Disaster!

Disaster! is the second segment of Read 180 Software Stage B. It's about severe disasters.

2.1 Flood!, Comprehension: Main Idea, Understand Vocabulary, Sequencing, Drawing Conclusions, Cause and Effect, Problem and Solutions
A flood is a big, wet disaster. In a Flood, water will spill all over the land. Places can fill up with sand and mud. There was a flood in the Midwest in 1993. Water spilled into homes and covered farms. The water didn't go away for a long time. People still talk about the flood.

2.2 Earthquake!, Comprehension: Summarizing, Understand Vocabulary, Read for Details, Making Inferences, Compare and Contrast, Problem and Solutions.
California had a sudden earthquake in 1989. The ground began to shake. Buildings and Bridges fell. People were hurt. It was a disaster. How can you tell when an earthquake will start? Scientists try, but no one call tell very well. To some people that is really scary.

2.3 Avalanche!, Comprehension: Main Idea, Summarizing, Understand Vocabulary, Drawing Conclusions, Cause and Effect, Compare and Contrast, Problem and Solutions.
In an Avalanche, snow comes down a mountain very fast. The snow spills over roads and homes. It can bury people, too. An avalanche can even shut down a whole town. People try to build their homes in places where avalanches will not go. They can try, but they can't be sure an avalanche won't come their way.

2.4 Volcano!, Comprehension: Summarizing, Understand Vocabulary, Sequencing, Read for Details, Drawing Conclusions, Making Inferences, Cause and Effect, Compare and Contrast, Problem and Solutions.
There is a tall volcano on the island of Montserrat. In 1997, lava spilled out of the volcano. The lava moved all across the island. Smoke and ashes came out of the volcano, too. The ashes fell all over the place. Many of the people on the island have moved away. Some have decided to stay. The island is their home.