UNIT 9.

NATURAL DISASTERS
BASIC PRACTICE
A. PHONETICS
Exercise 1. Choose the word with the underlined part which is differently pronounced from the
others.
1. A. volcanic B. earthquake C. landslide D. damage
2. A. storm B. property C. rock D. tropical
3. A. funnel B. erupt C. mud D. numerous
4. A. donate B. volcano C. move D. hope
5. A. house B. pour C. mountain D. south
6. A. suddenly B. funnel C. eruption D. numerous
7. A. pretty B. predict C. prepare D. preference
8. A. earthquake B. heavy C. measure D. treasure
9. A. earthquake B. authorities C. thunderstorm D. weather
10. A. typhoon B. flood C. roof D. afternoon
Exercise 2. Choose the word which is stressed differently from the others.
1. A. musical B. dangerous C. practical D. remember
2. A. humorous B. national C. example D. tropical
3. A. poisonous B. personal C. tornado D. natural
4. A. marvelous B. regional C. typical D. volcanic
5. A. numerous B. disaster C. seasonal D. medical
6. A. violent B. affect C. circle D. funnel
7. A. human B. collect C. mountain D. rescue
8. A. tsunami B. property C. disaster D. prediction
9. A. damage B. typhoon C. erupt D. donate
10. A. mountainous B. advantageous C. interrupt D. introduce
B. VOCABULARY AND GRAMMAR
Exercise 1. Underline the right word in brackets to complete each sentence.
1. The (volcanic eruption/ earthquake/ tornado) blew lava and ash into the sky.
2. The (wildfire/ storm/ flood) with strong winds darkened the sky and rattled the windows.
3. The sudden (earthquake/ landslide/ tsunami) caused the buildings to shake and people to run for
cover.
4. A (typhoon/ flood/ tornado) moved in a circle like a big funnel and hit the town last night.
5. The heavy rainfall caused a (landslide/ drought/ volcanic eruption), sending rocks and soil falling
down the hillside.
6. The overflowing river led to a (drought/ earthquake/ flood), submerging homes and streets in
water.
Exercise 2. Look at the pictures and write the correct word in the box under each picture.
victim volcanic eruption landslide property
earthquake rescue worker emergency kit tornado

1. ________________ 2. ________________ 3. ________________ 4. ________________

5. ________________ 6. ________________ 7. ________________ 8. ________________

Exercise 3. Use the correct form of the verbs in the box to complete the sentences.
predict hit damage lose warn erupt
1. Volcanoes ________________ and destroyed buildings nearby with their fiery lava.
2. Scientists work ________________ tropical storms, allowing time to warn villagers and prepare.
3. Earthquakes ________________ buildings and infrastructure in the city.
4. When hurricanes ________________ the town, they brought strong winds and heavy rain.
5. The news broadcast was meant ________________ the villagers about the landslide risk.
6. The coastal homes were severely damaged, causing residents ________________ property in the
storm.
Exercise 4. Complete the sentences using the past simple or the past continuous.
Last year, an earthquake (1. strike) ________________our region, causing a lot of damage to buildings
A tornado (2. touch) ________________down near the town last week, destroying everything in its
path.
The tourists (3. have) ________________a party when the tornado (4. approach) ________________
the town.
In 2020, a powerful hurricane (5. hit) ________________ the coastal area. The ground (6. tremble)
________________ during the earthquake at this time last week. Several years ago, a volcanic
eruption (7. occur) ________________, covering nearby villages in ash. People (8. leave)
________________ their homes while the floodwaters (9. rise) ________________ rapidly. Heavy rain
was falling while the landslide (10. block) ________________the main road.
Exercise 5. Complete the sentences with the correct tenses of the verbs in the box.
play stop damage shine
work come fall start
A long time ago, in our town, something scary happened. It was a normal day, and everyone was
going about their business. The sun (1) ________________, and people were walking in the streets.
Suddenly, the sky (2) ________________ to get dark, and the wind began to blow very hard, while
some people (3) ________________ outside, a big storm hit. During the storm, rain (4)
________________ heavily, and thunder was making loud noises. The storm (5) ________________
houses and trees, and the streets got flooded. Thankfully, after some time, the storm (6)
________________, and the sun came out again. People (7) ________________ outside to see the
damage and started cleaning up. It was a difficult time, but the community (8) ________________
together to make things better.

C. SPEAKING
Exercise 1. Match the questions with the answers.
Questions Answers
 1. What kind of natural disaster was it? A. A week of heavy rain caused it.
2. When and where did it happen? B. Roads were blocked, two villagers died, and five
others were missing.
3. What caused it? C. It was a devastating landslide.
4. What were its effects? D. Rescue workers searched for the missing people, and
volunteers helped clear debris from the road.
5. How did people help the victims? E. It happened in Son La province last year.
Answer:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Exercise 2. Complete the following dialogues with the sentences in the box.
A. Yes, it was quite strong. Some buildings got damaged.
B. People were frightened and rushed outside to open spaces.
C. They are assessing the damage and helping those affected.
D. Fortunately, no one was seriously hurt, but a few people got minor injuries.
E. It happened yesterday afternoon.
A: Hey, did you hear about the earthquake in the city?
B: Really? when did it happen?
A: (1) ______________________________________________________________________________
B: Was it a strong earthquake?
A: (2) ______________________________________________________________________________
B: That's scary. Were people hurt?
A: (3) ______________________________________________________________________________
B: How did people react during the earthquake?
A: (4) ______________________________________________________________________________
B: What are the authorities doing now?
A: (5) ______________________________________________________________________________
B: I hope everyone is okay. Earthquakes can be really unpredictable.
A: Absolutely. It's a reminder to always be prepared for emergencies.

D. READING
Exercise 1. Complete the following passage using a word from the box for each numbered blank.
 size speed movement instead
eruption on natural forces tides
Tsunamis are one of the most powerful and destructive (1) _______________ on planet Earth. Often,
tsunamis are mistakenly called "tidal waves". However, they are not related to the (2)
______________, which are controlled by the Moon and the Sun.
Tidal waves are shallow water waves which can be large in (3) _______________ but are always
controlled by the Moon and the Sun. The waves are shallow and the energy moving within them
comes from the wind. Tidal waves can only ever reach a limited size and (4) _______________.
A tsunami is a series of much larger waves. These waves are caused by the (5) _______________ of a
large amount of energy through the water, but this energy does not come from the wind. (6)
_______________, the energy is caused by an underwater volcanic (7) _______________, an
underwater landslide or, most commonly, an earthquake (8) _______________ the ocean's floor.
Exercise 2. Read the text and answer the questions.
Natural disasters
Earthquakes: Ninety percent of earthquakes occur around the Pacific Rim, which is known as the
"Ring of Fire". In 1995, a huge earthquake struck the city of Kobe in Japan. A large number of people
were killed when homes, office blocks, and highways collapsed.
Tidal waves: Tidal waves are the result of an abrupt shift in the underwater movement of the earth. In
the 1960s, a huge tidal wave hit Anchorage, Alaska. The tidal wave traveled from Alaska to California!
Volcanoes: We can usually predict when a volcano will erupt. Mount Pinatubo, which is a volcano in
the Philippines, erupted in 1991. It was the world's largest volcanic eruption in more than 50 years.
Hundreds of people died, but thousands were saved because scientists had warned them about the
eruption.
Tornadoes: Tornadoes are funnel-shaped storms which pass overland below a thunderstorm. They
can suck up anything that is in their path. In Italy in 1981, a tornado lifted a baby, who was asleep in
its baby carriage, into the air and put it down safely 100 meters away!
1. Where do most earthquakes occur?
__________________________________________________________________________________
2. What were the effects of the earthquake in Kobe in 1995?
__________________________________________________________________________________
3. What causes tidal waves?
__________________________________________________________________________________
4. What happened during the volcanic eruption of Mount Pinatubo?
__________________________________________________________________________________
5. What are tornadoes?
__________________________________________________________________________________
6. How surprising was the tornado in Italy in 1981?
__________________________________________________________________________________
Exercise 3. Choose the correct word A, B, C, or D for each of the gaps to complete the following text.
One night in March 2014, mud broke loose from a tall hillside near the town of Oso, Washington. The
giant mass of wet soil moved (1) _______________ quickly. It eventually covered thirty nearby houses
(2) _______________ mud and dirt. Many people were hurt.
Landslide is the word many people use (3) _______________ this kind of emergency. This landslide
happened when very heavy rains (4) _______________ the ground near Oso.
At the beginning of any muddy landslide, wet ground breaks loose. As the mud moves, it may rip
bushes, boulders, trees, and other things out of the ground.
Landslides can cause serious (5) _______________. A big landslide could bury homes and badly injure
people in its path. Landslides can also (6) _______________ huge amounts of wet dirt onto roads and
highways. This added enormous weight could wreck cars and might even cause the road to collapse.
1. A. downhill B. uphill C. backwards
2. A. from B. by C. into
3. A. describing B. describe C. described
4. A. soaked B. drank C. washed
5. A. illness B. wound C. accident
6. A. hit B. dump C. collect

F. WRITING
Exercise 1. Write complete sentences using the given words.
1. The yesterday's storm/ damage/ a lot/ roofs/ my village.
___________________________________________________________________________________
2. A tornado/ be/ violent/ funnel-shaped storm/ strong winds.
___________________________________________________________________________________
3. The buildings/ tremble/ strongly/ during/ earthquake last night.
___________________________________________________________________________________
4. Scientists/ cannot/ predict/ when/ tsunami/ happen.
___________________________________________________________________________________
5. My family/ lose/ all our property/ during/ the volcano eruption.
___________________________________________________________________________________
6. Last week,/ our school/ donate money/ help/ flood victims/ Central Viet Nam.
___________________________________________________________________________________
7. We/ listen/ the news/ about/ serious earthquake/ the radio.
___________________________________________________________________________________
8. Before the tornado,/ local people/ asked/ move to/ safer place.
___________________________________________________________________________________
Exercise 2. Put the following words and phrases in the correct order to make complete sentences.
1. destroyed/ A landslide/ the road/ our house./ near
___________________________________________________________________________________
2. was/ hitting/ A powerful earthquake/ at this time/ last year./ the city
___________________________________________________________________________________
3. When/ started,/ we/ under the table./ the thunder/ quickly hid
___________________________________________________________________________________
4. cause/ Heavy rain/ can/ in mountainous areas./ landslides
___________________________________________________________________________________
5. struck/ the coastline/ Numerous tropical storms/ have/ this year.
___________________________________________________________________________________
6. It's/ a natural disaster/ an emergency kit./ important/ to prepare/ by having/ for
___________________________________________________________________________________
7. the fire alarm/ when/ went off, we all/ the house./ the fire alarm/ ran out of
___________________________________________________________________________________
8. serious damage to/ human life/ cause/ Earthquakes/ can/ and/ property.
___________________________________________________________________________________
 ADVANCED PRACTICE
A. PHONETICS
Exercise 1. Choose the word with the underlined part which is differently pronounced from the
others.
1. A. earthquake B. measure C. heavy D. head
2. A. pretty B. predict C. prepare D. present
3. A. protect B. property C. provide D. produce
4. A. disaster B. strange C. landslide D. rescue
5. A. damage B. dangerous C. emergency D. ago
6. A. town B. window C. snow D. follow
7. A. volcano B. predict C. Celsius D. rescue
8. A. second B. children C. tornado D. grandparent
9. A. damaged B. developed C. caused D. used
10. A. interrupt B. uncle C. tornado D. volcano
Exercise 2. Choose the word which is stressed differently from the others.
1. A. funnel B. affect C. damage D. earthquake
2. A. predict B. landslide C. whistle D. liquid
3. A. destroy B. erupt C. rescue D. avoid
4. A. destroy B. lightning C. litter D. victim
5. A. island B. frighten C. tremble D. donate
6. A. serious B. happen C. prepare D. mountain
7. A. property B. numerous C. practical D. disaster
8. A. capital B. hurricane C. tsunami D. mountainous
9. A. resident B. instruction C. government D. numerous
10. A. develop B. emergency C. authority D. property

B. VOCABULARY AND GRAMMAR

Exercise 1. Match each word/ phrase with its meaning.
1. volcanic a long period of time when there is little or no rain
eruption
2. earthquake an occasion when a volcano suddenly throws out burning rocks, smoke,
 magma, ash, and gases
3. tsunami a sudden and violent shaking of the earth's surface caused by the movement
of tectonic plates beneath the earth's surface
4. tornado a mass of earth, rock, etC. that falls down the slope of a mountain or cliff,
triggered by heavy rain, earthquakes, volcanic activity, or human activities
5. hurricane a large amount of water covering an area that is usually dry
6. flood a large ocean wave usually generated by an underwater earthquake, volcanic
eruption, or landslide
7. landslide a violent storm with very strong winds that move in a circle, characterized by
a funnel-shaped cloud
8. drought a powerful tropical storm with strong winds and heavy rainfall
Answer:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
Exercise 2. Complete the sentences with the words from the box.
put out the forest fire take shelter erupt violently provide aid
evacuate the village scatter debris shake the city rage for eight hours
strike the rural area bury the whole village
1. The government quickly mobilized to ____________________ for the flood victims in the
devastated region.
2. Firefighters worked tirelessly to ____________________ that had been raging for days.
3. As the storm approached, the residents ____________________ in the designated community
center.
4. After the powerful storm passed through, high winds ____________________ across the streets.
5. The local authorities had to ____________________ to public shelters due to the danger of the
hurricane.
6. Last night, a strong earthquake ____________________, causing enormous damage to homes and
infrastructure.
7. With a very loud roar, the volcano ____________________ and sent clouds of ash into the sky.
8. The severe earthquake ____________________ and left many buildings damaged.
9. The landslide triggered by heavy rains ____________________ under the rock.
10. The wildfire ____________________ before firefighters were able to bring it under control.
Exercise 3. Use the past simple or the past continuous tense of the verbs in the box to complete the
sentences.
work rise affect lose enjoy
battle celebrate approach sleep soaked
give hit blow shake evacuate
1. While we ______________ our picnic, a sudden storm ______________ us with heavy rain.
2. People ______________ their homes before the tornado came to the village.
3. Rescue teams ______________ tirelessly all week to rescue stranded residents.
4. The firefighters ______________ the wildfire throughout the night.
5. The authorities ______________ a flood warning because the sea levels ______________ rapidly.
6. The residents ______________ New Year when a typhoon ______________ the town.
7. The severe drought ______________ the large areas of Africa two years ago.
8. As the tornado ______________ the town, the wind ______________ very hard.
9. Many families unfortunately ______________ property during the hurricane's devastation.
10. The local people ______________ soundly when the earthquake ______________ the village.
Exercise 4. Use the correct form of the verbs in brackets to complete the sentences.
1. The waves of the tsunami were so huge that they (destroy) ______________ everything on the
beach.
2. The old building (collapse) ______________ suddenly while workers (renovate) ______________ it.
3. The strong winds and hailstorm (damage) ______________ the crops in the fields last week.
4. When the loud noise of the tornado echoed through the crowd, the attendees started (panic)
______________.
5. The firefighters successfully put out the fire and then (return) ______________ to the station.
6. The news of the tsunami (spread) ______________ quickly through social media last night.
7. After the storm (sweep) ______________ across the coastline, the rescue teams worked tirelessly
to save stranded individuals.
8. After the heavy rain, the water (recede) ______________ from the flooded streets now.
9. The firefighters is struggling to control the fire that (rage) ______________ for hours.
10. While it was raining heavily, the sudden lightning storm (strike) ______________ the house with
great force.
Exercise 5. Fill in each blank with a suitable preposition.
1. A tornado is a violent storm that moves ______ a circle with very strong winds.
2. The powerful storm last night destroyed a lot of houses and pulled ______ some trees in our street.
3. During a volcanic eruption, hot gases and liquid rock pour ______ from a mountain.
4. The villagers were frightened when some big rocks and mud came ______ the mountains.
5. Every year a lot of storms with strong winds and rain cause damage ______ the locals.
6. The authorities gave a lot of warnings so that people could prepare ______ a natural disaster.
7. After Tom ran ______ his house, he moved quickly to a safer place.
8. When we were playing on the ground, a big funnel of wind moved ______ us very quickly.
Exercise 6. Supply the correct form of the words in brackets.
1. _____________ waves are one of the great forces of nature. (tide)
2. If we want to look after the environment, we should protect _____________ rainforests. (tropic)
3. The most _____________ earthquake in Japanese history damaged Tokyo and Yokohama. (disaster)
4. Thousands of people have been made _____________ by the flooding. (home)
5. The _____________ of the volcanoes is always disastrous. (erupt)
6. Tsunamis, earthquakes and typhoons are _____________ disasters. (nature)
7. Our _____________ turn out to be correct. (predict)
8. The building was _____________ damaged by the fire. (extend)
9. A typhoon is going to hit our area, what sorts of _____________ shall we make? (prepare)
10. A tsunami brought death and _____________ in its way. (destroy)
Exercise 7. Choose the best answer to complete the sentences.
1. The volcanic _____________ sent plumes of ash and smoke high into the sky.
A. eruption B. outbreak C. burst D. discharge
2. The _____________ shook the region, leaving buildings damaged and roads cracked.
A. earthquake B. thunderstorm C. shock D. tornado
3. A _____________, with strong winds that move in a circle, touched down in the small town,
causing damage to homes and businesses.
A. lightning B. thunder C. tornado D. tsunami
4. The heavy rains caused a _____________ with huge rocks that blocked the mountain road.
A. hurricane B. landslide C. eruption D. earthquake
5. The floodwaters rose rapidly, forcing residents to _____________ their homes and seek shelters.
A. quit B. discharge C. evacuate D. empty
6. An immense volume of rocks and molten lava was _____________ from Mount Vesuvius.
A. caught B. occurred C. burned D. erupted
7. The hurricane hit the coastal village with incredible force, leaving a trail of ___________ in its wake.
A. warning B. prediction C. destruction D. property
8. Many residents lost _____________ in the wildfire that swept through the forested area.
A. property B. ownership C. materials D. taxes
9. It's important to have an _____________ kit prepared with essential supplies in case of a natural
disaster.
A. protection B. emergency C. rescue D. warning
10. The earthquake left many _____________ trapped beneath the broken stones and awaiting
rescue.
A. sufferers B. patients C. victims D. researchers
11. The _____________ workers tirelessly searched for survivors in the aftermath of the disaster.
A. delivery B. saving C. recovery D. rescue
12. I _____________ a documentary on TV when suddenly we all the power.
A. was watching – lost B. watched – lost
C. was watching - were losing D. watched - were losing
13. When he _____________ a suitcase, he dropped it on his foot.
A. was carrying B. carried C. had carried D. is carrying
14. What _____________ at this time yesterday? - I was asleep.
A. were you doing B. did you do C. do you do D. would you do
15. How fast _____________ when the accident happened?
A. were you driving B. did you drive C. would you drive D. were you driven
16. The forest fire _____________ for eight hours, killing all of the animals.
A. burst B. occurred C. raged D. spread
17. Thousands of buildings and houses were completely destroyed when the earthquake
___________ the city.
A. fought B. struck C. happened D. arrived
18. New Zealand rescue services carried out several searches for _____________.
A. movers B. helpers C. rescuers D. survivors
19. What can be done to protect people from _____________ disasters?
A. environment B. environmental C. environmentally D. environmentalist
20. The _____________ from the plane crash was scattered over a wide area, making the search and
recovery efforts challenging for the rescue teams.
A. debris B. dust C. piece D. waste
Exercise 8. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct tense.
1. When I was young, I (want) _____________ to be a pilot.
2. I (see) _____________ Sue in town yesterday, but she (not/ see) _____________ me.
3. _____________ (you/ go)out last night? - No, I was too tired.
4. Sam (fake) _____________ a picture of me while I (not/ look) _____________.
5. Last night, I (drop) _____________ a plate when I (do) _____________ the washing-up.
Fortunately, it (not/ break) _____________.
6. We were in a very difficult position. We (not/ know) _____________ what to do.
7. I haven't seen Alan for ages, when I last (see) _____________ him, he (try) _____________ to find a
job.
8. I (walk) _____________ along the street when suddenly I (hear) _____________ footsteps behind
me. Somebody (follow) _____________ me. I was scared and I (start)to run.

C. SPEAKING
Exercise 1. Put the phrases into correct place to complete the dialogue.
A. some had to leave their homes
B. the community came together
C. people are working hard to fix things
D. heavy rain caused a big flood
E some roads got washed away
A: Hey, did you hear about the flood in our village last week?
B: Oh no, really? what happened?
A: Yeah, everybody was sleeping soundly when (1) ____________________________
B: That's bad. Was there a lot of damage?
A: Yeah, the wafer went into houses, and (2) ____________________________
B: That's terrible. Were people okay?
A: Thankfully, everyone is safe, but (3) ____________________________
B: Did the village do anything to help?
A: Yes, (4) ____________________________ to help those affected and clean up.
B: That's good to hear. Is everything getting better now?
A: Slowly. The water is going down, and (5) ____________________________
B: I hope things get back to normal soon. Nature can be so powerful.
A: Definitely. It's a reminder to be prepared for unexpected things.
Exercise 2. Match each question with an answer to make a dialogue.
1. Did you experience a drought in your region? A. Yes, it stopped when we finally had a series of
heavy rainstorms.
2 How long did the drought last? B. We started collecting rainwater to use for our
plants.
3. What were some signs of the drought? C. Yes, we noticed that some birds and animals
had to search for water sources as their usual
ones dried up.
4. How did the drought affect the water supply? D. The rivers and lakes started drying up, and
the soil in our garden became very dry.
5. Were there any water usage restrictions E. The drought lasted for about six months.
during the drought?
6. How did local farmers manage the drought? F. Yes, there were. They required reducing water
for lawns and car washing to conserve water.
7. Did the drought impact wildlife in the area? G. They had to use irrigation systems more
often, and some had to change the crops they
were growing.
8. What did you do to cope with the drought? H. Yes, we did experience a drought in our
region.
9. Did the drought eventually end? I. It became limited, and we had to be careful
about how much water we used.
Answer:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

D. READING
Exercise 1. Read the following text and decide which answer best fits each numbered blank.
Desert expansion threatens over a billion people worldwide, but only few of them are aware that they
themselves cause it and are also its (1) ___________. People (2) ___________trees for fuel and
agriculture. Their herds eat up the grass covering valley floors and hillsides. The climate and soil
quality, therefore, are affected and forests are turned into (3) ___________.
In some regions, many people have to (4) ___________ their homes due to their dry wells and crops
buried under sand.
Therefore, governments in nearby areas have had local people plant trees and (5) ___________
burning firewood for fuel. They have used many other techniques. (6) ___________, in Iran, a thin
covering of oil was poured on sandy areas to retain water for planting trees. In some other countries,
long canals or pipelines were built (7) ___________ water to desert areas.
If people don't find more effective methods, they will (8) ___________ their homes and land. The
fight against the desert is continuing.
1. A. targets B. victims C. friends D. criminals
2. A. take off B. get back C. take up D. cut down
3. A. blanks B. grasslands C. deserts D. sands
4. A. abandon B. keep C. stay D. continue
5. A. banned B. encouraged C. included D. allowed
6. A. However B. For instance C. In addition D. Although
7. A. carrying B. carry C. to carry D. to carrying
8. A. miss B. forget C. lose D. suffer
Exercise 2. Read the text and then answer the questions.
Hurricanes and tornadoes are two of the most dangerous storms in America. They cause great fear in
those who live in the path of their devastation. Every year, their anger destroys homes, and
sometimes people lose their lives. People who live near the coast have to leave their homes and go to
safer places when the storms come. Floods happen on the coasts because of heavy rain and high tides
from the storm. Strong winds, floods near the coast, and heavy rain from hurricanes make a lot of
things break.
Hurricanes usually happen between July and October, when they reach land, they are very strong
with lots of rain and wind. Tornadoes are really powerful storms with low pressure. They mostly
happen in summer, and you can tell them by the strong wind and lack of rain. The sky gets dark
because dust goes up in the air. Tornadoes can lift up heavy things from the ground. They can take
trees and cars into the air and even houses and railway cars. Both hurricanes and tornadoes damage
things and hurt people and houses, costing a lot of money every year. Nowadays, we can predict
them better, but we can't stop or ignore them.
1. What are two of the most dangerous storms which affect America?
___________________________________________________________________________________
2. How do people in coastal regions respond to the storms?
___________________________________________________________________________________
3. At which part of the year do hurricanes usually develop?
___________________________________________________________________________________
4. How can we distinguish tornadoes from hurricanes?
___________________________________________________________________________________
5. What is the major similarity of both a hurricane and a tornado?
A. They cover only a small area.
B. They have either wind or speed.
C. They are not accompanied by rain.
D. They can cause great damage.
Exercise 3. Read the text and decide whether each statement is T (True) or F (False).
Tsunamis are one of the most powerful and destructive natural forces on planet Earth.
The word tsunami is pronounced "soo-nah-mee". It originates from two Japanese words: "tsu"
meaning "harbour" and "nami" meaning "wave". The name means "harbour wave" because tsunamis
only seem to become visible when they are near the coast.
A huge amount of energy under the water tries to travel to the ocean's surface. As it does, it pushes
water up with it and this causes the sea level to rise. However, gravity pulls this water back towards
Earth. This spreads the energy out to the sides. Water begins to race towards the land at speeds of up
to 500 miles per hour, which is faster than an aeroplane can travel. The waves can cross an entire
ocean in less than one day without losing energy.
When the tsunami is far away from the shore, it can be hard to spot. This is because the energy is
moving through the entire depth of the water and the waves of the tsunami can be as small as one
metre tall. However, as the tsunami gets closer to shore and the water becomes shallower, there is
less water for the huge amount of energy to move through. This causes the waves to slow down and
the water to become much taller.
 STATEMENTS T F
1. Tsunamis are caused by the gravitational pull of the moon on the ocean's surface.
2. The word "tsunami" originates from Japanese words meaning "harbour wave".
3. Tsunamis become visible when they are far away from the coast.
4. The speed of the water towards the land during a tsunami is greater than that of
an airplane.
5. Tsunamis slow down and become taller as they get closer to the shore due to the
shallower water.

F. WRITING
Exercise 1. Use the given words to write the complete sentences.
1. urban areas./ break out/ An epidemic/ in/ the densely populated
___________________________________________________________________________________
2. several/ the riverbanks./ sweep away/ The powerful floodwaters/ houses/ along
___________________________________________________________________________________
3. tsunami/ A devastating/ entire/ coastal villages./ wipe out
___________________________________________________________________________________
4. Today,/ predict/ land./ can/ when/ a tidal wave/ hit/ scientists
___________________________________________________________________________________
5. tidal waves/ leave/ We/ the city/ safe/ before/ came.
___________________________________________________________________________________
6. the storms/ The thunder/ during/ the children/ make/ terrify.
___________________________________________________________________________________
7. Tidal waves/ most devastating/ of/ natural disasters./ one
___________________________________________________________________________________
8. It/ biggest/ eruption of Mt. Vesuvius/ last year.
___________________________________________________________________________________
Exercise 2. Put the following words/ phrases in the correct order to make complete sentences.
1. our home town/ It is/ this year/ has been affected/ by a flood./ the second time
___________________________________________________________________________________
2. the flood,/ Because of/ we/ to the second floor/ move everything/ last night./ had to
___________________________________________________________________________________
3. a very loud noise./ My family/ dinner/ when/ heard/ were having/ we
___________________________________________________________________________________
4. because of/ Our trip/ to Phu Quoc Island/ the storm./ stopped
___________________________________________________________________________________
5. Last month,/ a tornado/ the roof/ of my house/ and/ some trees in our yard./ damaged/ pulled up
___________________________________________________________________________________
6. Every year,/ ten storms/ and rain/ hit our country./ more than/ with strong winds
___________________________________________________________________________________
7. can/ Natural disasters/ serious damage/ to human life./ cause
___________________________________________________________________________________
8. gave/ Local authorities/ a flood warning/ so that/ people/ could/ prepare for it./ yesterday
__________________________________________________________________________________