Flora heard somebody shouting. She looked around and saw Jeff
running. Before she could move, she heard a loud noise, which
grew to a terrible roar. She looked at Jeff, who was waving his
arms. She looked around, behind her. There she saw a wall of
water that was quickly advancing towards her. She was so
surprised that she couldn’t move. She wanted to watch it.
However, before she could think twice, the water was upon her.
"Run!" Jeff shouted, seizing her arm.
The
next moment the first wave swept her down, swallowing the
garden. Jeff dragged her towards the house. Everything went so
fast, she couldn't think. Before they reached the house, a new
great wave came, sweeping down trees, and sweeping them down
too. They both went down under water.
Then Jeff pulled her up. He was standing, holding on to a tree
that grew against the wall. Flora’s head was above the water but
she couldn't stand up. She struggled and struggled, but could
not get on her feet. Only his hand was holding her hand. She
fought for her life, and finally pulled herself up. Now, the
water, which was cold as ice and flowed faster than a river, was
above her knees. Jeff and Flora looked into each other's face
with a look of fright.
"Get to the steps!" Jeff shouted.
It was only just around the corner: four big steps! She looked
at him, but she could not move. When the water seemed to go down
a little, they ran. As they got to the steps, they heard another
great roar, and the wall of the house shook. The water flowed
around their legs again, but Jeff had opened the hall door.
Flora quickly began climbing the stairs. Boom! Another wave
struck the house, and a strange cracking noise began. The water
moved up like a sea. Flora ran up the stairs. There she stopped,
listening to the strange sounds, while the whole house moved.
Flora, whose beautiful hair and dress were all cold and wet,
started crying.
"The house is falling down!” shouted Jeff, "Where is the
chimney? Which room? The chimney will stand."
Jeff looked out of the window. Below, the water swept past the
house like a wild river. Tree after tree went down, cut down by
the water, which must have been three metres deep. The garden
that was once so beautiful was completely destroyed, swept away
by the wild water.
A terrible noise went through the house. A part of the house had
gone down and the floor moved up and down under their feet. For
some moments both were silent.
"This will stand. This here will stand. See! That chimney! Like
a tower. Yes! All right! All right!"
(Senior English for China Student's Book
1A
Unit 4 Reading)
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