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How Volcanoes Affect People — Reading Comprehension

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NGSS 4-ESS3-2

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This 250-word reading passage introduces fourth-grade students to the ways volcanic eruptions affect people and communities, aligned with NGSS standard 4-ESS3-2 (ESS3.B: Natural Hazards). Students explore how lava flows destroy homes, farms, roads, and forests, and learn about the dangers of volcanic ash that can bury towns, make breathing difficult, and damage airplane engines. The passage explains mudflows created when volcanic ash mixes with rain or melting snow, and how these can rush down mountainsides to bury communities. Students also discover how ash clouds can block sunlight and affect weather patterns far from the volcano. Despite these dangers, the passage explains why many people choose to live near volcanoes due to the fertile volcanic soil. Written in accessible, grade-appropriate language, this passage builds foundational understanding of natural hazards and human-environment interactions. The content includes audio integration to support diverse learners and features bolded key vocabulary terms with immediate definitions. Real-world examples help students connect scientific concepts to observable phenomena, preparing them for hands-on investigations and classroom discussions about natural hazards and their impacts on human communities.

CONTENT PREVIEW

Explore ancient ruins of Pompeii under cloudy skies, capturing rich historical details and lush greenery. — Pompeii a Roman city remarkably preserved under ash and pumice after Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 A.D." by Alejandro Aznar / Pexels.

A volcano is an opening in Earth's surface where hot melted rock, ash, and gases escape from deep underground. When a volcano erupts, it can have serious effects on people and the places where they live.

Lava flows—streams of melted rock that pour out of a volcano—can destroy everything in their path. Homes, farms, roads, and forests burn or get buried under the hot lava. Volcanic ash is tiny pieces of rock and glass that shoot into the air during an eruption. This ash can bury entire towns, making it hard for people to breathe and damaging airplane engines if planes fly through ash clouds.

Another danger is mudflows, which happen when volcanic ash mixes with rain or melting snow. These thick rivers of mud rush down mountainsides very fast and can bury whole communities. Ash clouds can also block sunlight and change the weather in places far from the volcano, making temperatures cooler for months.

Despite all these dangers, many people still choose to live near volcanoes. The reason is that volcanic soil—soil made from broken-down lava and ash—is very fertile, which means it is excellent for growing crops. This rich soil helps farmers grow plenty of food, which is why communities have developed near volcanoes for thousands of years.

Interesting Fact: The eruption of Mount Tambora in Indonesia in 1815 sent so much ash into the atmosphere that it blocked sunlight around the world, making 1816 known as "the year without a summer" in many countries!

What is a volcano?

A mountain made of iceOpening where hot rock escapes EarthA deep hole in oceanA type of earthquake

What can lava flows destroy?

Only trees and plantsHomes, farms, roads, and forestsOnly airplane enginesJust the volcano itself

What is volcanic ash made of?

Tiny pieces of rock and glassBurned wood from forestsFrozen water dropletsSand from beaches

Why do mudflows happen near volcanoes?

Lava melts all the iceEarthquakes shake the ground looseAsh mixes with rain or snowWind blows dirt down mountains

How can ash clouds affect weather?

They make it rain moreThey block sunlight and cool temperaturesThey create stronger windsThey have no effect on weather

Why do people live near volcanoes?

Volcanoes are never dangerousThe weather is always warm thereVolcanic soil is fertile for cropsThere are no other places