What does the detail that the defences were 'last upgraded in 2009' suggest?
Residents of Lower Aldwick spent a sleepless night on Tuesday after a flash flood swept through the village, leaving at least forty homes without power. Police said the river burst its banks at around 2am, when more than 60mm of rain fell in just six hours. 'The water came up the street like a wall,' said shopkeeper Anita Rao, who has run the village store for twenty years. 'I have never seen anything like it.' An emergency shelter was set up at the primary school, where volunteers served hot drinks to about ninety people. The county council has promised a review of the village's flood defences, which were last upgraded in 2009. A spokesperson added that engineers would inspect the river wall 'as soon as it is safe to do so'. Electricity was restored to most homes by Wednesday afternoon, though eleven households remain without power.
Answer and explanation
Correct answer: B. The defences may be out of date
- Step 1: The sentence follows a promise of a review of the flood defences.
- Step 2: The date hints that the defences may be out of date, which gives a reason for the review, though the passage does not say so directly.
Answer
The defences may be out of date.
Why not the others: The defences failed: The passage does not say the 2009 work caused any problem. The flood was exactly like one in 2009: No earlier flood is mentioned. The council had already finished the review: The review is only promised, not completed.
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