week7-Himalaya. avalanche(blizzard). hiker(trekker)

Site of Deadly Himalayan Blizzard and Avalanches Is Popular With Hikers

Jane J. Lee

National Geographic

PUBLISHED OCTOBER 16, 2014

The Himalayan hiking circuit where at least 23 climbers were killed in a blizzard and avalanches this week is less than 200 miles from Mount Everest. But its trails appeal to a whole different type of adventurer.

Whereas Everest, the world's tallest mountain, attracts the world's most accomplished alpine climbers, Nepal's Annapurna circuit, the site of Tuesday's disaster, is among the Himalaya's most popular treks for casual hikers. It's been dubbed the "world's greatest trek."

But the 150-mile (241 kilometer) circuit turned deadly on Wednesday, and those who know the area say the inexperienced climbers who frequent the route were likely unprepared to contend with extreme weather conditions. Many people are still missing, with dozens feared dead, as helicopters rescued hikers from the area on Thursday.

Dosty Quarrier, a former therapist in Asheville, North Carolina, hiked the three-week-long circuit right out of college in the 1990s. "It really wasn't that hard," she said. That's partly because she and a friend hired a porter to carry supplies and partly because the trail "was a nice gradual elevation change."

Quarrier followed recommendations from locals and travel guides about acclimating to the altitude and had no problems going over Thorung Pass, the highest point on the circuit.

The pass, nearly 18,000 feet (5,486 meters) high—about the same elevation as Base Camp on Mount Everest—is near the site where the bodies of 12 hikers were discovered Wednesday. In the U.S., the only peaks as high as that are in Alaska, said Adrian Ballinger, owner and head guide for Alpenglow Expeditions.

"In normal conditions, you can go over that pass and not see any snow or bad weather," Ballinger said. Autumn weather conditions are generally stable, he continued, but "these are mountain conditions, and these storms are not unusual."

Inexperienced climbers would be challenged by the difficult conditions that developed during the heavy snowfall that struck the region earlier this week, he said.

An accomplished climber, Ballinger's first trip to Nepal, nearly 20 years ago, was to the Annapurna circuit.

Some climbers might include the Annapurna when training to attempt peaks like Mount Everest, said Conrad Anker, an accomplished climber and National Geographic Explorer. But for the most part, he said, the hiking community and the mountain climbing set are very different.

"Annapurna is manageable for trekkers with little experience," according to a BBC travel guide. "The circuit is more known for its varied terrain than its difficulty, and while some days can be a challenge, each day can be completed by midafternoon."

Jake Norton, a climber on Eddie Bauer's mountaineering team based in Evergreen, Colorado, said he was troubled by news reports that seemed to compare this week's tragedy with the avalanche that killed 16 expedition workers on Everest in April. (See "Sorrow on the Mountain: How April's Deadly Everest Avalanche Unfolded.")

"They're 100 percent different animals," he said. "The only similarities between the two are that they included snow and the Himalayas."

Still, Norton said, "there's this misperception that trekking is less risky [than climbing]."

       http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/10/141016-annapurna-hiking-circuit-nepal-avalanche/

Structure of the Lead：

  WHO-not given

             WHEN-OCTOBER 16, 2014

   WHAT-people were killed in Mount. Himalaya

   WHY- because blizzard and avalanche

   WHERE-Nepal

   HOW-not given

Keywords：

   1. blizzard 暴風雪

   2. avalanches 雪崩

   3. alpine 高山

   4. to contend with 抗衡
          5. acclimating 馴化

   6. altitude 海拔

   7. expeditions 探險

   8. misperception 誤解 

week6-Japan. volcano. eruption. Mount. Ontake

Japan Mount Ontake volcano: Death toll reaches 47

1 October 2014 

Last updated at 19:59

Rescue workers in Japan have recovered more bodies from Mount Ontake, bringing to 47 the number of those killed by Saturday's volcanic eruption.

The search resumed despite fears of toxic gases and another eruption.

The number of those unaccounted for is unknown but estimates say hundreds were at the summit at the time. Dozens were injured by falling debris.

Since then, volcanic tremors have been continuously detected with smoke still coming out of the volcano.

Police had earlier put the latest death toll at 48 but then revised it down by one.

The majority of bodies found near the summit on Wednesday were hikers, according to local police.

Helicopters have been used to bring the dead down from Mount Ontake.

Around 1,000 troops, police and fire fighters are involved in rescue operations.

The relatives of the dead and missing are waiting for news in a town hall in the nearby area of Kiso.

Experts have warned that the eruption is ongoing.

Seismologists had noticed increased seismic activity on Mount Ontake ahead of the eruption, but were still unprepared for what ensued.

The mountain, which is about 200km (125 miles) west of Tokyo, is one of Japan's 110 active volcanoes.

Its eruption on Saturday is the worst volcanic disaster in Japan for 90 years.

                                        http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-29440982

Structure of the Lead：

   WHO-not given

   WHEN-1 October 2014

   WHAT-Mount. Ontake volcano erupted

   WHY-not given

   WHERE-Japan

   HOW-not given

Keywords：

   1. resumed 重新開始

   2. eruption 爆發

   3. revised 修正

   4. debris 碎片
    5. ensued 接踵而至

  

week 5-Kaohsiung gas explosion

Taiwan gas explosion kills dozens

Associated Press in Kaohsiung

Friday 1 August 2014 03.06 BST

At least 24 people have been killed and 271 others injured when several underground gas explosions ripped through Taiwan's second-largest city overnight, hurling concrete through the air and blasting long trenches in the streets.

The series of explosions about midnight Thursday and early Friday struck a district where several petrochemical plans operate pipelines alongside the sewer system of Kaohsiung, a south-western port with 2.8 million people.

The fires were believed to have been caused by a leak of propene, a petrochemical material not intended for public use, but the source of the gas was not immediately clear, officials said.

Video from the TVBS broadcaster showed residents searching for victims in shattered storefronts and rescuers pulling injured people from the rubble of a road and placing them on stretchers while passersby helped other victims on a sidewalk. Broadcaster ETTV showed rows of large fires sending smoke into the night sky.

Four firefighters were among the 24 dead and 271 people were injured, the National Fire Agency said. The firefighters had been at the scene investigating reports of a gas leak when the explosions occurred, Taiwan's Central News Agency reported.

At least five blasts shook the city, said Taiwan's Premier Jiang Yi-huah.

Chang Jia-juch, the director of the Central Disaster Emergency Operation Center, said the leaking gas was most likely to be propene, meaning that the resulting fires could not be extinguished by water. He said emergency workers would have to wait until the gas was burnt away.

The source of the leak was unknown. Chang said, however, that propene was not for public use and that it was a petrochemical material.

The Kaohsiung mayor, Chen Chu, said several petrochemical companies had pipelines built along the sewage system in Chian-Chen district, which has both factories and residential buildings. "Our priority is to save people now. We ask citizens living along the pipelines to evacuate," Chen told TVBS television.

Power was cut off in the area, making it difficult for firefighters to search for others who might be buried in rubble.

Channel NewsAsia said the local fire department received reports from residents of gas leakage at about 8.46pm and explosions started around midnight.

Closed-circuit television showed an explosion rippling through the floor of a motorcycle parking area, hurling concrete and other debris through the air. Mobile phone video captured the sound of an explosion as flames leapt at least nine metres (30ft) into the air.

One of the explosions left a large trench running down the center of a road, edged with piles of concrete slabs torn apart by the force of the blast. A damaged motorcycle lay in the crater and TVBS showed cars flipped over. The force of the initial blast also felled trees lining the street.

                       http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/jul/31/taiwan-city-kaohsiung-gas-explosion

Structure of the Lead：

         WHO-not given

         WHEN-August 2014 03.06

  WHAT-people have been killed and injured  

  WHY-because of several underground gas explosions

            WHERE-at Taiwan's second-largest city, Kaohsiung

   HOW-not given

Keywords：

   1. explosion 爆炸

   2. ripped 穿洞

   3. struck 來襲

   4. concrete 混凝土
          5. petrochemical 石化

   6. sewer 下水道
          7. propene 丙烯
          8. shattered 破滅
          9. rubble 廢墟
         10. stretcher 擔架

  11. investigate 調查

  12. evacuate 疏散

week4-TransAsia Airways plane crash, Penghu

47 feared killed in TransAsia Airways flight crash in Penghu

The China Post news staff

July 23, 2014, 10:04 pm TWN

TAIPEI, Taiwan -- Forty-seven people were feared dead and 11 injured after the TransAsia Airways (復興航空) flight they boarded crashed near Magong Airport in the outlying Penghu County late today, the transportation minister said.

The flight GE-222, with 54 passengers and 4 members of the crew on board, took off at Kaohsiung International Airport at 5:43 p.m. after it was delayed from its scheduled departure at 4:00 p.m. The flight contacted the Magong Airport at around 7 p.m. and was directed to pull up and retry during a landing attempt. The flight lost contact with air controllers soon afterward. It was later found crashed in Xixi Village (西溪村) north of the airport. Two buildings were damaged in the village but no one was reported injured on the ground.

Minister of Transportation and Communications Yeh Kuang-shih (葉匡時) was quoted by the Central News Agency as saying that 11 people were injured and sent to the hospital and the remaining 47 people were feared dead in the accident.

           http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/national/national-news/2014/07/23/413065/47-feared.htm

Structure of the Lead：

         WHO-TransAsia Airways

         WHEN-July 23, 2014

   WHAT-a flight crash

   WHY-when retry during a landing attempt

   WHERE-Penghu

   HOW-not given

Keywords：

   1. departure 出發

   2. contact 聯繫

   3. injured 受傷

   4. feared dead 遇難
         

week3-Robin Williams. dead. sucide

Robin Williams, boisterous comedy star, dead at 63 from apparent suicide

By Haven Daley and Hillel Italie ,AP
August 13, 2014, 12:02 am TWN

SAN FRANCISCO -- He was the funniest guy in the room, something that made it all the harder for friends and fans to accept that beneath that reservoir of frenetic energy and seemingly endless good humor resided demons so dark they could push Robin Williams to suicide.

It was no secret that the Oscar-winning actor had suffered for years from periodic bouts of substance abuse and depression — he made reference to it himself in his comedy routines. But word that he had killed himself Monday at his San Francisco Bay Area home left both friends in the Hollywood community and neighbors in the quiet neighborhood of Tiburon that he called home equally stunned and grief-stricken.

“It was so sudden and he was such a great guy and it's such a loss to the whole community,” said Daniel Jennings who lived across the street from Williams in the quiet neighborhood where the actor was often seen riding his bike and stopping to talk to neighbors. One thing he never did, residents said, was act like a celebrity.

“He was really nice to all the neighbors,” Daniels said. “Really appreciated his kindness.”

He was last seen alive at home about 10 p.m. Sunday, according to the Marin County coroner's office. Shortly before noon, the Sheriff's Department received an emergency call from the home, where the star of “Good Will Hunting,” “Mrs. Doubtfire,” “Good Morning, Vietnam” and dozens of other films was pronounced dead.

Sheriff's officials said a preliminary investigation determined the cause of death was suicide due to asphyxia. Williams was 63.

“This morning, I lost my husband and my best friend, while the world lost one of its most beloved artists and beautiful human beings. I am utterly heartbroken,” said Williams' wife, Susan Schneider. “On behalf of Robin's family, we are asking for privacy during our time of profound grief. As he is remembered, it is our hope the focus will not be on Robin's death, but on the countless moments of joy and laughter he gave to millions.”

Battling Depression

Williams had been battling severe depression recently, said Mara Buxbaum, his press representative. Just last month, he announced he was returning to a 12-step treatment program he said he needed after 18 months of nonstop work. He had sought treatment in 2006 after a relapse following 20 years of sobriety.

Williams joked about that fall off the wagon during a comedy tour, saying, “I went to rehab in wine country to keep my options open.”

Likewise, when word spread about his struggles with drugs in the early 1980s, Williams responded with a joke that for a time became a catchphrase for his generation's recreational drug use: “Cocaine is God's way of telling you you are making too much money.”

His struggles never seemed to affect his talent.

From his breakthrough in the late 1970s as the alien in the hit TV show “Mork & Mindy,” through his standup act and numerous hit films, the short, barrel-chested Williams ranted and shouted as if just sprung from solitary confinement. Loud, fast and manic, he parodied everyone from John Wayne to Keith Richards, impersonating a Russian immigrant as easily as a pack of Nazi attack dogs.

He was a riot in drag in “Mrs. Doubtfire,” or as a cartoon genie in “Aladdin.”

He could do drama, too, winning his Academy Award as an empathetic therapist in the 1997 film “Good Will Hunting.”

He won Golden Globes for “Good Morning, Vietnam,” “Mrs. Doubtfire” and “The Fisher King.”

Other film credits included Robert Altman's “Popeye” (a box office bomb), Paul Mazursky's “Moscow on the Hudson,” Steven Spielberg's “Hook” and Woody Allen's “Deconstructing Harry.”

“Robin was a lightning storm of comic genius and our laughter was the thunder that sustained him. He was a pal and I can't believe he's gone,” Spielberg said.

As word of his death spread, tributes from inside and outside the entertainment industry poured in.

“Robin Williams was an airman, a doctor, a genie, a nanny, a president, a professor, a bangarang Peter Pan, and everything in between. But he was one of a kind. He arrived in our lives as an alien — but he ended up touching every element of the human spirit. He made us laugh. He made us cry. He gave his immeasurable talent freely and generously to those who needed it most — from our troops stationed abroad to the marginalized on our own streets,” U.S. President Barack Obama said in a statement.

            http://www.chinapost.com.tw/art/movies-&-films/2014/08/13/414781/p2/Robin-Williams.htm

Structure of the Lead：

   WHO-Robin Williams

   WHEN-August 13, 2014

   WHAT-Robin Williams had killed himself 

   WHY-because of severe depression

   WHERE-at his home in San Francisco

   HOW-not given

Keywords：

   1. suicide 自殺

   2. resided  居住

   3. substance 物質

   4. preliminary 初步的
   5. asphyxia 窒息
   6. depression 抑鬱症
   7. empathetic 移情的
   8. relapse 復發
   9. sobriety 清醒
  10. immeasurable 不可計量的

week2-World Cup 2014

Philipp Lahm: Germany captain retires from internationals

18 July 2014

Germany captain Philipp Lahm has retired from international football after leading his side to victory at the World Cup in Brazil.

The 30-year-old Bayern Munich defender, who can also play in midfield, played 113 times for Germany.

Lahm will continue playing for his club side, where he renewed his contract until 2018 shortly before the World Cup.

His retirement from the national side was confirmed by the German FA (DFB).

"I am happy and grateful that the end of my career with the national team coincides with winning the World Cup in Brazil," he said in an open letter on the DFB website.

Lahm's international career started in February 2004 with a 2-1 defeat of Croatia and ended with the 1-0 win over Argentina in the World Cup final on Sunday.

DFB president Wolfgang Niersbach said: "Philipp called me this morning and personally informed me of this step. I very quickly realized that it was pointless trying to persuade him to reconsider his decision.

"He was not just a superb player for 10 years in the national team, but also a complete role model. I thanked him for everything that he's done for the DFB."

Lahm now plans to focus on the club side that he joined aged 11 and has been captain of since 2011.

"There is hardly a better farewell than to be a world champion at the peak of your career," Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said.

"But for the national team, it will not be easy to replace Lahm as a player, captain and a man."
                    http://www.bbc.com/sport/0/football/28364966

Structure of the Lead：

  WHO-Philipp Lahm

  WHEN-18 July 2014

  WHAT-Philipp Lahm has retired

  WHY-not given

  WHERE-Brazil

  HOW-not given

Keywords：

   1. retired:退休

            2. defender:辯護人

   3. confirmed:確認

   4. reconsider:考慮

    5. superb:高超
    6. farewell:告別