HomeMy WebLinkAboutRead Aloud Book Gr. 2-Lesson 8When a volcano erupts, it releases pressure from under the earth. The
eruption usually blows the top off the volcano, making a shallow hole called a
crater. Then lava pours out of the crater. Lava is rock that gets so hot that it
becomes a fi ery mud. The lava’s heat sets fi re to everything around it, and any
people or animals nearby have to leave the area.
Today, scientists watch volcanoes very closely. They have technology that can tell
them if a volcano might erupt. Then, they warn people who live near the volcano.
In the past, people were not as lucky. They didn’t have anyone to warn them.
Almost two thousand years ago, Italy had a city named Pompeii. This city was
located near a volcano called Vesuvius. On August 24, 79 A.D., the people of
Pompeii started their day as they usually did. Some people went to the market.
Fishermen went to the docks. Children sat down to their lessons. Businessmen
opened their shops.
Then, at noon, disaster struck. Vesuvius exploded. The eruption sent huge
amounts of molten lava pouring from the crater down into the streets. Vesuvius
shot clouds of volcanic ash high into the air. The ash rained down on the city. Soon
the ash and fi ery rock covered the streets and houses.
The clouds of ash also made the sky dark. It was like a moonless night.
When the darkness fi nally cleared, the city was covered in ash.
Many of the people who lived in Pompeii died in the eruption of Vesuvius.
When the eruption ended, the city was buried under more than twenty feet of
ash. That’s as high as the second fl oor of a building!
The lost city of Pompeii was not discovered until hundreds of years later.
Over many years, workers dug out the city from under the ash. The ash had
preserved the city just as it was on that August day.
Today, travelers can visit Pompeii. They can see the homes, shops, and other
buildings. And in the background, they can see Mount Vesuvius, the most
fearsome volcano in the world.
COMPREHENSION Which words help you understand more about
volcanoes? What would you see if you were to visit Pompeii?
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It was time for dinner. Nika and her mother sat down at the kitchen table.
Nika’s mother had made spaghetti and meatballs, Nika’s favorite! Only Nika
wasn’t eating much. She dragged her fork through the strands of spaghetti.
After a few minutes, her mother asked, “Nika, what’s the matter?”
Nika took a deep breath. “Well, today in class we learned about a horrible
natural disaster. There was a huge earthquake. It happened a long time ago in
San Francisco, California.”
“Ah yes, in 1906,” said Nika’s mother. “I remember learning about that.”
“It happened while most people were still sleeping, at fi ve o’clock in the
morning.” Nika explained. “The earthquake happened because the earth
shifted quickly. This caused trembles underground. Above the ground, people
heard a loud rumble. The rumble sounded like thunder.”
“That sounds scary,” said Nika’s mother. “Do you remember what the
earthquake did?”
Nika replied sadly, “It had a terrible impact on the city. Houses caved in and
collapsed to the ground. Trees fell down on top of cars and bridges fell on top
of roads, creating piles of useless wreckage. And people ran in every direction.
They were scared for their lives.”
Nika’s mother was quiet for a while. And then she said, “It is terrible that
such a bad disaster happened. Nature can be a powerful thing. It can bring
us days full of sunshine and cool breezes. But it can also bring days when the
earth trembles beneath us. Nature is something we can’t control.”
Nika nodded silently.
Her mother continued, “But that doesn’t mean we can’t be prepared. You
and I can make a plan right now. We can plan out what we would do if a
natural disaster happened here. Knowing what to do might make us feel safer
if something bad ever happened.”
“That’s a great idea!” Nika said. “Let’s start planning now!”
COMPREHENSION Which words help you understand how terrible an
earthquake can be? What do you think Nika and her mother will do to
plan for an emergency?
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