新西蘭英語 336 A week after the earthquake

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It’s now a week after the major earthquake that caused so much damage to the people and places in Canterbury.

Many people are suffering because they will lose their homes. At the moment, some are staying in a school. Tomorrow they will have to move out of the school and into another centre. Some of these places have 200 people sleeping on mattresses on the floor and waiting to use toilets and showers. It’s uncomfortable, it’s boring, there’s no privacy and it’s not home. They need to find a safe place to live and this is not easy because so many people are looking for accommodation.

Some people are feeling nervous about the after-shocks although there are not many now. In the first 24 hours there were nearly 100 after-shocks, some of them big, but in the last 24 hours there were only 8 and most of them were small.

The demolition of so many buildings in the central city will change the face of Christchurch. It’s possible that some shops and office blocks will never be rebuilt and the building site will remain empty. For years now, shoppers have preferred the suburban shopping malls close to home where parking is free, shops are all under one roof and the temperature is comfortable. Near the malls are businesses like insurance companies, travel agents, lawyers and dentists. Time will tell whether the face of Christchurch is better or worse after this major earthquake.

One thing that is better is a wonderful sense of community. Neighbours have helped neighbours. Students are helping with the clean up. Many volunteers are helping those people with no home to go to. Donations are coming in to help people who have lost so much.

We also have to remember that no one died in this earthquake. Although it has been a terrible experience, it could have been so much worse.

Questions

1. Some people say this has been a wake-up call to the rest of New Zealand. Will other New Zealanders now think about how they would manage in an earthquake?

2. 500 or more houses which will be demolished. How long will it take for houses to be demolished and new houses built?

3. Can houses be built in the same places?

4. Will there be new building regulations?