A
At least 20 people died and hundreds were injured in a bridge collapse in the eastern Indian city of Kolkata Thursday. Witnesses said many people and vehicles, including two buses carrying more than 100 passengers, were under the bridge when it fell. They also said construction workers had set up camps near the bridge site where they would sleep and cook.
Before rescue teams arrived, local residents and firefighters used their bare hands to try to rescue people trapped under the debris. The collapsed bridge is in a busy commercial area of Kolkata. Its location has made it difficult for rescue operations. Access to the area is blocked on both sides by buildings, and the streets are blocked with heavy traffic.
Reuters (路透社) reports that the Chief Minister of West Bengal, Mamata Banerjee, rushed to the scene of the collapse. She said that rescuing those trapped is her “top priority”. Banerjee said those responsible for the disaster will be punished. Yet she faces questions about the safety of the construction project. The Telegraph newspaper reported last November that Banerjee wanted the bridge — already five years overdue — to be completed by February. Project engineers said they were concerned over whether this would be possible, the newspaper said at the time. Construction workers had been on a strict schedule to complete the bridge. The disaster could affect the West Bengal election next month. An Indian company, IVRCL, was building the 2kilometer bridge, its website said. IVRCL’s director of operations said the company was not sure of the cause of the disaster.
1. Why were so many people killed or injured in the accident?
A. Many people were under or near the bridge.
B. The rescue work responded too slowly.
C. The bridge was under construction.
D. Construction workers had set up camps there.
2. What does the underlined word “debris” probably mean?
A. Buildings. B. Ruins.
C. Vehicles. D. Disasters.
3. What can we learn about the bridge?
A. It was designed by a company called IVRCL.
B. Project engineers were unwilling to cooperate.
C. It should have been completed five years ago.
D. The cause of the disaster has been discovered.
【答案】1. A 2. B 3. C
【解析】
这是一篇新闻报道。印度东部城市加尔各答一座桥梁倒塌，造成至少20人死亡，数百人受伤。各方采取积极救援，相关负责人将被问责。
【1题详解】
推理判断题。根据第一段的Witnesses said many people and vehicles, including two buses carrying more than 100 passengers, were under the bridge when it fell.目击者说，很多人和车辆，包括两辆载有100多名乘客的巴士，在大桥倒塌时都在桥下。可知，有那么多人在事故中丧生或受伤的原因是许多人在桥下或桥边。故选A项。
【2题详解】
词义猜测题。根据第二段的Before rescue teams arrived, local residents and firefighters used their bare hands to try to rescue people trapped under the debris.此处表示在救援队伍到达之前，当地居民和消防队员徒手试图营救被困在废墟下的人们。根据语境和句意可知，debris相当于ruins意为“废墟”，故选B项。
【3题详解】
细节理解题。根据第三段的The Telegraph newspaper reported last November that Banerjee wanted the bridge — already five years overdue — to be completed by February.可知《每日电讯报》去年11月报道说，班纳吉希望这座已经逾期5年的大桥能在明年2月前完工。可推知那座桥本应该在5年前就建完，故选C项。
