Reading and Vocabulary: The 2010 Chile Earthquake – Luis' Experience

Reading and Vocabulary

1. What do you know about the earthquake of 2010? Read Luis' experience and discuss as a class.

At 3.34 am local time, Chile, my country, suddenly changed. The earthquake lasted about three minutes. My world, and that of my countrymen and women, became a massive horror story played out on the world stage. I was in Santiago because I had a soccer match with my team. We were resting after the match in a hotel when the earthquake started. The earth screamed; a sound of thunder came from its belly as it violently shook the plants, the cars, the walls, and the room I was in. It seemed like a very long time. Then silence. From floor fifteen, I looked down at the city below while the building was still swaying and saw a huge cloud of dust. After the earthquake, there was a tsunami, which devastated six regions.

The day started off as a fun soccer practice and finished with a horrible earthquake. There was no way I could have gotten out of the building. It was shaking too hard. I stood in a doorway to try to protect myself. Everything that was standing fell over. Once the earthquake stopped, I ran to the window that looks down over the city. Screaming, crying, yelling, and panic coming from the city. Many of the houses nearby collapsed. It was really scary.

2. Read the article and write T (true) or F (false). Correct the false statements.

a. ___ The earthquake lasted three seconds.

b. ___ Luis was in Santiago for a soccer match.

c. ___ Before the earthquake, there was a tsunami.

d. ___ The tsunami affected the entire country.

3. Put the events in the correct order.

a. ___ Luis saw a cloud of dust.

b. ___ Luis played a soccer match.

c. ___ Luis and the team were resting in the hotel.

d. ___ There was a tsunami.