At least 800 people are reported to have died in a heatwave sweeping India, with temperatures reaching 48℃ (118℉) in some areas.

Most deaths have taken place in the southern states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, where more than 140 people have died since Saturday. Allahabad in Uttar Pradesh recorded 48℃while temperatures rose to above 44℃ (111℉) in the capital, Delhi. Authorities have urged people to stay indoors and drink plenty of fluids.

Heatwave conditions have been frequent in the two worst-affected southern Indian states since mid-April, but most of the deaths have happened in the past week. The worst-hit state has been Andhra Pradesh where 246 people have died. State officials said 62 people died of sunstroke on Sunday. While in the 10 districts in neighboring Telangana state, the heatwave had killed 186 people in, with 58 people dying since Saturday.

Residents of Nalgonda in India’s newly-formed state of Telangana are used to high temperatures during the summer months. But the intensity of this heatwave has left businessman Ravinder Reddy confined to his house for a full week. “Two of my employees are in hospital due to heat strokes,” he told the BBC.

Ahmed Pasha, who cultivates 12 acres of land, says there is no water in the well or in the bore-hole. “It has all gone so dry that more than 50% of the grass that I had grown for the buffaloes and the goats has dried up,” he said. 

“The majority of the victims are people who have been exposed to the sun directly, usually aged 50 and above and from the working classes,” said Tulsi Rani, special commissioner of Andhra Pradesh’s disaster management department. “We are asking them to take precautions like using an umbrella, using a cap, taking a huge quantity of liquids like water and buttermilk, and wearing cotton clothing,” he added.

The meteorological department said the excessively hot weather was likely to continue for a few more days.

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1.What is mainly talked about in the passage?

A Many Indian people have died of sunstrokes in the past week.

B The temperatures reach very high in southern India.

C Heatwave has caused hundreds of deaths in southern India.

D Officials warn people not to be exposed to the hot sun.

解析：选C。C 主旨大意题。根据文章第1、2段可知，本文主要介绍了印度南部各邦遭受热浪袭击，800多人死亡的情况，故选C。

2.According to the passage, Ravinder Reddy lives in ______.

A Uttar

B Delhi

C Andhra

D Telangana

解析：选D。D 细节理解题。根据文章第4段Residents of Nalgonda in India’s newly-formed state of Telangana are used to high temperatures …But …has left businessman Ravinder Reddy…可知，Ravinder Reddy是Telangana邦人。

3.The underlined word in Paragraph Six means ______.

A measures against dangers or injury

B plans to live through summer

C tools for daily use in sunny weather

D concerns about the safety of employees

解析：选A。A 猜测词义题。根据文章第6段like using an umbrella, using a cap, taking a huge quantity of liquids like water and buttermilk, and wearing cotton clothing可知，专家建议人们外出打伞，多喝水，穿棉质的衣服，以对付持续的高温天气。由此判断，precaution在文章中意为“预防措施”。

4.What can we infer from the passage?

A More deaths will be reported with the heatwave going on.

B Workers will stop work as a result of the unbearable heatwave.

C The southern states of India are not fit for living in summer.

D Buffaloes and goats will die of lack of grass.

解析：选A。A 推理判断题。根据文章最后1段the excessively hot weather was likely to continue for a few more days可知，令人窒息的高温天气还会持续几天，由此判断，因热浪袭击死亡的人数还会上升。