Badly-needed tents have been flown to China's earthquakedisaster zone in the latest delivery of aid from Britain.

The first of three jumbo jetloads of 5,000 tents arrived at Chengdu airport and will give shelter to 30,000 people made homeless by the devastation.

They were immediately sent by road to be distributed in areas of need in Sichuan Province. An earlier consignment of 3,000 tents bought in-country arrived in the area on May 20 by rail.

The Chinese ambassador Fu Ying said that she was very grateful for the quick response of Britain in its relief effort:

"We are very grateful to the help offered by the British government. The Prime Minister Gordon Brown came to the embassy. He expressed his condolences and he said Britain is committed with $4m US dollars, half in cash and half in kind".

As well as the government, the British business community, charities and people from all walks of life have showed their support in one way or another.

The Chinese embassy has received 拢700,000 (RMB 1m) donated by the British public while British companies are making more sizeable donations which have so far amounted to some 拢5.4m (RMB 81m). Additionally, contributions in kind are also being made by British firms, for example, a fleet of six excavators and supplies of pharmaceuticals.

Madam Fu Ying said that Britain has assembled a team of doctors experienced in dealing with earthquakes:

"And there is also a British medical team which has arrived and the embassy is really bombarded by letters of condolences, sympathy, donation. We received altogether 拢700,000. The Queen also sent a letter of condolences".

• disaster [di´zɑ:stə]   n.灾难，不幸   (初中英语单词)
• province [´prɔvins]   n.省；领域；范围   (初中英语单词)
• ambassador [æm´bæsədə]   n.大使   (初中英语单词)
• grateful [´greitful]   a.感谢的；令人愉快的   (初中英语单词)
• relief [ri´li:f]   n.救济；援救；减轻   (初中英语单词)
• minister [´ministə]   n.部长；大臣 v.伺候   (初中英语单词)
• medical [´medikəl]   a.医学的；医疗的   (初中英语单词)
• sympathy [´simpəθi]   n.同情，怜悯   (初中英语单词)
• altogether [,ɔ:ltə´geðə]   ad.完全；总而言之   (初中英语单词)
• earthquake [´ə:θkweik]   n.地震；大变动   (高中英语单词)
• delivery [di´livəri]   n.送交；分娩；交货   (高中英语单词)
• response [ri´spɔns]   n.回答；响应   (高中英语单词)
• embassy [´embəsi]   n.大使馆；大使职务   (高中英语单词)
• community [kə´mju:niti]   n.团体；社区；公众   (高中英语单词)
• dealing [´di:liŋ]   n.交易；来往   (高中英语单词)
• experienced [ik´spiəriənst]   a.有经验的；熟练的   (英语四级单词)
• homeless [´həumlis]   a.无家的   (英语六级单词)