Eruption! Volcanoes and the Science of Saving Lives

At the beginning of the passage, it says that VDAP members debated whether the alert should be moved to level three. What does the word debated mean?

• demanded

• persuaded

• protested

• discussed

Which statement best describes volcanoes?

• A) Volcanoes are difficult to predict because they don’t erupt in a straight, orderly progression.

• B) Volcanoes are easy to monitor because every one follows the same order of events.

• C) Volcanoes usually occur in remote places, so they rarely affect humans.

• D) Volcanoes always cause typhoons before they erupt.

Why did Andy watch the lights of the airstrip?

• The lights could measure the height of the smoke plumes.

• If the lights went out, he knew that he needed to run to safety.

• He knew that the lights controlled the military television and radio.

• The lights would indicate if there was a traffic jam during the evacuation.

Why did the instruments flatline?

• The volcano was about to erupt.

• The seismograph needles were banging.

• The eruption had destroyed the monitoring stations.

• The wind and rain of the typhoon had moved over the island.

How is the passage organized?

choose all that are included in the story

• It lists the steps the military told the scientists to take.

• It tells the events the scientists faced in the order that they occurred.

• It explains the problems the scientists experienced and how they solved them.

• It compares and contrasts how the scientists reacted with how the military reacted.