of course I come from Istanbul! The city is built on hills around the Bosphoros, and so there arebeautiful views across the water. From the water, you can see mosques – the most famous is called the Blue Mosque – and palaces and bridges. Istanbul also has a very famous market called the Grand Bazaar. But these days we also have many modern shopping centres and modern buildings and hotels. It’s really a fantastic city.

Claudia from Rio de Janeiro: Rio is one of the most exciting cities in South America ... first of course we have our famous beach, the Copacabana, and there are many mountains around Rio – the most famous is the Sugar Plum Mountain where you can see a big statue of Christ, and of course we have our famous stadium... the Macarana stadium, maybe the most famous football stadium in the world ... it’s really a great place.

Marina from St. Petersburg: You’ll really love St. Petersburg because there are so many things to see. The most famous is the Winter Palace, where the Tsars lived, and the Hermitage Museum which is a fantastic art gallery, and we have a very beautiful river too, the River Neva, and of course churches and cathedrals. There is so much to see!

1. The place(s) that Fabrizio recommends coming to in Venice most must be .

A. the square B. the museums C. the canals D. beautiful bridges

2. All of the following are true about Kyoto EXCEPT that .

A. it is the most beautiful city in Japan

B. it has very good markets and shops

C. the Golden Pavilion is very famous

D. it only has old traditional buildings

3. The most spectacular views of Istanbul are .

A. the Bosphoros

B. the mosques across the water

C. the Grand Bazaar on the Bosphoros

D. modern shopping centres and buildings

4. We can infer from Claudia’s words that people in Rio .

A. are very religious

B. love architecture

C. love football very much

D. built the statue of Christ on the Copacabana

5. People who would probably want to visit St. Petersburg most are .

A. sports enthusiasts B. art lovers

C. politicians D. ballet dancers

It was the first time Jim went to HCM city with his parents. When the plane landed at Tan San Nhat airport, the day was fine. There was a bright sun, and the sky was cloudless and blue. It is said that HCM city is the city of sunshine.

They took a taxi to the Rex Hotel, a very big hotel in the city center. After checking in, they went upstairs to their room on the fifth floor. Jim was happy to see the sight of the city. Through the window of the bedroom, he could see the beautiful picture of the city. It was marvelous to see the city sparkling in colorful light at night.

Jim visited many of the places of interest such as Nha Rong Harbour, Dam Sen Park, Suoi Tien and Saigon Water Park. HCM city is famous for shopping malls. Jim bought a lot of souvenirs for his friends at Saigon Tourist Centre.

 The next evening, the whole family walked along the streets, then came into a well-known vegetarian restaurant to enjoy delicious food. It was really wonderful.

Answer the question :

1.Who did Jim go to HCM city with?

    .......................................................................................................

2.Did they take a bus to the hotel from the airport?

    .......................................................................................................

3.Where could he see the beautiful picture of the city?

   ........................................................................................................

4.Where did Jim's family have dinner?

   .......................................................................................................

1.Điền vào mỗi chỗ trống với MỘT từ thích hợp.
The major cause of water pollution in Vietnam is the weakness in industrial wastewater management. Many factories (65)___________ fresh water to carry away waste (66)____________ their plants into canals, rivers, and lakes. Most of them do not have (67)___________ wastewater treatment system. Industrial waste water is directly discharged into canals, lakes, ponds, and rivers, causing serious (68)________ of surface water. For example, (69)_________ 2008. Vedan factory, a sodium glutamate plant, released their untreated industrial wastewater into the Thi Vai River and (70)___________ tons of fish and ducks in the river to die.
Another cause of water pollution in Vietnam is the lack of awareness among citizens. Every day people generate a lot of (71)__________, and they throw it directly into canals, rivers, and ponds. They (72)_________ water from these sources to do their laundry, wash dishes, and bathe, and then they throw the dirty water that contain detergent and shampoo directly into them.

Read the passage and decide if these statements are true or false

London is Britain' s biggest city. It is a very old city and dates back to the Romans. It is a city of historic building and churches, and it has many beautiful parks. It also has some of the best museum in the world. London is very crowded in summer. It is a popular city with foreign tourists and has more than eight million visitors a year. The city is famous for its shopping and department stores. London has an excellent underground railway system, so it is easy for tourists to get around.

Most of the best museum in the world are situated in London.

Dịch giúp mình với

People have always needed ways to get fresh water for drinking and washing. They have also needed ways to get rid of waste water. That is why the first plumbing systems were built thousand years old. Crete is an island in the Mediterranean Sea. In 1600 B.C., a great palace stood on the Crete. The palace had fresh water, toilets, baths, drains, and sewers. It may also have had a hot – water system. The Cretans used well – fitted clay pipes to bring fresh water to the palace rooms from faraway springs. Stone drains carried away rainwater from the roof and open courts into deep sewers. These sewers were so large that a person could walk inside them. The palace even had stone toilets. They were flushed by rainwater that flowed through the pipes or by water poured in.

The Queen of Crete had her own apartment in the palace with her own bathroom. Her clay bathtub looked much like bathtubs do today. It was painted inside with pictures of tall water grasses. The tub was filled with water brought from a nearby room. The bath water was then emptied into a drain in the floor near the tub. Nowadays, visitors can see the ancient plumbing system that was not equaled until modern time.