Japan hit by series of earthquakes

Nick's ESL News Lessons

A printable worksheet for news-based English conversation classes.

Date: 2023/10/09

Difficulty: Elementary A2

PDF: Japan hit by series of earthquakes

Vocabulary Match

magnitude •• felt
experienced •• placed
located •• size
protect •• problems
warning •• keep safe
challenges •• alarm

Vocabulary Answers

magnitudesize
experiencedfelt
locatedplaced
protectkeep safe
warningalarm
challengesproblems

Article

On October 5, 2023, Japan experienced a series of earthquakes. The strongest one had a magnitude of 6.1. In total, there were 39 earthquakes in just 24 hours. This happened in the Philippine Sea, close to Japan.

Earthquakes are not new to Japan. The country is located in an area where earthquakes happen often. But, the people of Japan are strong. They know how to stay safe during earthquakes. They have good buildings and plans to protect everyone. For example, they have early warning systems that tell people when an earthquake is coming. This gives everyone a chance to find a safe place before the shaking starts.

The earthquakes show nature's power. However, Japan learns from each earthquake to be safer in the future. The people and the country work together to face nature's challenges.

Quiz

  1. How many earthquakes were there in 24 hours?
  2. Why are earthquakes not new to Japan?
  3. What gives everyone a chance to find a safe place?

Quiz Answers (examples)

  1. There were 39 earthquakes.
  2. Because the country is located in an area where earthquakes happen often.
  3. Early warning systems that tell people when an earthquake is coming.

Conversation

A:They said an earthquake is coming. Are you prepared?
B:Yeah, I think so. I bought some water and food yesterday.
A:Oh, that's good. Did you get batteries for your flashlight?
B:Yes, and I charged my phone. What about you?
A:I prepared an emergency kit and made a plan with my family.
B:That's smart. I should do the same.

Discussion

  1. What have you prepared for an earthquake?
  2. What are the first things you would do if an earthquake happened?
  3. Have you ever experienced a natural disaster? What happened?
  4. Which countries are safe from natural disasters?

Source Material

https://www.volcanodiscovery.com/earthquakes/japan.html#:~:text=In%20the%20past%2024%20hours%2C,GMT%20%2B9


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