Trapped in the blizzards of   Nepal’s worst trekking disaster,  british couple Katie Francis and Duncan Hedges helped fellow tourists battle for survival as a series of avalanches were happening.          

At least 43 people died in the disaster as temperatures dropped sharply and nearly 6ft of snow fell in just 12 hours. The number of deaths could have been far higher had it not been for Katie and former soldier Duncan persuading some trekkers who were afraid of missing flights to sit out the storm in a remote mountainside hostel.

When the blizzards hit, the pair helped treat hypothermia-stricken survivors who struggled in  from the deadly “white-out”. “They were soaking wet and freezing cold,” said Duncan, “If they hadn’t got to the hostel they may have died. They had blue lips and fingers, and they were incoherent（语无伦次的）and shaking involuntarily（不自觉的）.”

Katie and Duncan did not expect to turn into lifesavers when they set off on a 15-day trip to Nepal on October 6. They hired a guide and spent five days hiking on Annapurna, the world’s 10th highest mountain. Duncan spent 23 years in the army before retiring, only to join the reserves for five tours of Afghanistan as a Warrant Office Class 1. He was awarded the MBE (英帝国勋章获得者) last December and his experience meant he was well-placed to take charge of 30 hikers hidden in the hostel.

He warned his fellow trekkers: “That weather’s not worth going out in. If you’re late going back and you miss your flight, the worst situation is you’ve got to pay for another flight. But the other option is you could die on the mountain.”

Talking about the nightmare at their home in Malvern, Worcs, Duncan said: “We took all the extra things – warm boots, hat, gloves, medical kits – and then you see people coming in jeans and a T-shirt. What were they thinking? It’s a serious place and if you’re not prepared for it you will get caught out.”

本时文内容由奇速英语国际教育研究院原创编写，禁止复制和任何商业用途，版权所有，侵权必究！

1.What happened to Katie Francis and Duncan Hedges?

A They were trapped in a remote mountain hostel in the blizzards.

B They gave warm clothes to other tourists and saved their lives.

C They persuaded tourists to stay in the hostel to avoid the storm.

D They helped other tourists survive when avalanches happened.

解析：选D。D 细节理解题。根据文章一、二段可知，Katie与Duncan在发生雪崩的时候挺身而出，帮助游客脱险，使很多游客幸免于难。

2.What does the underlined word hypothermia refer to?

A It is the condition when one’s body is at an extreme low temperature.

B It is the dangerous situation when people are hit by a blizzard.

C It is the health condition when one is sick during a trekking journey.

D It refers to people’s reaction to a snow storm.

解析：选A。A 词义理解题。根据文章第三段hypothermia-stricken, soaking wet and freezing cold, … had blue lips and fingers, incoherent and shaking involuntarily可知，hypothermia是低体温症—体温降低带来的浑身冰冷，嘴唇、手指发紫，说话不连贯，浑身发抖等症状。

3.What made Duncan capable of saving 30 hikers?

A His 23 years of working in Afghanistan.

B The great honor he received last December.

C His experience as a soldier and a hiker.

D His hiking on the world’s 10th highest mountain.

解析：选C。C 细节理解题。根据文章第四段his experience meant he was well-placed to take charge of 30 hikers可知，邓肯经验丰富（曾经攀登世界最高山脉，服役23年，到阿富汗执行任务4次等），使得他能够带领30位登山者脱离危险。

4.What can be inferred from the passage?

A It is necessary to take a medical kit when trekking on the mountains.

B Full preparation is important to one’s survival on a hiking journey.

C People regret not taking enough things when they are in a dangerous condition.

D Katie and Duncan have become heroes for saving many trekkers.

解析：选B。B 推理判断题。根据文章最后一段if you’re not prepared for it you will get caught out可知，如果准备不充分，就会被困野外。由此判断，登山前的充分准备对于途中发生意外时脱离危险具有重要意义。

5.In what column of a newspaper can you mostly read this passage?

A Health.

B Weather.

C People.

D Tours.

解析：选C。C 推理判断题。本文讲述了英国夫妇在发生雪崩时帮助游客脱离危险的事迹，属于“人物”栏目。