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Hundreds of people are missing and thousands more have left their home after a dam collapsed in southern Laos, causing flash flooding across six villages, according to the state news agency. The Lao News Agency said the Xepian-Xe Nam Noy dam collapsed at 8 p.m. on Monday night, which sent out 5 billion cubic meters of water. Houses were washed away in the water, which caused several deaths and left more than 6,000 people homeless.
Laotian Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith put off a planned monthly government meeting to monitor the rescue and relief efforts, the agency said. Authorities have made a public appeal for emergency aid for the victims of the flooding, including clothing, food, water and medicine.
Pauline Arce, officer for the International Federation of the Red Cross Asia-Pacific, said the Laos National Disaster Prevention and Control Committee had met to discuss the disaster. She said the IFRC was preparing to issue emergency relief funds for Laos within the next 24 hours, but was already sending relief kits to help 1,000 people affected by the floods and is helping with search and rescue operations.
The disaster is so far known to have affected at least six villages in the Sanamxay District of Attapeu Province. There is no official information yet about how badly the dam has been damaged, what caused it to break or when the flooding is expected to recede. Although people desired to decrease the flood as soon as possible, it still takes some time to do that.
US non-governmental organization International Rivers said the break was caused by the heavy rain in Laos. Construction on the dam began in February 2013 and the operations were expected to begin in 2018. It was due to cost an estimated $1.02 billion. The South Korean construction company building the dam, SK Construction Co., has sent a rescue crew including helicopters and boats to Laos, South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement Tuesday.

1.What is the main idea of the first paragraph?

A The terrible flood has caused deaths in southern Laos.

B About 5 billion cubic meters of water were sent out.

C Flash flooding ran quickly across all the six villages.

D The Xepian-Xe Nam Noy dam collapsed on Monday.

解析：选A。段落大意题。从第一段第一句的Hundreds of people are missing and thousands more have left their home after a dam collapsed in southern Laos在大坝决口后，洪水造成了巨大的损失。故选A。

2.What did the authorities appeal people to do?

A They should ask the Prime Minister to stop the government meeting.

B They should try to give a hand by providing food, clothes and so on.

C They should get to Red Cross Asia-Pacific to ask for some urgent help.

D They should monitor the rescue and relief efforts before the flood leaves.

解析：选B。细节理解题。根据第二段最后一句的 Authorities have made a public appeal for emergency aid for the victims of the flooding, including clothing, food, water and medicine.可以得知当局号召人们捐出食物、衣服，药品等物资来救灾。故选B。

3.What does the underlined word “recede” in the fourth paragraph mean?

A reduce

B run

C damage

D break

解析：选A。词义猜测题。根据第四段最后一句的Although people desired to decrease the flood as soon as possible, it still takes some time to do that可以得知还需要些时间洪水才能减小，故该词的意思为“减少”，也就是reduce。故选A。

4.Why did South Korea send the rescue crew?

A South Korea is near Laos.

B A South Korean company built the dam.

C South Korea has helicopters.

D South Korea's Ministry is very friendly.

解析：选B。推理判断题。根据第五段中的The South Korean construction company building the dam, SK Construction Co., has sent a rescue crew including helicopters and boats to Laos可以推知是因为韩国的一家公司承建了大坝，所以韩国派出了救援队。故选B。