Read the passage and circle the best answer to each of the following questions about it .
Almost a hundred thousand people were killed and half a million homes destroyed as a result of an earthquake in Tokyo in 1923. The earthquake began a minute before the noon when the inhabitants of Tokyo were cooking their midday meal. Thousands of stoves were overturned as soon as the earth began to shake. As a result, small fires broke out everywhere and quickly spread. The fire engines were prevented from going to help because many of the roads had cracked open. It was impossible to use fire fighting equipment as most of the water pipes had burst. Consequently, over ninety percent of the damage caused by fire rather than by the collapse of the buildings.
29. How many people were killed in the earthquake in Tokyo in 1923?
A. Ten thousand people
B. Almost a hundred thousand people
C. Thousands of people
D. Many people
30. When did the earthquake begin?
A. began a minute before the noon in 1923
B. began a minute before the noon in 1924
C. began a minute before the noon in 1925
D. began a minute before the noon in 1922
31. What happened as soon as the earth began to shake?
A. people died
B. the water pipes had burst
C. Thousands of stoves were overturned
D. the roads had cracked open
32. Why was the fire engines prevented from going to help?
A. because the water pipes had burst
B. because no one helped
C. because small fires broke out everywhere
D. because many of the roads had cracked open
