A 7.1-magnitude quake toppled(使倒塌) houses, cut off power and first-aid materials' supply in Yushu, Qinghai Province on Wednesday.
Rescuers have set up more than 40 tents for survivors in the Gyegu Town, near the epicenter(震中)in the Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture of Yushu in southern Qinghai. But the effort seems far less than enough for the area inhabited(居住于) by some 100,000 people. Many people sought temporary shelters in buildings that remained unaffected by the tremor(轻微地震). In the yard of Yushu's Sports Committee, nearly 1,000 people were sitting or lying on the ground in sheer(完全的)darkness. Some wrapped themselves up with quilts(被子) taken out from the debris. Some brought their own tents and others turned on the lights of motorcycles.
The National Meteorological Station forecast on Wednesday that temperatures may hit minus 3 degrees Celsius at night and 15 degrees Celsius in the daytime in the coming days.The town will see strong winds and sunny weather in the coming days, providing favorable conditions for rescue operations.
The town is located in a remote area in Qinghai and the quake and ensuing(随后发生的)landslides have damaged roads, causing great difficulties for rescuers and, especially, machines to enter the region. In addition, rescuers may easily get exhausted(筋疲力尽的) working at a place with an altitude(海拔)of above 4,000 meters.
Thousands of rescuers and medical staff are rushing to Yushu from many regions of China, bringing machines, disaster-relief materials and medicines to the quake-hit town. The government, organizations, enterprises and individuals are offering donations of money and materials to the region.

A 7.1-magnitude quake hit Yushu, Qinghai Province on Wednesday.(要点1)The survivors relied on the tents,and because of limited tents,many people sought temporary shelters or stayed outdoors.(要点2) Despite the favorable weather conditions, the damaged roads and the high altitude caused great difficulties for the rescue work.(要点3) Luckily, a lot of rescuers, medical staff and disaster-relief materials are being sent to Yushu.(要点4)

American English began in the 17th century. At the beginning of the 17th century, the English language was brought to North America by colonists (殖民者) from England. They used the language spoken in England, that is, Elizabethan English, the language used by Shakespeare.
In order to find new resources in America, British colonists settled down there and from 1607 to 1732 set up thirteen colonies, including Virginia, North Carolina, New York, and New Jersey. In these thirteen areas, English was a common language used by all people. The first colonists established(建立) the English form in America.
As time went by, the English language gradually changed on both sides of the Atlantic. Foreigners longing for wealth set foot on the coastal area to trade. Americans borrowed many words from foreign languages and invented numerous new words to meet their commercial(贸易的,商业的) needs.
Following America's independence, famous people like Thomas Jefferson, the President, began to consider that the country should have a language of its own. Noah Webster compiled(编写) three elementary books on English. Later, he expressed the idea that as an independent nation, America should have a system of its own in language as well as in government.
Since the rise of the United States to a position of world importance, American English has been developing and changing. There is no doubt that American English will enrich the English language greatly. With the rapid development of the modern mass media and the common needs of economic, cultural and political exchanges, American English is more widely used in the world than British English.

American English was born in the 17th century.(要点1)At first, English was brought to America by the British colonists and then changed gradually with the development of the economy. (要点2)It was after America's independence that America gradually formed a language of its own.(要点3)Nowadays, American English is becoming more influential due to the important position of America in world affairs.(要点4)