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How Earthquakes Affect People — Reading Comprehension

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NGSS 4-ESS3-2
ESS3.B

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This 250-word informational reading passage introduces Grade 4 students to the ways earthquakes affect people and communities, aligned with NGSS standard 4-ESS3-2 (ESS3.B: Natural Hazards). Students explore how earthquakes damage homes, schools, hospitals, and roads, and learn about the immediate and long-term dangers these natural disasters create. The passage explains how broken water pipes and gas lines add to the hazards, and why communities lose access to electricity, clean water, and safe shelter after major earthquakes. Students also discover how earthquakes can trigger secondary hazards like landslides and tsunamis. The content emphasizes the importance of earthquake preparedness since these events strike without warning. This audio-integrated passage uses age-appropriate language and real-world examples to build foundational understanding of natural hazards and their impact on human communities. Accompanying activities include multiple-choice comprehension questions, writing prompts, and graphic organizers that help students analyze cause-and-effect relationships and understand the challenges communities face during and after earthquakes. Perfect for introducing earthquake science and natural disaster preparedness in elementary classrooms.

CONTENT PREVIEW

earthquake, rubble, collapse, disaster, house, streets, onna, glimpse, alley, historical centre, earthquake, earthquake, earthquake, earthquake, earthquake — Strong earthquakes can destroy buildings where people live and work. Image credit Angelo_Giordano / Pixabay.

An earthquake is a sudden shaking of the ground caused by movements deep inside Earth. Earthquakes matter because they can cause serious harm to people and communities, especially in areas where they happen often.

Strong earthquakes can destroy buildings where people live and work. Homes, schools, hospitals, and roads can be badly damaged or completely collapse. When buildings fall apart, people inside can be injured by falling objects like bricks, glass, and pieces of walls. A structure is any building or thing that has been built, and when structures collapse during an earthquake, they create dangerous situations.

Earthquakes also damage important systems that people need every day. Underground water pipes can crack and break, leaving communities without clean drinking water. Gas lines can rupture, which means they break open and leak dangerous gas that can cause fires or explosions. Power lines often snap, so people lose electricity for their lights, refrigerators, and heaters.

After a large earthquake, life becomes very difficult. People may not have safe shelter, clean water, or electricity for days or even weeks. An aftershock is a smaller earthquake that happens after the main earthquake, and these can damage buildings that are already weak.

Earthquakes can also trigger other dangers. They can cause landslides, which happen when soil and rocks slide down hills or mountains. Near oceans, earthquakes can create giant waves called tsunamis that flood coastal areas.

Because earthquakes strike without warning, communities in earthquake zones must plan ahead. They need emergency supplies, strong buildings, and practiced safety plans to protect people when earthquakes happen.

Interesting Fact: The largest earthquake ever recorded happened in Chile in 1960 and measured 9.5 on the Richter scale. It was so powerful that it created tsunamis that traveled all the way across the Pacific Ocean to Japan!

What is an earthquake?

A sudden shaking of the groundA big storm with rainA very hot dayA flood of water

What can happen to buildings during earthquakes?

They can be damaged or collapseThey grow tallerThey move to different placesThey become stronger

What happens when water pipes break?

People get more waterCommunities have no clean drinking waterWater becomes warmerPipes fix themselves

Why are broken gas lines dangerous?

They make buildings strongerThey provide extra heatThey can cause fires or explosionsThey help people find water

What other danger can earthquakes cause?

SnowstormsRainbowsLandslides and tsunamisTornadoes

Why must communities in earthquake zones plan?

Earthquakes can be predicted exactlyEarthquakes strike without warningEarthquakes only happen at nightEarthquakes are not dangerous