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AdvEng M7 Reading Passage

The woman experienced a devastating tsunami while on a train in Sri Lanka. She describes the massive wall of water that swept away some girls on the platform (paragraph 1-2). Her train car was derailed but she was still trapped inside as the water rose dramatically (paragraph 3-4). She used her yoga training to remain calm and push herself to the surface when pulled underwater (paragraph 5-6). She saw others drowning and realized she needed to save herself (paragraph 7). By pulling herself through the train window, she escaped to the roof as another large wave hit and carried the train to higher ground (paragraph 8-9). Many survivors were on the roof with her as the water continued

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112 views1 page

AdvEng M7 Reading Passage

The woman experienced a devastating tsunami while on a train in Sri Lanka. She describes the massive wall of water that swept away some girls on the platform (paragraph 1-2). Her train car was derailed but she was still trapped inside as the water rose dramatically (paragraph 3-4). She used her yoga training to remain calm and push herself to the surface when pulled underwater (paragraph 5-6). She saw others drowning and realized she needed to save herself (paragraph 7). By pulling herself through the train window, she escaped to the roof as another large wave hit and carried the train to higher ground (paragraph 8-9). Many survivors were on the roof with her as the water continued

Uploaded by

Sara Gallego Gómez
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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ADVANCED ENGLISH English II

Module 7 • Safe and Sound

Reading
Read the extract from the diary of a woman who experienced a tsunami in Sri Lanka. You will use this
text to answer the questions on the test.

It was a holiday but I didn’t expect the train to be so crowded. Four passengers were sitting on seats
meant for two. As the train moved off, I suddenly heard screaming. Looking out of the window, I saw
a group of young girls dressed up and holding balloons. But they were screaming, their faces contorted

5 with fear. Like a huge monster, a wave of mud over a meter high came spilling out of nowhere, from the

direction of the sea. The girls tried to scramble onto the train, but they were swept away. The watery
mud started coming into our car and I heard myself saying aloud, “Don’t worry. There’s no threat.
It’s probably a flash flood that disappears as suddenly as it comes.”
But this water wasn’t disappearing. There was a thunderous crash. The car immediately behind the
engine was swept off the rails, rolling away like a barrel. It crashed into some trees, overturned, and came
10 to a halt about 60 meters away. People from the derailed car climbed through the windows and then sat
shocked and terror-stricken on top of it, with water swirling all around.
Our car was still on the rails and the wet mud seemed to go down. But then I heard a tremendous roar
and saw a towering wall of water descending on us. People were banging on the closed windows,
attempting to get out. The car was filling up with water and suddenly I was swirling round and round in
15 a dark whirlpool, unable to see. Remembering my yoga training, I kept repeating, “Be calm. Don’t panic.
Just push up. Air is within easy reach.” I reached the top of the brown darkness, got a breath of air and
felt myself being pulled down again. Someone stood on my shoulders, pushing me down. He was using
me as a ladder to climb up to air and life. Without thinking twice, I pushed up, using every bit of mental
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and physical power within me. I managed to rise to an opening and get my head above water.
I gasped for breath.
Our car was now also on its side, windows facing the sky. It had become like a tin can, swirling and
turning in the strong current. A man was pulling someone out. I stretched my hand out to him too. He
grabbed hold of my fingers, but he had no strength. I realized that only I could save myself.
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“Forget your fear of water. You can do this,” I insisted, hooking my elbows over the top of the open
window and pulling myself upwards. I reached the top of the window just as another wave threw the
car back on its wheels. I could hardly keep my head above the rising water because the bag and camera
around my neck were restricting, dragging me down. And then another massive wave came crashing
down.
Some waves destroy and devastate. This one saved my life. The considerable force of the water had
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thrown our car into a nearby house and the car was now on higher ground, enabling the water to drain
from it. I can’t remember how I climbed back into the car, but I do remember getting rid of my bag and
camera, which I feared might pull me down again if another wave hit. Getting up onto the car roof was
my best chance. Using every last ounce of energy, I somehow managed to climb up. A crying boy was
on the roof, being looked after by a few others. The water level seemed to be going down on one side
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of the car, but was still flowing wildly on the other. Waves were coming in from the sea and going out
again. Some people began climbing down. But would that ensure their safety? Was the danger over?
Climbing down might end in disaster if another wave hit. What should I do?

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