PA S S AG E 5

Name Date

Directions: Read “Natural Disasters.” Then answer questions 1–8.

Natural Disasters
Our planet can be a calm place, but weather conditions often change
rapidly. Gentle breezes can blow into fierce and howling winds. Light
snow flurries can become ferocious winter storms. Gentle rains can turn
into flooding downpours. The weather can be very powerful.
A natural disaster is a weather-related event that creates dangerous
and destructive conditions. It is important to learn about natural disasters
so you can be prepared if you face one. There are several kinds of natural
disasters that may occur in the United States each year, and each one
poses significant dangers.

Hurricanes
A hurricane is a huge storm that
forms over warm ocean water. Bands of
thunderstorms form and swirl around
and around because of the rotation of the
earth. As more and more thunderstorms
form, the hurricane gets bigger and bigger.
A hurricane is one of the world’s worst
storms because it can last for days or
weeks. Hurricanes can also be very large.
They may cover hundreds of miles and affect large areas of land.
For a storm to be classified as a hurricane, wind speeds within the
storm have to reach at least 74 miles per hour. But hurricane winds can
reach speeds of over 155 miles per hour! A large amount of destruction
may occur with winds that strong. Roofs may be torn off houses. Buildings
may be flattened. Trees topple over. Hurricanes are deadly, but not just
because of their winds. They can also produce very heavy rains and huge
waves that slam into the coastline.
Hurricanes are very common along the east coast of the United
States. Here, wind, waves, and rain do the most damage. However, since
hurricanes are so large, people who live 100 miles inland may also feel the
effects of the wind and rain and sustain damage to their property.
Luckily, meteorologists (people who study weather) can forecast
hurricanes days in advance by using radar technology. Radar is a little bit
like a moving picture. It shows how big storms are and which way they are
moving. Radar images give people time to prepare for a coming storm. If
the storm is very strong, home and business owners will put up plywood
to protect their glass windows and doors. People who live along the coast
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Standardized Test Practice: Long Reading Passages (Grades 5-6) © 2009 Michael Priestley, Scholastic Teaching Resources
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will evacuate. They’ll go to a hurricane shelter or stay with friends and

relatives who live in safer places farther inland. Many lives are saved
every year by people who take the necessary precautions.

Tornadoes
Nothing is more frightening than
a tornado. A tornado is a huge tower
of moist, warm circling air. It usually
develops during a strong thunderstorm.
A column of clouds will form and reach
down toward the ground. This is called a
funnel cloud. It becomes a tornado when
the cloud reaches the ground.
Tornadoes move at a high rate of speed and usually destroy buildings,
trees, and anything else in their path. While a tornado is turning, it can
also suck large objects into it, such as houses and cars. Wind speeds in
a tornado may reach 300 miles per hour! Luckily, almost 70 percent of
tornadoes are categorized as “weak” tornadoes with winds less than
110 miles per hour. Weak tornadoes usually last only 1–10 minutes,
compared with hurricanes that can last for days or weeks. Still, these
storms can do a lot of damage.
Tornadoes are most common in the Midwestern United States where
the land is flat. But, wherever there is a strong thunderstorm, a tornado
can occur. In 1984, for example, there were 22 tornadoes that formed from
thunderstorms near the east coast in North and South Carolina. These
tornadoes killed almost 60 people and injured over 1,000.
Unlike hurricanes, tornadoes are not easy to predict. People may
only have a few minutes of warning when a tornado forms in their area.
Usually, forecasters will place an area under a “tornado watch,” stating
that tornadoes may be possible. If you experience a strong thunderstorm
and see dark clouds (almost greenish in color) and large hail, these are
indicators that a tornado may form. You should go to the basement of
your home and stay away from windows. If you do not have a basement,
go to a room in the interior of your house. It is also wise to cover your
head because tornadoes can whip objects through the air at great speeds.

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Standardized Test Practice: Long Reading Passages (Grades 5-6) © 2009 Michael Priestley, Scholastic Teaching Resources
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Blizzards
A blizzard is a dangerous winter
storm that combines blowing snow and
wind. It usually results in low visibility.
That is a measure of the distance you can
see clearly. In blizzards, it is possible to
look outside your window and see only
a wall of white! Meteorologists call this a
“white out.”
In order to be classified as a blizzard, a storm must have winds greater
than 35 miles per hour and visibility less than 1/4 of a mile for at least
three hours. This means that you are unable to see more than 1/4 of a
mile in front of you. That is the distance around one lap of a running
track. On a clear day, you can see for miles and miles, especially if the
land is flat. It is interesting to note that a storm doesn’t need to occur for a
blizzard to form. Strong winds can pick up snow already on the ground to
create a ground blizzard with blowing snow.
Forecasters can predict blizzards most of the time. They will put out a
“blizzard warning” for the areas where these conditions are anticipated.
Blizzards happen most often in the upper Midwest and the Great Plains
of the United States. However, they can occur in any place that receives
snowfall.
Blizzards are dangerous for several reasons. Driving a car or truck can
be hazardous in the slippery snow and ice, and may become impossible
since it is difficult to see. The strong wind will make the air temperature
feel even colder, so frostbite can develop. Frostbite is damage to the skin
from exposure to cold. You should stay indoors during a blizzard. Be sure
to have plenty of blankets, water, and a battery-powered radio nearby in
case the power goes off.

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Standardized Test Practice: Long Reading Passages (Grades 5-6) © 2009 Michael Priestley, Scholastic Teaching Resources
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Questions 1–8: Choose the best answer to each question, or write

your answer on the lines provided.

1. Which sentence best states the main idea of this passage?

 Our planet can be a calm place, but weather conditions often
change rapidly.

 Light snow flurries can become ferocious winter storms.

 It is important to learn about natural disasters so you can be
prepared if you face one.

 There are several kinds of natural disasters that may occur in the
United States each year, and each one poses significant dangers.

2. What causes a funnel cloud to form?

 warm air that circles around

 a gathering of dark clouds

 cold air temperatures

 tropical ocean waters

3. In the “Tornadoes” section of the passage, the author includes

information about tornadoes in North Carolina and South
Carolina in order to —

 show that tornadoes do not always occur in the Midwest.

 give examples of tornadoes that are classified as “weak.”

 demonstrate how tornadoes can suck cars and houses into their
funnels.

 explain what happens when the sky turns green and hail starts
to fall.

4. The author states that natural disasters create dangerous and

destructive conditions. Give two pieces of evidence from the
passage that support this statement. (2 points)

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Standardized Test Practice: Long Reading Passages (Grades 5-6) © 2009 Michael Priestley, Scholastic Teaching Resources
Name Date

5. Which sentence states an opinion?

 A hurricane is a huge storm that forms over warm ocean water.

 In order to be classified as a blizzard, a storm must have winds
greater than 35 miles per hour and visibility less than 1/4 of a
mile for at least three hours.

 Radar images give people time to prepare for a coming storm.

 Nothing is more frightening than a tornado.

6. “They will put out a ‘blizzard warning’ for the areas where these
conditions are anticipated.”
What is the meaning of anticipated?

 avoided

 witnessed

 expected

 described

7. In a blizzard, what causes a “white out”?

 heavy rain

 blowing snow

 large hail

 cold temperatures

8. Using details from the passage, describe four differences

between hurricanes and tornadoes. (4 points)

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Standardized Test Practice: Long Reading Passages (Grades 5-6) © 2009 Michael Priestley, Scholastic Teaching Resources