Read the following passage and choose the option (A, B, C or D) that best answers each of the questions below.

At the top of the list of the costliest natural disasters in the history of the United States is Hurricane Katrina. Hurricane Katrina was the third strongest hurricane ever to hit the U. S. It affected 90,000 square miles in Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida, and Alabama.

The hurricane formed over the Bahamas and turned into a Category 1 hurricane by the time it hit the southeastern tip of Florida. It got stronger as it traveled across the Gulf of Mexico. It made its second landfall off the coast of southeast Louisiana on Monday, August 29, 2005. It had become a category 4 hurricane by then. The storm surge that followed caused destruction from central Florida to Texas. New Orleans, Louisiana, experienced even more damage because its levees were breeched, letting water flood a large portion of the city.

The National Weather Service warned people of the tropical monster that was heading towards the southern coast. Residents were told to expect power outages. They were told they might lose their rooftops and to expect water shortages. The National Hurricane Director was very concerned. He personally called the governors of Louisiana and Mississippi. He even called President Bush at his ranch in Texas. He spoke directly with New Orleans mayor Ray Nagin. Nagin issued an evacuation order for his city. Most people left. About eighty percent of the population evacuated. The estimate was that around 100,000 people remained in

the metro area. Some were stranded tourists; others did not own a car and had no way out. Those who were not able to leave were instructed to go to the New Orleans Convention Center and the Superdome.

41.     What is the passage mainly about?

A. The history of the United States hurricanes.

B. A hurricane in the history of the United States.

C. Hurricanes in the world, especially in the United States.

D. What the United States does to prevent hurricanes.

42.     According to the passage, what is NOT true about Hurricane Katrina?

A. It is the costliest natural disaster in the history of the United States.

B. It is the third strongest hurricane ever to hit the US.

C. It affected 90,000 square miles in Louisiana, Mississippi, Florida, and Alabama.

D. It formed over the Bahamas.

43. What can be true from the passage about Hurricane Katrina when it hit the southeastern tip of Florida?

A. It was very weak.                                            B. It was very strong.

C. It was not as weak as it started.                      D. It was not as strong as it started.

44.What is NOT true about the National Hurricane Director?

A. He called the governors of Mississippi.

B. He called President Bush at his ranch in Texas.

C. He spoke directly with the New Orleans mayor.

D. He was very unconcerned.

45. According to the passage, how many people were evacuated?

A. About 80,000 people.                                     B. About 80% of the population.

C. Around 100,000 people.                                 D. Around 20% of the population.

VI. Choose the words with OPPOSITE meanings

31. Hurricane Katrina made the most tremendous loss in the history of new Orleans, the United States.

         A. puzzling                          B. tiny              C. unique                   D. legendary

32. You should prepare food, water, medications, copies of personal documentary and some money.

         A. interpersonal                    B. public                    C. personality           D. publicity

33. There are posters in public places to tell people what they should or shouldn’t do.

         A. personal                            B. person                   C. common                D. in common

34. The polluted toxic chemical waste is dumped into the river.

         A. harmless                           B. harm                                  C. poison                   D. poisonous

35. Radioactive pollution is very dangerous to human beings.

         A. security                             B. safety                     C. insecure                D. safe

A hurricane is a huge storm that forms over warm ocean water. Bands of thunderstorms form and swirl around and around because 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 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 homes. 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.

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 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 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.

Question28. What is a hurricane?

A. a tidal wave B. a huge storm C. a thunderstorm D. a tsunami

Question 29. What makes a hurricane?

A. thunderstorms B. strong winds C. seawater D. the earth rotation

Question 30. What of the following is not correct?

A. A hurricane is very dangerous because it lasts for days and weeks.

B. The hurricane wind speeds per hour can be nearly twice as fast as the wind speeds.

C. A hurricane can reach speeds of at least 74 km per hour.

D. Hurricanes often appear along the east coast of the United States.

Question 31. Who is meteorologist?

A. People study weather.

B. People do businesses in the meteorological field.

C. People live along the coast.

D. People are evacuated from the regions affected by hurricanes.

Question 32. What is radar used for?

A. making moving pictures

B. showing the size of hurricanes and their movements

C. giving people time to prepare for a coming storm

D. All above

56. It is some months ___ the tsunami happened.    A. on       B. in      C. at      D. since    

59. Yesterday a hurricane ___  the coast of Vung Tau City.A. suck    B. hit C. carried D. forecast

I. Read Mary Ann’s story, and answer the questions.
In 1969, Hurricane Camille hit my three-storey blocks of flats near the Gulf of Mexico. First, the sea hit the building and all the windows broke. Then the room flooded. Five minutes later, my bed was floating near the ceiling. Then it floated out of the window. It was dark and the wind was howling. I was terrified. The building was falling down all around me. The wind was awful. It reached a speed of 234 miles per hour. I was cut and bleeding from head to toe. Finally, someone found me 8 km from my house and they took me to hospital.
1. When did Hurricane Camille hit the Gulf of Mexico?
________________________________________________________________
2. What happened after the rooms flooded?
________________________________________________________________
3. What happened to the building?
________________________________________________________________
4. How fast was the wind?
________________________________________________________________
5. How far did the water carry Mary Ann?
________________________________________________________________

One of the most devastating forces on Earth is a hurricane. A hurricane begins as a tropical
storm. The storm winds blow in circles around a center, called the "eye." Gradually, the winds get
stronger and stronger. A tropical storm becomes a hurricane when the winds are 120 kilometers
per hour or more.
The word "hurricane" comes from Huracan, an evil god of a Central American Indian tribe.
In other parts of the world, hurricanes are known by different names. In East Asia, they are usually
called typhoons, from the Chinese tai-feng, meaning "great wind." In Bangladesh, Pakistan, India,
and Australia, they are known as cyclones. Finally, in the Philippines, they are called baguios.
Few things in nature have as much power as hurricanes. They can destroy coastal areas
with heavy rains and winds of 250 kilometers per hour or more. Sometimes a hurricane causes the
ocean to flood onto land in an event called a storm surge. The total power of a hurricane may be
equal to 10,000 nuclear bombs.
Câu 1: According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?
A. Hurricanes always cause a storm surge.
B. All tropical storms become hurricanes.
C. Hurricanes are most common in Central America.
D. The wind speed of hurricanes is at least 120 kilometers per hour.
Câu 2: The word “hurricane” in the second paragraph comes from …………..
A. the Philippines
B. Central America
C. China
D. Bangladesh
Câu 3: The dangers of a hurricane include the following EXCEPT
A. flood B. landslide C. heavy rain D. strong winds
Câu 4: Which of the following is the best title for the passage?
A. How To Prepare For A Hurricane
B. The Biggest Hurricanes In History
C. Some Facts About Hurricanes
D. The Difference Between Tropical Storms And Hurricanes