The eruption of the Krakatau (or Krakatoa) on a small island located in the middle of the Sunda Strait in August 1883 was, in many aspects, the first global catastrophe. The news about the eruption, its following tsunami and the more than 36,000 victims travelled fast thanks to the recently installed worldwide telegraphic network.
The effects of the eruption were also noted all around the world.
The final explosion of Krakatau produced the loudest sound ever recorded in modern history, heard on over 10% of Earth's area. Reports of a distant cannonade or what seemed to be gunfire were reported from Australia and the island of Mauritius, more than 4,650 km distant from the erupting volcano. The pressure waves travelled within a few hours several times around the globe. Instruments measured the sudden peaks in Britain as in America.
Krakatau produced an eruption column between 25 and 43 miles high, visible by all ships passing the Sunda Strait. Within two weeks the ash, gases and aerosols were blown by atmospheric winds westwards along the equator. Months after the eruption the volcanic cloud spread from the equatorial to the mid-latitude zones. The fine grains, trapped in the higher layers of earth's atmosphere, scattered the sunlight for many years to come, causing strange optical phenomena, like blood-red skies.
Krakatau was the first scientifically well recorded and studied eruption of a volcano, from the very beginning to its disastrous ending.
Unfortunately, nobody realized the real danger of Krakatau. As the island was uninhabitable it was believed that it would pose no threat to human lives. Between August 26 and 27 a series of explosions almost totally destroyed the volcano, causing a series of tsunami-waves that killed 36,000 people along the coasts of Java and Sumatra.
The story of Krakatau is still not over. In 1930, in the caldera formed by the explosion and collapse of the old volcano a new one, Anak Krakatoa, the child of Krakatau, started to grow. The child has grown fast, displaying a continuous activity since its first eruption it rises by 16 feet per year and most probably will keep growing
Mark if the sentence is true or false.
1. The eruption of Krakatau is thought to be the first global disaster.
2. The sound of Krakatau explosion was heard for thousands of kilometers.
3. The aftereffects of Krakatau eruption were felt only in the Indian Ocean area.
4. The scientists had known how dangerous Krakatau volcano might be.
5. The eruption of Krakatau killed people on the island where the volcano was.
6. Now Krakatau is an extinct volcano.
1)
1. My living room is small (F. My living room is large.)
2. A wall unit is opposite the window (T)
3. There are 4 comfortable armchairs and a sofa in my living room. (F. There are 2 armchairs and a sofa in my living room.)
4. There are no posters in my room. (F. There are some posters in my room.)
5. I clean my room every day. (T)
2)
1. a) go
2. b) eats
3. c) is drinking
4. b) is walking
5. a) visit
6. b) went
7. b) bought
8. c) Tuesday
9. a) on
10. a) flat
11. c) 762
12. b) there are
13. b) no, i’m not.
14. b) some
15. a) in