Teaching steps:

Step 1: Free talk before the class

Step 2: Listen to the tape-recorder and find out the answer to the question

      Why were so many people killed in this fire?

      Answers: 1:There were no fire escapes.

              2:The smoke was too thick for helicopters to rescue the people on roof.

              3:There were too many people in the street.

              4:The fire fighters’ ladders were not long enough.

Step 3:Watch TV and ask students to read the passage and grasp the general idea.

Step 4:Explain the points to the students:

              1: on the 11^th floor: floor here means storey, not the opposite of ceiling.

              2: on the floors above: on the higher floors.

              3: close enough: close enough to rescue the people.

              4: lost their lives: died.

Step 5:Retell the whole text 4 times according to the key words.   

                Feb.4,1974,the Capital Building    destroyed, in a big fire

              Be started by an electrical fire      be on fire

              25 floors, no fire escapes          300 people, trapped

              helicopters, not able to get close    70 people, saved

              so many people, watching ladders   not long enough

              last about 4 hours                kill over 200 people

Step 6:According to the text,ask students to make a free speech.

Step 7:Shorten the text ( about ten sentences)

Step 8:Homework: Rewrite the text.