(1) __________six o’clock yesterday evening, the River Thames burst its banks and flooded a wide area. By nine o’clock the floods had reached the town of Dorchester. The main street was soon (2) __________ three feet of water. Fire engines arrived quickly to pump away the water, but heavy rain made the job very (3) __________ .

Mrs. Rose Willow, a (4) __________ nearly 80 years old, and living alone in her cottage, trapped upstairs (5) __________ three hours. Finally, firemen were able to rescue her with ladders and a small (6) __________ “My cat, Tibbles, stayed with me all the time” said Mrs. Willow. “She (7) __________ me a lot. She sat with me, so I didn’t feel afraid.”

The rain has finally stopped, the river level is falling and the weather forecast is good, (8) __________ the floods have done a great deal of damage “Luckily, nobody was (9) __________ or injured.” Chief Fire Office Hawkins (10) __________ reporters, “but it will take a long time to clear up the mess.”