We live in a town, about half a mile from the banks of the Ahr River. It had been raining buckets that week and there were 81 warnings for some of the nearby areas, but not where I was.As a precaution, I’d 82 sandbags outside my garden door and piled electronics and clothing on tables and the couch just in case water managed to seep through.As I fell asleep, I was 83 by the sound of rushing water. When I swung my legs off the bed, I was 84 to feel cold water already up to my knees and rising fast. Shivering and in darkness, I grabbed my phone and 85 its flashlight. Water was coming from the garden door, and chairs, bookshelves and pieces of my drum set were floating all over my living room. The Ahr must have 86 burst its banks and breached the sandbags. And now I had to get out — fast!With the water now up to my waist, in bare feet I started to paddle to my only 87: the door leading to upstairs. Finally I made it to that door and tried to pull it open, but the water’s pressure was high. I managed to make a 88 of about 30 centimeters with all my strength and effort, enough for me to squeeze through. Rushing down outside, I 89 that if I had woken up just a few minutes later, I would have drowned.The experience made me grateful and determined to live each day to its fullest. I will remember what my mother told me: “Don’t remember the day when you 90 everything. Remember the day you survived.”81.A. flood B. earthquake C. drought D. sandstorm82.A. cleaned B. lifted C. recovered D. placed83.A. threatened B. awakened C. weakened D. tightened84.A. excited B. shocked C. depressed D. exhausted85.A. showed up B. looked up C. turned on D. went on86.A. carefully B. gradually C. violently D. constantly87.A. escape B. mind C. problem D. stage88.A. gap B. depth C. height D. cut89.A. pretended B. promised C. imagined D. realised90.A. lacked B. found C. lost D. gained
二、文中高频单词和短语，配中文
half a mile 半英里the banks of the river 河岸rain buckets 下瓢泼大雨nearby areas 周边地区as a precaution 作为预防措施sandbags 沙袋garden door 花园门pile electronics 堆放电子设备just in case 以防万一seep through 渗透，渗漏fall asleep 入睡rushing water 湍急的水流swing legs off the bed 把腿挪下床up to one’s knees 没过膝盖shiver v. 发抖，哆嗦in darkness 在黑暗中flashlight n. 手电筒bookshelf n. 书架drum set 架子鼓float v. 漂浮burst its banks 决堤breach v. 冲破，突破up to one’s waist 没过腰部in bare feet 光脚paddle v. 涉水前行make it to 成功抵达water’s pressure 水压with all one’s strength and effort 拼尽全力squeeze through 挤过去drown v. 溺水，淹死be grateful 心怀感激be determined to do 下定决心做某事live each day to its fullest 充实地过好每一天survive v. 幸存，活下来
三、熟词生义和固定搭配，配中文
熟词生义
bank 本义银行，文中含义河岸precaution 本义预防，文中防灾预备措施pile 名词意为一堆，文中作动词堆放escape 动词意为逃跑，文中作名词逃生通道gap 本义缝隙，文中指门拉开的缺口breach 名词意为违规，文中作动词冲破沙袋防线rush 动词意为奔跑，文中rushing water表示湍急的realise 本义认识到，文中指猛然醒悟
固定搭配
rain buckets 固定习语，大雨倾盆just in case + 从句 以防……be awakened by 被……吵醒be shocked to do 震惊地发现……turn on 打开电器、光源burst its banks 河流决堤make a gap 留出一道缝隙squeeze through a gap 从缝隙中挤过去live life to its fullest 尽情生活，充实度日
夜雨聆风
