Haiti in ruins after huge earthquake

Television pictures are slowly beginning to show the damage in Haiti following the huge earthquake on Tuesday. A magnitude 7.3 quake, just 16km from the capital, hit the Caribbean nation as people were going home after work. It was the worst earthquake to strike Haiti in more than two centuries. Many major buildings in the capital Port-au-Prince have collapsed, including the Presidential Palace and the UN headquarters.
Haiti's President Rene Preval described the scene in the capital as "unimaginable" and fears "well over 100,000 people" may have died. The Red Cross says up to 3 million people have been affected. Haiti's ambassador to the USA, Raymond Joseph, said there was "no way of estimating" how many casualties there were.

Countries around the world are acting quickly to send whatever help they can to Haiti. US President Barack Obama has promised America will do all it can to help. He vowed "unwavering support" following a “particularly cruel” disaster. Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the world. More than half its people live on less than two dollars a day. The nation was still trying to recover from being hit by four deadly hurricanes in 30 days in 2008. Its economy is in ruins and it has a long history of corruption and coups.

Adapted from http://www.breakingnewsenglish.com

READING COMPREHENSION

Add TRUE or FALSE and copy the evidence from the text to support your answer.

NO marks are given for only true or false.

Most Haitians were having their breakfast when the earthquake hit.

• FALSE: " A magnitude 7.3 quake (...) hit the Caribbean nation as people were going home after work."

The article says Haiti's president believes 3 million people are suffering.

• FALSE: "Haiti's President Rene Preval (...) fears "well over 100,000 people" may have died. The Red Cross says up to 3 million people have been affected."

The rest of nations will send only water and food.

• FALSE: "Countries around the world are acting quickly to send whatever help they can to Haiti."

Haiti was hit by four different hurricanes in 2008.

• TRUE: "The nation was still trying to recover from being hit by four deadly hurricanes in 30 days in 2008." 

LEXICON

Find words or phrases in the text that mean the same as these given:

• Destruction: damage
• Enormous: huge 
• Dead and injured: casualties 
• Help: support

PHONETICS

Write two words from the text that include the same sound as: 

• "hut" /ʌ/: up, unwavering, corruption
•  "joke" /dʒ/: huge, just, major

USE OF ENGLISH

Rewrite the following sentences starting with the words given.

Children are not allowed to play ball games here.

• Children mustn't play ball games here.

It was a lovely holiday. We'd like to return.

• It was such a lovely holiday that we'd like to return.

That is the restaurant. I lost my briefcase there.

• That is the restaurant where I lost my briefcase.

The company will pay us €10,000.

• We will be paid €10,000 by the company.

Sam said, “Why don't we stay in?”

• Sam suggested staying in.

Write the correct question for the underlined words:

She didn't realize until the following day.

• Until when didn't she realize?

+EXÁMENES RESUELTOS