《高级英语》英语原文张汉熙.doc

Face to Face with Hurricane Camille Joseph P. Blank 1 John Koshak, Jr., knew that Hurricane Camille would be bad. Radio and television warnings had sounded throughout that Sunday, last August 17, as Camille lashed northwestward across the Gulf of Mexico. It was certain to pummel Gulfport, Miss., where the Koshers lived. Along the coasts of Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama, nearly 150,000 people fled inland to safer 8round. But, like thousands of others in the coastal communities, john was reluctant to abandon his home unless the family -- his wife, Janis, and their seven children, abed 3 to 11 -- was clearly endangered. 2 Trying to reason out the best course of action, he talked with his father and mother, who had moved into the ten-room house with the Koshaks a month earlier from California. He also consulted Charles Hill, a long time friend, who had driven from Las Vegas for a visit. 3 John, 37 -- whose business was right there in his home ( he designed and developed educational toys and supplies, and all of Magna Products correspondence, engineering drawings and art work were there on the first floor) -- was familiar with the power of a hurricane. Four years earlier, Hurricane Betsy had demolished undefined his former home a few miles west of Gulfport (Koshak had moved his family to a motel for the night). But that house had stood only a few feet above sea level. We re elevated 2a feet, he told his father, and we re a good 250 yards from the sea. The place has been here since 1915, and no hurricane has ever bothered it. We II probably be as safe here as anyplace else. 4 The elder Koshak, a gruff, warmhearted expert machinist of 67, agreed. We can batten down and ride it out, he said. If we see signs of danger, we can get out before dark. 5 The men methodically prepared for the hurricane. Since water mains might be damaged, they filled bathtubs and pails. A power failure was likely, so they checked out batteries for the portable radio and flashlights