People have believed for many centuries that animals can predict (预测) earthquakes. In fact, we can look back to a number of 【小题1】 (record) from the ancient Greeks (古希腊). They noticed that animals acted 【小题2】 (strange) in the hours before earthquakes. Even now people talk about dogs 【小题3】 won’t stop barking and cats going into hiding 【小题4】 an earthquake happens. Besides, strange behaviors (行为) 【小题5】 these aren’t limited to pets. People have also reported seeing chickens stop laying eggs, bees leaving 【小题6】 (they) beehives (蜂巢), and big groups of fish 【小题7】 (die) in the hours before a   【小题8】 (nature) disaster hits.

The 【小题9】 (true) is that we aren’t sure whether animals might be able to sense earthquakes before they happen. However, one thing is for sure that more research   【小题10】 (carry) out to find out the answer. Animals may be the key to predicting earthquakes before they happen and help save many lives. That’s what we want.

Scientist Sam

Every year, thousands of people’s lives are affected by disasters. This week the editor Becky in News Magazine i【小题1】 a disaster survivor Fiona.

Becky: Fiona, you were in a cyclone (龙卷风). Where was that?

Fiona: In north Australia, in Normanton. That’s where I live.

Becky: What did you do when the cyclone arrived?

Fiona: We all stayed inside, in the basement, because that’s the s【小题2】 place. We could hear the storm coming closer and closer. The noise was awful. At one point there was a really loud noise. I thought: “That’s it! It’s going to destroy the house!” I was s【小题3】.

Becky: And what happened after the cyclone?

Fiona: There were terrible floods. More than 360 millimetres of rain fell in just twenty-four hours. The army had to bring food and water to the whole area by plane and helicopter. The s【小题4】 thing was that waves from the coast and rivers flooded the land and carried three crocodiles to near my house! One of my neighbours hit a crocodile with his car—it was 1.6 metres long.

Becky: Really? That’s hard to believe! So is everything b【小题5】 to normal again now?

Fiona: Not really. The floods have gone, but they destroyed a lot of homes and farms. It’s going to cost at least 110 million dollars to repair the damage.

Becky: Is the w【小题6】 usually this bad?

Fiona: No, but this summer was very hot. If it stays hot, there will probably be another cyclone. All the experts say that the chances of the extreme temperatures and heavy rain will i【小题7】 because of climate change.