Passage 53 Hot Snake ?

What is the passage about? What kind of article is it?

At last firemen have put out a big forest fire in California. Since then, they have been trying to find out how the fire began. Yesterday the firemen examined the ground carefully, but were not able to find any broken glass. They were also quite sure that a cigarette end did not start the fire. This morning, however, a fireman accidentally discovered the cause. He noticed the remains of a snake which was wound round the electric wires of a 16,000-volt power line. A bird had snatched up the snake from the ground and then dropped it on to the wires. The snake then wound itself round the wires. When it did so, it sent sparks down to the ground and these immediately started a fire.

What are the differences or changes? Anything missing?

Forest fire are often caused by broken glass or by cigarette ends which people carelessly throw away. He noticed the remains of a snake which was wound round the electric wires of a 16,000-volt power line. In this way, he was able to solve the mystery. The explanation was simple but very unusual.

At last firemen have put out a big forest fire in California. Since then, they have been trying to find out how the fire began. Forest fire are often caused by broken glass or by cigarette ends which people carelessly throw away.

Yesterday the firemen examined the ground carefully, but were not able to find any broken glass. They were also quite sure that a cigarette end did not start the fire. This morning, however, a fireman accidentally discovered the cause. He noticed the remains of a snake which was wound round the electric wires of a 16,000-volt power line. In this way, he was able to solve the mystery. The explanation was simple but very unusual. A bird had snatched up the snake from the ground and then dropped it on to the wires. The snake then wound itself round the wires. When it did so, it sent sparks down to the ground and these immediately started a fire.

Part I-1 Introduction or lead At last firemen have put out a big forest fire in California. Since then, they have been trying to find out how the fire began.

Part I-2 a transitional paragraph Forest fire are often caused by broken glass or by cigarette ends which people carelessly throw away.

Part II-1 The story starts Yesterday the firemen examined the ground carefully, but were not able to find any broken glass. They were also quite sure that a cigarette end did not start the fire.

Part II-2 The first turn This morning, however, a fireman accidentally discovered the cause. He noticed the remains of a snake which was wound round the electric wires of a 16,000-volt power line.

Part II-3 In this way, he was able to solve the mystery. The explanation was simple but very unusual.

Part II-4 A bird had snatched up the snake from the ground and then dropped it on to the wires. The snake then wound itself round the wires. When it did so, it sent sparks down to the ground and these immediately started a fire.

Read again and pay attention to the words in ITALICS

At last firemen have put out a big forest fire in California. Since then, they havebeen trying to find out how the fire began. Forest fire are often caused by broken glass or by cigarette ends which people carelessly throw away. Yesterday the firemen examined the ground carefully, but were not able to find any broken glass.They were also quite sure that a cigarette end did not start the fire. This morning,however,a fireman accidentally discovered the cause. He noticed the remains of a snake which was wound round the electric wires of a 16,000-volt power line. In this way, he was able to solve the mystery. The explanation was simple but very unusual. A bird had snatched up the snake from the ground and then dropped it on to the wires. The snake then wound itself round the wires. When it did so, it sent sparks down to the ground and these immediately started a fire.

No transitional paragraphs At last firemen have put out a big forest fire in California. Since then, they havebeen trying to find out how the fire began. Yesterday the firemen examined the ground carefully, but were not able to find any broken glass.They were also quite sure that a cigarette end did not start the fire. This morning,however,a fireman accidentally discovered the cause. He noticed the remains of a snake which was wound round the electric wires of a 16,000-volt power line. A bird had snatched up the snake from the ground and then dropped it on to the wires. The snake then wound itself round the wires. When it did so, it sent sparks down to the ground and these immediately started a fire.

Part I: the Present Tense

At last firemen have put out a big forest fire in California. Since then, they havebeen trying to find out how the fire began. Forest fire are often caused by broken glass or by cigarette ends which people carelessly throw away.

Part II the past tense

Yesterday the firemen examined the ground carefully, but were not able to find any broken glass.They were also quite sure that a cigarette end did not start the fire. This morning,however,a fireman accidentally discovered the cause. He noticed the remains of a snake which was wound round the electric wires of a 16,000-volt power line. In this way, he was able to solve the mystery. The explanation was simple but very unusual. A bird had snatched up the snake from the ground and then dropped it on to the wires. The snake then wound itself round the wires. When it did so, it sent sparks down to the ground and these immediately started a fire.

Translate the following Chinese 碎玻璃片或是人们随手乱扔的烟头常常会引起森 林火灾。 他们很确定火灾不是烟头引起的。 他发现了一条缠绕在 伏特的高压输电线路 电缆上的死蛇。 起火的原因（解释）很简单，但也很不寻常。 当它这样做（在电缆上缠绕）时，所引发的电火 花到达地面时立刻引起了火灾

Read again, pay attention to sentences in red

Forest fire are often caused by broken glass or by cigarette ends which people carelessly throw away. They were also quite sure that a cigarette end did not start the fire. He noticed the remains of a snake which was wound round the electric wires of a 16,000-volt power line. The explanation was simple but ( it was) very unusual. When it did so, it sent sparks down to the ground and these immediately started a fire.

Read the passage again, pay attention to the phrases underlined

At last firemen have put out a big forest fire in California. Since then, they havebeen trying to find out how the fire began. Forest fire are often caused by broken glass or by cigarette ends which people carelessly throw away. Yesterday the firemen examined the ground carefully, but were not able to find any broken glass.They were also quite sure that a cigarette end did not start the fire. This morning,however,a fireman accidentally discovered the cause. He noticed the remains of a snake which was wound round the electric wires of a 16,000-volt power line. In this way, he was able to solve the mystery. The explanation was simple but very unusual. A bird had snatched up the snake from the ground and then dropped it on to the wires. The snake then wound itself round the wires. When it did so, it sent sparks down to the ground and these immediately started a fire.

Read the passage again, pay attention to the words underlined

At last firemen have put out a big forest fire in California. Since then, they havebeen trying to find out how the fire began. Forest fire are often caused by broken glass or by cigarette ends which people carelessly throw away. Yesterday the firemen examined the ground carefully, but were not able to find any broken glass.They were also quite sure that a cigarette end did not start the fire. This morning,however,a fireman accidentally discovered the cause. He noticed the remains of a snake which was wound round the electric wires of a 16,000-volt power line. In this way, he was able to solve the mystery. The explanation was simple but very unusual. A bird had snatched up the snake from the ground and then dropped it on to the wires. The snake then wound itself round the wires. When it did so, it sent sparks down to the ground and these immediately started a fire.

cause [transitive] to make something happen, especially something bad: Heavy traffic is causing delays on the freeway. The fire caused £15,000 worth of damage.

begin 2 START HAPPENING [intransitive and transitive] if something begins, or you begin something, it starts to happen or exist from a particular time: It was the coldest winter since records began.

ex ‧ am ‧ ine [transitive] 1 to look at something carefully and thoroughly because you want to find out more about it: A team of divers was sent down to examine the wreck. Hegel's philosophy will be examined in detail in Chapter 4. examine how/whether/what etcIn the course, we will examine how and why Spain became a democracy in 1931.

dis ‧ cov ‧ er [transitive] 1 to find someone or something, either by accident or because you were looking for them: The body was discovered in a field. Forest Service crews often discover campfires that have not been put out completely. 2 to find out something that you did not know about before:T he exercises let students discover math concepts on their own.

no ‧ tice [intransitive,transitive not in progressive] 1 if you notice something or someone, you realize that they exist, especially because you can see, hear, or feel them: He noticed a woman in a black dress sitting across from him. I didn't notice any smoke. Have you noticed any change in him?

snatch [transitive] 1 to take something away from someone with a quick, often violent, movement [= grab]: The thief snatched her purse and ran. snatch something away/back from somebody Keith snatches toys away from the other children. 2 to take someone away from a person or place, especially by force: Vargas was snatched from his home by two armed men.

drop (dropped, dropping) 1LET SOMETHING FALL [transitive]a) to stop holding or carrying something so that it falls: He dropped his briefcase on a chair. She screamed and dropped the torch. b) to make something such as a bomb fall from a plane: U.S. planes began dropping bombs on the city. Supplies are being dropped for the refugees.

wind (wound) 1 [transitive always + adverb/preposition] to turn or twist something several times around something elsewind something around/round somethingThe hair is divided into sections and wound around heated rods.

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