D. READING
I. Complete the passage with the words from the box.
flooding
result
mudslide
famine
avalanche
volcanic
twister
plates
Mother nature can be a bit scary at times. These days there seem to be more and more
occurrences of natural disasters happening around the world.
An (1)
is the large movement of snow down the side of a mountain. They
occur when the snow becomes too loose and as it slides down it mixes with air and water to
cause a powerful and dangerous disaster. A drought happens when there has been no rain in a
place for a long time.
A drought may result in a (2) famine; this is when there is not enough food to feed
the people and they start to starve.
An earthquake occurs when the (3) plates of the earth start to move and the ground
begins to move and shake. The size of earthquakes is measured on the Richter scale.
A flood occurs when a large amount of water covers the land. Too much rain usually
causes floods. As sea levels continue to rise, the risk of (4) flooding increases.
A hurricane originally means 'big wind'. Hurricanes are caused by low air pressure
in strong winds and heavy rain. When they
and thunderstorms and (5)
happen in the Atlantic Ocean we call them Hurricanes; however, they are called Typhoons
when they happen in the Pacific Ocean.
A landslide happens on a slope like a mountain or a hill. The rocks and earth become
loose and fall down the slope. When soil on the slope is wet, a (6) mudslid may occur.
is a very large column of
A tornado, which is casually known as a (7)
wind that spins around very quickly. The power of a Tornado can cause the winds to destroy
houses and pick up and throw heavy items.
(8)
eruptions are caused by the plates of the earth moving and the
makes magma push up through the cracks in the earth.
pressure