全新版大学英语听说教程2原文(5)

Three months ago I flew to Burma with my boyfriend, Johan. The plane was a small one and our seats were near the back. The sky looked very black as we took off, and throughout the flight, we kept our seat belts fastened. Twenty minutes later we flew into a terrible storm. The plane rolled and shook in the wind. We were both very frightened. I couldn't remember anything after that until I opened my eyes. I didn't know where I was. Slowly I realized that the plane had crashed. I was in terrible pain and I couldn't move. "Johan," I called, but he didn't reply. It was dark, but I knew that he wasn't in his seat. I heard groans and I worked out that possibly six other people were still alive. When daylight came, I could see all the bodies around me. Johan was on the other side of the aisle, but I knew that he was dead.

After a day or two the other voices stopped and I was alone. But the rescuers didn't come. "They must be on their way," I told myself. I didn't know that we were in a swamp in the middle of a jungle and that the helicopters couldn't fly in the heavy rain. Outside the window the flood water was slowly going up. But that water saved my life. I managed to stay alive by drinking that dirty water. At night the mosquitoes came. I was out of consciousness because of pain and hunger. Then I heard voices. I pushed my hand out of the window and amazingly someone grabbed it. The rescue team had arrived ... nine days after the crash. ofter."

2-10-C

Mount St. Helens

Most volcanoes are quiet. They rest peacefully for hundreds of years. No one pays much attention to them.

Mount St. Helens was one of these volcanoes. Until 1980, it was a beautiful recreation area. Its last eruption had been 123 years ago. No one was worried about another one. Then, in March 1980, Mount St. Helens began to make noises. At first, there were tremors. Then, small eruptions occurred. Some residents left immediately. Others felt there was no danger.

But on the morning of May 18, 1980, the mountain blew its top. With the power of twenty-five atomic bombs, Mount St. Helens exploded. Clouds of dust and ash rose more than twelve miles into the sky. Rocks and mud crashed down the slopes. Unfortunately, many people were still living, camping, or working in the area. Over forty people lost their lives. Others were rescued.

Robert Baker was fishing with his family when the explosion occurred. He reported that the morning of May 18 was strange. No birds were singing. The air was still. Then, he saw a large black cloud coming down toward them. In minutes, day turned into night. He called his family to their van and they started on the slow dark ride away from the mountain. All the time, hot ash was raining on them.

But other people were not so lucky. David Johnston, a volcano expert, was standing near the summit of the mountain. At 8:31 a. m. , he radioed, "This is it!" He was never heard from again.

Mount St. Helens is peaceful now. But its slopes are empty. It will be many years before fish, plants, and trees will again live on the mountain.