Natural Disasters - ESL Worksheet

Year 7 English as a Second Language

Section 1: Vocabulary

A. Natural Disaster Words

Study these 10 important words about natural disasters:

English Word Simplified Chinese
Avalanche 雪崩
Earthquake 地震
Flood 洪水
Tsunami 海啸
Hurricane 飓风
Drought 干旱
Devastating 毁灭性的
Evacuation 疏散
Landslide 山崩
Rescue 救援

Vocabulary Matching Exercise

Match each word with its correct definition:

1. Avalanche (雪崩)

2. Earthquake (地震)

3. Flood (洪水)

4. Tsunami (海啸)

5. Hurricane (飓风)

6. Drought (干旱)

7. Devastating (毁灭性的)

8. Evacuation (疏散)

9. Landslide (山崩)

10. Rescue (救援)

Memory Building Exercise: Word-Picture Match Game

Click on cards to match English words with pictures of disasters. Try to find all matches!

Pairs found: 0/5

B. Sentence Building Exercise

Drag and drop the words to create grammatically correct sentences.

Sentence 1:

Your sentence:

Sentence 2:

Your sentence:

Sentence 3:

Your sentence:

Sentence 4:

Your sentence:

Sentence 5:

Your sentence:

Sentence 6:

Your sentence:

C. Picture Matching Exercise

Match each disaster picture with its correct description:

Section 2: Speaking

Role Play: Disaster Survivor

Imagine you have survived a natural disaster. Answer these questions about your experience:

1. What type of natural disaster did you survive?

(你幸存了什么类型的自然灾害？)

2. Where were you when the disaster happened?

(灾害发生时你在哪里？)

3. What did you see and hear during the disaster?

(灾害期间你看到和听到了什么？)

4. How did you feel during the disaster?

(灾害期间你感觉如何？)

5. What did you do to stay safe?

(你做了什么来保证安全？)

6. Who helped you during or after the disaster?

(谁在灾害期间或之后帮助了你？)

7. What did you lose in the disaster?

(你在灾害中失去了什么？)

8. How has your life changed after the disaster?

(灾难后你的生活有什么变化？)

Speaking Tips:

  • Speak clearly and slowly
  • Try to use words from the vocabulary list
  • Share your feelings and experiences
  • Give details about what happened
  • Practice with a partner if possible

Section 3: Reading

The 2014 Malaysia Floods

Paragraph 1: In December 2014, Malaysia experienced one of its worst natural disasters. Heavy rain caused serious flooding (洪水) in many parts of the country. The states of Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Perak, and Johor were badly affected. More than 200,000 people had to leave their homes because of the rising water. This was the worst flood (洪水) to hit Malaysia in decades (几十年).

Paragraph 2: The floods were caused by heavy monsoon (季风) rains. These rains were much stronger than normal. Rivers could not hold all the water and they overflowed (溢出). The water quickly covered roads, buildings, and farms. In some areas, the water was as high as the roofs of houses. Many people were trapped (被困) and needed to be rescued (救援).

Paragraph 3: The disaster (灾难) caused many problems. Roads and bridges were damaged (损坏), making it hard for help to reach people. Electricity and clean water were cut off in many areas. Food was difficult to find. Many people lost their homes and belongings (财物). Schools, hospitals, and shops were also damaged by the water.

Paragraph 4: The Malaysian government and many organizations worked together to help. They set up emergency (紧急) shelters for people who lost their homes. Rescue teams used boats to save people who were trapped. Helicopters dropped food, water, and medicine to areas that were hard to reach. Many ordinary Malaysians also volunteered (自愿) to help their neighbors.

Paragraph 5: After the floods, Malaysia worked on better ways to prepare for future disasters. They improved (改进) their warning systems so people would have more time to evacuate (疏散). They also built stronger flood defenses (防御) along rivers. The 2014 floods showed how important it is for communities to work together during difficult times. Though it was a devastating (毁灭性的) event, it also showed the strength and kindness of the Malaysian people.

Reading Comprehension Questions

1. Which states in Malaysia were affected by the floods? (Paragraph 1)

a) Kuala Lumpur, Sarawak, and Sabah
b) Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Perak, and Johor
c) Penang, Malacca, and Selangor
d) Only the state of Kelantan

2. How many people had to leave their homes? (Paragraph 1)

a) 2,000 people
b) 20,000 people
c) More than 200,000 people
d) 2 million people

3. What caused the floods? (Paragraph 2)

a) A tsunami
b) Heavy monsoon rains that were stronger than normal
c) A broken dam
d) Melting snow from mountains

4. How high was the water in some areas? (Paragraph 2)

a) As high as people's knees
b) As high as people's waists
c) As high as the roofs of houses
d) The text doesn't say how high the water was

5. What problems did the disaster cause? (Paragraph 3)

a) Only damaged roads
b) Damaged roads and bridges, no electricity or clean water, and loss of homes
c) Only loss of electricity
d) The disaster didn't cause any serious problems

6. How did rescue teams help people who were trapped? (Paragraph 4)

a) They used boats
b) They built bridges
c) They drained the water
d) They waited for the water to go down

7. What did helicopters drop to areas that were hard to reach? (Paragraph 4)

a) Only food
b) Food, water, and medicine
c) Only water
d) Helicopters were not used

8. What did Malaysia do after the floods to prepare for future disasters? (Paragraph 5)

a) They moved all villages away from rivers
b) They did nothing
c) They improved warning systems and built stronger flood defenses
d) They built more helicopters

Section 4: Writing

Writing to a Friend About a Natural Disaster

Write an email to a friend telling them about a natural disaster you experienced or heard about. Use vocabulary from Section 1.

Model Email:

Dear Li Wei,

How are you? I hope you are safe. I want to tell you about the flood that happened in my town last week.

It rained for three days without stopping. The river near my house overflowed and water came into many streets. My family had to go to a shelter at the school because our house was in danger. The water was very high!

Many people helped each other. Rescue workers in boats helped old people and children. My father helped our neighbors move their important things to a higher place.

Now the water is gone, but some houses are still damaged. Everyone is cleaning up. I am happy that my family is safe.

Have you ever seen a flood or another natural disaster? Please write back and tell me.

Your friend,
Ming

Writing Instructions:

  1. Start with "Dear [Friend's Name],"
  2. In the first paragraph, tell your friend which disaster you will write about
  3. In the middle paragraphs, describe:
    • What happened during the disaster
    • How people were affected
    • How people helped each other
  4. End your email with a question for your friend
  5. Finish with "Your friend," and your name
  6. Try to use at least 5 vocabulary words from Section 1

Write your email here:

Word count: 0 words