UNIT 9: NATURAL DISASTERS
A. VOCABULARY AND GRAMMAR
I. Write the names of the disasters on the line, then match them to the pictures.
tsunami earthquake drought avalanche flood
tornado mudslide volcanic eruption typhoon wildfire
1. A sudden, violent shaking of the earth’s surface. _________
2. Hot lava, ash and gases come up suddenly from below the earth’s surface through an
opening of a mountain. _________
3. A mass of snow, ice, and rock that falls down the side of a mountain. _________
4. A large amount of wet earth that suddenly falls down a hill. _________
5. A series of large ocean waves, usually caused by an underwater earthquake or a volcanic
explosion. _________
6. A violent tropical storm with very strong winds. _________
7. A long period of time when there is little or no rain. _________
8. A very strong wind that goes quickly round in a circle or funnel. _________
9. A fire that starts in an area of countryside and spreads very quickly. _________
10. A large amount of water covering an area that is usually dry. _________
II. Choose the correct answers.
1. The waves of the_________ were so huge that it destroyed everything on the beach.
A. tornado B. hurricane C. tsunami D. earthquake
2. Five skiers are missing after the_________ in the Alps.
A. drought B. landslide C. flood D. avalanche
3. After the_________ all the houses were left under water.
A. flood B. tornado C. typhoon D. mudslide
4. It took firefighters five days to put out the_________.
A. hurricane B. forest fire C. tsunami D. drought
5. A period of 3- 4 months without rain will cause a severe_________.
A. typhoon B. earthquake C. drought D. flood
6. The_________ picked up the car and threw it 100 meters into the air. That’s an incredibly
strong wind!
A. tornado B. volcanic eruption C. landslide D. typhoon
7. The_________ shook parts of the region around Tokyo on Saturday. It was 5 on the
Richter Scale.
A. hurricane B. flood C. earthquake D. tornado
8. _________ occur when a large amount of water causes the rapid erosion of soil on a steep
slope.
A. Tsunamis B. Tornados C. Avalanches D. Mudslides
9. A big storm in the Pacific is known as a_________.
A. avalanche B. typhoon C. tsunami D. tornado
10. Mount Merapi in Indonesia is a famous_________.
A. landslide B. typhoon C. volcano D. tornado
III. Complete the sentences with the words from the box.
debris tornadoes victims mudslide havoc
disasters property accommodation supplies flood
1. The_________ was overwhelming and the City was soon drowned.
2. Teams of people are still clearing the_________ from damaged trees and houses after the
tornado.
3. Temporary housing can be provided to victims when natural strike.
4. The storm wreaked_________ in the garden, uprooting trees and blowing a fence down.
5. _________can destroy buildings, flip cars, and create deadly flying debris.
6. Four people were reported killed when a buried their house.
7. Many people lost their homes due to the earthquake and are staying in temporary
_________ until their houses are rebuilt.
8. Food, clean water and medical_________ arrived three days after the typhoon.
9. A natural disaster can cause loss of life or damage_________.
10. The government is sending aid to flood_________.
IV. Complete the sentences with the correct tense or form of the verbs in the box.
bury collapse erupt put out evacuate
shake scatter rage strike rescue
1. Scientists believe the volcano may_________ any day now.
2. The storm_________ outside while we were partying inside.
3. Firefighters are still trying_________ wildfires that have already burned more than 1.6
million acres of tropical forest.
4. The magnitude 6.7 earthquake_________ Japan’s Hokkaido island in September, 2018.
5. Three houses_________ in a landslide that took place this morning.
6. 8,000 people had to be from their homes as floodwaters flowed through the main streets.
7. Most deaths occur during an earthquake when buildings_________.
8. The well-trained team_________ everyone after the avalanche.
9. Right now, the building_________ so violently I can’t even stand up.
10. The town experienced flooding while strong winds_________ debris across the streets.
V. Choose the best response for each sentence.
1. “I saw a roof flying in the storm yesterday afternoon.” -_________”
A. Exactly. B. That’s horrible! C. That’s a relief. D. So do I.
2. “The weather forecast says it’s going to rain tomorrow.” - “_________What a pity.”
A. Looks great! B. Not at all. C. Sounds good! D. Oh no!
3. “The whole village was submerged in the flood.” - “_________”
A. That’s surprising! B. My fault. C. Already. D. That’s awful!
4. “Have you heard the news? A powerful earthquake and following tsunami hit the island
of Sulawesi, Indonesia.” - “_________”
A. How beautiful! B. Awesome! C. How terrible! D. No problem.
5. “Rescue workers saved a girl trapped in a collapsed school building.” - _________”
A. That’s great! B. Good luck. C. How convenient! D. Oh dear!
6. “Forecasters say that the storm won’t move toward the land.” - “_________”
A. What a pity! B. Never mind. C. That’s a relief! D. It’s OK.
7. _________ “A tornado blew several cars in front of me off the road and into the trees.”
- “_________”
A. That’s shocking! B. How cute! C. That’s great! D. Maybe.
8. “Did you know the Amazon rainforest fires have already been controlled.”
- “No, I didn’t.”
A. What a bad day! B. How wonderful!
C. How thoughtful it is! D. Well done.
VI. Complete the sentences with the passive form of the verbs in brackets.
1. Tsunamis_________ (typically/ cause) by large, undersea earthquakes.
2. Nearly a quarter of all homes in the Keys_________ (destroy) by Hurricane Irma in 2017.
3. Over the past two years, 500,000 damaged homes_________ (rebuild) with support from
the government and donors.
4. An earthquake warning System_________ (install) on the West Coast next month.
5. An average of 10 people in Florida_________ (kill) by lightning strikes annually.
6. Indonesia_________ (strike) by a tsunami a few days ago.
7. An estimated 10,000 people_________ (already/ evacuate) due to the wildfires since Wednesday.
8. Scientists predict the South coast_________ (hit) by a large hurricane in two days.
9. After the storm, some major roads are closing because they_________ (repair).
10. The name Heather_________ (use) for three tropical cyclones up to now.
VI. Rewrite the sentences in passive voice.
1. A magnitude 7.1 earthquake shook Southern California on Friday.
___________________________________________________________________
2. They will provide temporary housing to earthquake victims as soon as possible.
___________________________________________________________________
3. Rescue teams have saved hundreds of people from floods in Metro Manila.
___________________________________________________________________
4. An average of 20 typhoons hit the country every year.
___________________________________________________________________
5. A massive landslide buried dozens of homes near a Central Philippine mountain.
___________________________________________________________________
6. They are repairing roads and bridges damaged by the hurricane.
___________________________________________________________________
7. Across the northwest Florida coast, people were clearing storm debris.
___________________________________________________________________
8. Authorities have lifted a tsunami warning after a strong earthquake.
___________________________________________________________________
9. Submarine volcanic eruptions can cause tsunamis.
___________________________________________________________________
10. Will the government send troops to flooded regions?
___________________________________________________________________
VIII. Complete the sentences with the past perfect form of the verbs in brackets.
1. Officials said the blaze_________ (damage) five houses in the area.
2. Before Hurricane Sandy struck the US Northeast, it_________ (kill) 72 people in the
Caribbean.
3. US Weather Service_________ (not issue) any warning by the time the tornado moved to
a City nearby.
4. As of Monday night, more 10,149 people_________ (leave) their homes across the
province.
5. We _________ (not experience) any natural disasters before we were trapped in an
avalanche last month.
6. What_________ (the government/ do) by the time the mudslide occurred?
7. El Nino weather_________ (hit) Mekong Delta as the worst drought in 90 years, report said.
8. Many local people said that they_________ (never/ see) such a fierce storm in their life.
9. Those evacuees_________ (not return) home by late December.
10._________ (people/ evacuate) the area when the hurricane hit?
IX. Put the verbs in brackets into the past simple or past perfect.
1. By the time the firefighters_________ (arrive), the fire_________ (already destroy)
over 50 hectares of pine forests.
2. Two people_________ (report) that flames_________ (trap) them inside a smoke-filled
apartment.
3. It_________ (rain) all morning before the tornado_________ (touch) down.
4. They_________ (not know) where to shelter from the storm because nobody_________
(tell) them.
5. _________ (you/ already leave) the office when the fire_________ (start)?
6. The post_________ (not arrive) when I_________ (leave) home this morning.
7. It_________ (be) cloudy for days before it_________ (start) to rain heavily
and_________ (flood) the whole City.
8. When I_________ (get) to the check-in desk, I realized I_________ (leave) my ticket at
home.
9. After Tom and his neighbours_________ (put out) the fire, the fire engines_________
(arrive) at the cottage.
10. She_________ (recognize) the warning signs that she_________ (learn) in a school
lesson on tsunami two days before.
11. By the time the rescuers_________ (arrive), they_________ (run) out of food and water.
12. The rescue team_________ (find) the child after they_________ (search) for ten hours.
XI. Choose the correct answers.
1. A drought happens when there_________ no rain in a place for a long time.
A. is B. was C. has been D. had been
2. A flood_________ when a large amount of water covers the land.
A. occurs B. is occurred C. is occurring D. has occurred
3. The size of earthquakes_________ on the Richter scale.
A. measures B. measured C. is measuring D. is measured
4. Hurricane Dorian_________ the Abaco Islands as a category 5 hurricane on September 1.
A. strike B. struck C. had struck D. was struck
5. At least 200 people_________ after rivers burst their banks in Colombia mudslides.
A. killed B. had killed C. were killed D. are being killed
6. Since Monday, more than a dozen tornadoes_________ down across Oklahoma.
A. touches B. touched C. have touched D. were touched
7. Hurricanes and heavy rains_________ with the help of technology.
A. predicted B. are predicting C. will predict D. can be predicted
8. A tornado watch is issued when there is a possibility that a tornado .
will touch B. is touched C. touched D. had touched
9. Before that day in Hawaii, we_________ a volcanic eruption.
A. never saw B. has never seen C. had never seen D. were never seen
10. So far, some of the storm damaged roads and bridges_________.
A. already repaired B. had already repaired
C. were already repaired D. have already been repaired
11. We_________ home when a hurricane hit the town two days ago. What a terrible experience!
A. are driving B. were driving C. drove D. had driven
12. Families camped out in a City park after their homes_________ by the earthquake.
A. have heavily damaged B. had damaged heavily
C. were heavily damaged D. are damaged heavily
XII. Use the correct form of the words in brackets.
1. Earthquakes cause the ground to move and shake_________. (violent)
2. Rescue experts can identify_________ victims with modern methods. (bury)
3. Mount Mayon volcano caused a major_________ in the Philippines. (erupt)
4. Volcanic tremor is the rhythmic ground_________. (shake)
5. Despite all the modern technology available to us, we’re still_________ against
earthquakes. (help)
6. The remove of_________ debris can be rapidly finished by machines. (scatter)
7. Indonesia orders immediate_________ as highest alert issued for Bali volcano. (evacuate)
8. We assisted them with the_________ of food and clothing. (provide)
9. Linda was the most_________ typhoon to ever hit Southern Vietnam. (destroy)
10. Medical_________ were sent to the earthquake victims yesterday. (supply)
B. READING
I. Read the text carefully, then do the tasks.
Vietnam usually has a dozen storms every year from June through the end of
November, and most of which occur in the Central and northern provinces. November 2nd,
1997, however, was an unexpected day when the major storm Linda raged in the South.
Linda was the worst typhoon in Southern Vietnam over 100 years. Formed in the sea of the
Philippines, Linda strengthened as it moved westward. Later, it struck extreme Southern
Vietnam with winds of 100 kilometres an hour. Over 3000 people were reported lost and
died. Ca Mau province, suffered a direct hit by the storm, had the most damage. Gusts and
heavy rainfalls caused flooding, destroyed crops, damaged about 200,000 houses and left
about 383,000 people homeless. Linda later struck Thailand, causing flash flooding and at
least 164 deaths. The storm also affected Myanmar, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Cambodia to a
lesser degree.
Today, residents in Mekong Delta still remember Linda after 20 years. The duration of
the time is enough for a kid to grow up from an unforgettable event. The memory of a
particular typhoon improves everyone’s awareness of natural disasters.
Decide whether the following sentences are true (T) or false (F).
1. The tropical storm Linda hit northern Vietnam on November 2nd, 1997.
2. Linda was the worst typhoon in Vietnam for the last 100 years.
3. From the Philippines, the storm moved west and struck Southern Vietnam with winds of
100 km/h.
4. Approximately 3,000 people were killed during the disaster.
5. Ca Mau province was directly affected by the typhoon.
6. Typhoon Linda caused extensive damage to both property and human.
7. Typhoon Linda only struck Vietnam and Thailand.
8. The storm gradually weakened as it passed over Myanmar.
E. WRITING
II. Complete the second sentence so that it has the same meaning to the first one.
1. They gave my village a ton of rice three days after the earthquake.
A ton of rice__________________________________________________________
2. Susan wasn’t injured in the earthquake, and her family wasn’t injured, either.
Neither Susan_________________________________________________________
3. It was such a strong typhoon that all trees were uprooted.
The typhoon was_______________________________________________________
4. Scientists might propose another solution for drought.
Another solution_______________________________________________________
5. Our home and almost everything we owned were destroyed by the tornado.
The tornado___________________________________________________________
6. We’re grateful that you sent us food and fresh water.
Thank you____________________________________________________________
7. It was the first time she had been in the path of a hurricane.
She had______________________________________________________________
8. The storm destroyed everything except the bamboo tree.
The only thing_________________________________________________________
9. It’s a good idea to find safe shelter right away when there is a tornado warning.
You_________________________________________________________________
10. We could look for the information about natural disasters on the Internet.
How_________________________________________________________________
I. Write the names of the disasters on the line, then match them to the pictures.
tsunami earthquake drought avalanche flood tornado mudslide volcanic eruption typhoon wildfire
1. A sudden, violent shaking of the earth’s surface. _____ earthquake____
2. Hot lava, ash and gases come up suddenly from below the earth’s surface through an opening of a mountain. _ volcanic eruption_____
3. A mass of snow, ice, and rock that falls down the side of a mountain. ___avalanche______
4. A large amount of wet earth that suddenly falls down a hill. ___ mudslide ______
5. A series of large ocean waves, usually caused by an underwater earthquake or a volcanic explosion. ____ tsunami _____
6. A violent tropical storm with very strong winds. _____typhoon____
7. A long period of time when there is little or no rain. ____drought_____
8. A very strong wind that goes quickly round in a circle or funnel. ___tornado______
9. A fire that starts in an area of countryside and spreads very quickly. ___wildfire______
10. A large amount of water covering an area that is usually dry. _____ flood____
II. Choose the correct answers.
1. The waves of the_________ were so huge that it destroyed everything on the beach.
A. tornado B. hurricane C. tsunami D. earthquake
2. Five skiers are missing after the_________ in the Alps.
A. drought B. landslide C. flood D. avalanche
3. After the_________ all the houses were left under water.
A. flood B. tornado C. typhoon D. mudslide
4. It took firefighters five days to put out the_________.
A. hurricane B. forest fire C. tsunami D. drought
5. A period of 3- 4 months without rain will cause a severe_________.
A. typhoon B. earthquake C. drought D. flood
6. The_________ picked up the car and threw it 100 meters into the air. That’s an incredibly strong wind!
A. tornado B. volcanic eruption C. landslide D. typhoon
7. The_________ shook parts of the region around Tokyo on Saturday. It was 5 on the Richter Scale.
A. hurricane B. flood C. earthquake D. tornado
8. _________ occur when a large amount of water causes the rapid erosion of soil on a steep slope.
A. Tsunamis B. Tornados C. Avalanches D. Mudslides
9. A big storm in the Pacific is known as a_________.
A. avalanche B. typhoon C. tsunami D. tornado
10. Mount Merapi in Indonesia is a famous_________.
A. landslide B. typhoon C. volcano D. tornado
III. Complete the sentences with the words from the box.
debris tornadoes victims mudslide havoc disasters property accommodation supplies flood
1. The_____flood____ was overwhelming and the City was soon drowned.
2. Teams of people are still clearing the______debris___ from damaged trees and houses after the tornado.
3. Temporary housing can be provided to victims when natural disaster strike.
4. The storm wreaked_____havoc____ in the garden, uprooting trees and blowing a fence down.
5. _____Tornadoes____can destroy buildings, flip cars, and create deadly flying debris.
6. Four people were reported killed when a mudslides buried their house.
7. Many people lost their homes due to the earthquake and are staying in temporary _____accomodation____ until their houses are rebuilt.
8. Food, clean water and medical___suppplies______ arrived three days after the typhoon.
9. A natural disaster can cause loss of life or damage____property_____.
10. The government is sending aid to flood______victims___.
IV. Complete the sentences with the correct tense or form of the verbs in the box. bury collapse erupt put out evacuate shake scatter rage strike rescue
1. Scientists believe the volcano may____ erupt _____ any day now.
2. The storm____struck_____ outside while we were partying inside.
3. Firefighters are still trying_____ to put out____ wildfires that have already burned more than 1.6 million acres of tropical forest.
4. The magnitude 6.7 earthquake____buried_____ Japan’s Hokkaido island in September, 2018.
5. Three houses____ collapsed_____ in a landslide that took place this morning.
6. 8,000 people had to be from their homes as floodwaters flowed through the main streets. . rescued
7. Most deaths occur during an earthquake when buildings__ rage_______.
8. The well-trained team_____evacuated____ everyone after the avalanche.
9. Right now, the building__ is shaking_______ so violently I can’t even stand up.
10. The town experienced flooding while strong winds_____were scattering____ debris across the streets.
V. Choose the best response for each sentence.
1. “I saw a roof flying in the storm yesterday afternoon.” -_________”
A. Exactly. B. That’s horrible! C. That’s a relief. D. So do I.
2. “The weather forecast says it’s going to rain tomorrow.” - “_________What a pity.”
A. Looks great! B. Not at all. C. Sounds good! D. Oh no!
3. “The whole village was submerged in the flood.” - “_________”
A. That’s surprising! B. My fault. C. Already. D. That’s awful!
4. “Have you heard the news? A powerful earthquake and following tsunami hit the island of Sulawesi, Indonesia.” - “_________”
A. How beautiful! B. Awesome! C. How terrible! D. No problem
5. “Rescue workers saved a girl trapped in a collapsed school building.” - _________”
A. That’s great! B. Good luck. C. How convenient! D. Oh dear!
6. “Forecasters say that the storm won’t move toward the land.” - “_________”
A. What a pity! B. Never mind. C. That’s a relief! D. It’s OK.
7. _________ “A tornado blew several cars in front of me off the road and into the trees.” - “_________”
A. That’s shocking! B. How cute! C. That’s great! D. Maybe.
8. “Did you know the Amazon rainforest fires have already been controlled.” - “No, I didn’t.”
A. What a bad day! B. How wonderful! C. How thoughtful it is! D. Well done.