Big Earthquake in the Philippines
菲律賓發生大地震
Introduction
A very strong earthquake hit the south of the Philippines. Many people died and many buildings broke.
菲律賓南部發生了一次非常強烈的地震。許多人死亡，許多建築物遭到毀壞。
Main Body
The earthquake was very powerful. 55 people died and 31 people are missing. More than 1,000 people were hurt. 45,000 people lost their homes because 12,600 houses fell down.
這次地震威力非常強大。共有55人死亡，31人失蹤。超過1,000人受傷。由於有12,600棟房屋倒塌，導致45,000人失去家園。
Many people survived because they practiced for earthquakes. The earthquake happened early in the morning. Most people were not in their offices or schools. But some buildings fell because the builders did not follow the rules.
許多人之所以能倖存，是因為他們曾練習過地震演習。地震發生在清晨，大多數人當時不在辦公室或學校。但某些建築物倒塌，是因為建築商未遵守相關規定。
Rain and small earthquakes made the rescue work hard. The government used planes to send food to people. President Marcos gave 100 million pesos to fix the city buildings.
降雨與餘震使救援工作十分艱難。政府利用飛機向民眾運送食物。馬可仕總統撥款1億披索用於修復城市建築物。
Conclusion
The city is still fixing the buildings. Workers are looking for the people who died.
城市目前仍在修復建築物。工作人員正在搜尋遇難者。
Vocabulary Learning
💡 The Power of "BECAUSE"
In the story, we see why things happened. To reach A2, you must connect your ideas. Don't use short, choppy sentences. Use because to explain the reason.
How it works: [Result] because [Reason]
Examples from the text:
- People survived because they practiced.
- Buildings fell because builders ignored rules.
🛠️ Word-Building: Strong vs. Weak
Notice how the writer describes the event. To move beyond basic English, use different words for "big":
- Strong Powerful
- Bad Hard
Quick Tip: Instead of saying "A big earthquake," say "A powerful earthquake." It sounds more natural!