Frank was walking down the 6th Street on a hot sunny day when he saw smoke coming out of the street. He couldthe smoke, and it was getting thicker. Seeing the smoke coming out of a storm drain(雨水沟), Frank called the fire department immediately. “The storm drain isfire!” he said. The fire department asked for his whereabouts and he said he was near the 6th and Main. They said theybe right there to investigate the situation. Frank needn’t to go anywhere, so he waited for theto arrive. He was curious what could be burning beneath the street. As far as he knew, there wasn’t anything beneath the streetconcrete(混凝土). And everyonethat concrete doesn’t burn.
A fire truck arrived a fewlater. “Are you the man who?” asked the driver. “Yes. ” Frank answered. By now Frank could not only smell thebut also hear crackling sounds, just like wood burning. The firemen didn’t seem to consider it an emergency. “do you think it could be?” Frank asked the driver. “Oh, we know what it is. We have toa problem like this every few months. It’s the homeless people in their “”. ”
Homeless people have been living under the streets for years.their knowledge of the storm drain system, theytheir own “houses” beneath the streets. These living areas have tables, mattresses, chairs, and sofas. The settlers often “borrow” electricity by connecting to a live wire above ground totheir own lights and even TVs underground. Either thiselectricity or a cigarette can cause an occasional fire.
Frank watchedsome firemen lifted a manhole cover (井盖) and went beneath the street with a fire hose (消防软管). Then a few minutes later, thesmoke turned white. Shortly, the firemen reappeared with aperson who seemed to have just been woken up.
小题1:A．touchB．hearC．smellD．taste小题2:A．inB．at C．toD．on小题3:A．wouldB．hadC．mayD．will小题4:A．policemanB．firemenC．postmenD．powermen小题5:A．excuseB．expressC．exactD．except小题6:A．knowB．knowsC．knewD．knowing小题7:A．secondsB．hoursC．minutesD．quarters小题8:A．calledB．smeltC．investigatedD．saw小题9:A．fireB．smokeC．storm drainD．burn小题10:A．WhatB．WhyC．WhichD．Which小题11:A．sufferB．solveC．surviveD．survey小题12:A．flatsB．apartmentsC．housesD．sections小题13:A．LearningB．TakingC．UsingD．Giving小题14:A．set downB．set outC．set aboutD．set up小题15:A．powerB．strengthenC．forceD．energy小题16:A．boughtB．broughtC．bookedD．borrowed小题17:A．forB．asC．withD．since小题18:A．blackB．redC．blueD．brown小题19:A．westwardB．backwardC．afterwardD．forward小题20:A．carelessB．selfless C．helplessD．homeless