Sudden Heavy Rain Floods Cars in Chiba, Leaving Owners With Debt
Listen to the story
Heavy rain hit Chiba, Japan. The rain came very fast. It is called guerrilla rain.
Many cars filled with water. The water damaged the cars. People could not drive them.
About 200 cars stayed on the roads in Chiba city. The rain left them there. Later, the owners moved their cars away.
Chiba officials met on the 18th. They talked about the abandoned cars. They want a plan for the future.
Some people still pay a loan for their flooded car. A loan is money you borrow and pay back. Their car does not work now.
But they still must pay the money. Some people also need a new car. They must pay a new loan too.
This is called a double loan. It means paying for two cars at one time.
Experts say this is very hard for people. They say people need a plan before it happens.
One idea is special insurance for floods. Insurance can help pay for a new car.
A taxi passenger also died in heavy rain in Chiba. The government sent a message to taxi companies. It told them to be more careful in heavy rain.
Vocabulary15 words
- guerrilla rain
- very heavy rain that starts fast and is hard to know before
- abandoned
- left alone; nobody takes care of it
- loan
- money you borrow and must pay back
- double loan
- paying for two things at the same time, like two cars
- insurance
- money you pay so a company helps you if something bad happens
- flood
- too much water covering a place
- damage
- hurt or break something
- official
- a person who works for the government
- passenger
- a person riding in a car or taxi
- government
- the group that runs a country
- notice
- a message telling people something important
- taxi company
- a business with cars that take people places for money
- borrow
- to take something and give it back later
- plan
- an idea for what to do
- expert
- a person who knows a lot about something
Quiz
Answer key
1. They were filled with water 2. Paying for two cars at the same time 3. True
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Heavy rain hit Chiba, Japan. The rain came very fast. It is called _____.
Many cars filled with _____. The water damaged the cars.
About _____ cars stayed on the roads in Chiba city.
Chiba officials met on the 18th. They talked about the _____ cars.
Some people still pay a _____ for their flooded car.
This is called a _____. It means paying for two cars at one time.
One idea is special _____ for floods.
A taxi passenger also died in heavy rain in Chiba. The government sent a _____ to taxi companies.