📖 Reading Passage: When the Earth Moves

I can identify the main idea and understand cause and effect relationships in a text about tectonic hazards.

Deep beneath our feet, the Earth is not as solid as it seems. The Earth's outer layer, called the crust, is broken into huge pieces called tectonic plates. These plates are always moving very slowly, like pieces of a giant puzzle that never stays still.

When tectonic plates move, they can cause dangerous events called tectonic hazards. The most common tectonic hazards are earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. Earthquakes happen when two plates suddenly slip past each other or crash together. This sudden movement makes the ground shake violently. The shaking can knock down buildings, crack roads, and even change the shape of mountains.

Volcanoes form when melted rock, called magma, pushes up through cracks in the Earth's crust. When magma reaches the surface, it becomes lava. Volcanic eruptions can shoot hot ash and rocks high into the air and send rivers of lava flowing down mountainsides. Both earthquakes and volcanoes can be very dangerous to people and animals living nearby.

Scientists work hard to predict when these events might happen so they can warn people to stay safe. They use special tools to measure tiny movements in the Earth and watch for warning signs like small earthquakes or changes in a volcano's shape.

🧠 Part 1: Main Idea Questions

🔗 Part 2: Cause and Effect Questions

Effect 1: ________________________________

Effect 2: ________________________________