Natural disasters such as earthquakes, tsunamis, and floods can often e at the least expected time．Others, such as hurricanes are increasing in severity and destruction．Typically, those poor countries are the worst hit for they have the least resources to deal with the destruction and rebuild their home．This part of the globalissues．org website looks at some of these issues．
Japan Earthquake, Tsunami and Nuclear Crisis
The earthquake off the coast of Japan on March 11, 2011 was one of the biggest recorded, measuring 9 on the Richter scale（里氏震级）．
It was the resulting tsunami, however, that caused the most destruction．It devastated the northeast of Japan, leaving many thousands dead or missing, and -hundreds of thousands homeless or leaving the area．In addition, various power generators（发电机组） failed．Some older nuclear power stations risked meltdown and suffered explosions and radioactive leaks．Workers battled for weeks to try and bring the situation under control．Radioactive material was detected in various places．
It is thought that the cost of the earthquake and tsunami could be over $ 300 billion-the world's most expensive natural disaster on record．
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina was a destroyed category 4（四级） hurricane, the highest category, that hit the Gulf of Mexico and various Southern regions of the United States at the end of August, 2005, causing the worst damage in that country's history, estimated at $ 100 billion．The famous New Orleans city and surrounding areas were worst hit as much of it sits some 6 feet below sea level．City defenses, such as banks, only designed for categary 3 type hurricanes, gave way, leading to enormous flooding and associated damage, death and displacement of around 100, 000 people who either chose to say the course, or could not afford to flee．
【小题1】Where would this passage most probably appear?A．In a textbook．B．In a magazine．C．In a paper．D．In a website．【小题2】Why are those poor countries the worst hit by natural disasters?A．Because they are lazy and poor．B．Because they desire help from rich countries．C．Because they lack resources to deal with the destruction and rebuild their home．D．Because they never think of protecting their home．【小题3】What is the meaning do the underlined word devastated in the paragraph 3?A．Built．B．Completed． C．Discovered．D．Destroyed．【小题4】In the disaster happening in 2011 in Japan, what caused the most destruction?A．Radioactive material．B．Tsunami．C．Earthquake．D．Power generators' explosion．【小题5】What can we infer from the last paragraph?
A．Hurricane Katrina also hit the northern part of the USA．
B．Hurricane Katrina caused the second the worst damage in the history of the USA．
C．All parts of New Orleans city were below sea level．
D．City defenses in New Orleans couldn't deal with Hurricane Katrina．D
网友回答
(答案→)D
解析：本文讲述的是日本的地震海啸以及美国的卡特琳娜飓风对美国的破坏，告诉我们这一系列的自然灾害方面的知识。
【小题1】D 细节题。根据第一段4,5行．This part of the globalissues．org website looks at some of these issues．说明本文是网页的一部分，故D项正确。
【小题2】C 细节题。根据第一段3,4行those poor countries are the worst hit for they have the least resources to deal with the destruction and rebuild their home．说明C正确。
【小题3】D 推理题。根据本句It devastated the northeast of Japan, leaving many thousands dead or missing, and -hundreds of thousands homeless or leaving the area本句说明的是日本的地震海啸给日本带来的破坏，故该词是指破坏的意思，故D项正确。
【小题4】B 细节题。根据第三段第一句It was the resulting tsunami, however, that caused the most destruction．说明导致最大破坏的是海啸，故B正确。
【小题5】D 推断题。根据文章最后4行．City defenses, such as banks, only designed for categary 3 type hurricanes, gave way, leading to enormous flooding and associated damage, death and displacement of around 100, 000 people who either chose to say the course, or could not afford to flee．说明City defenses没有能够抵挡住卡特琳娜飓风的袭击，故D项正确。