Hurricanes June 2006

UNIBERTSTATERA SARTZEKO HAUTAPROBAK. 2005/2006 EKAINA.
PRUEBAS DE ACCESO A LA UNIVERSIDAD
JUNIO. 2005/2006.

Among the various natural disasters that can affect our lives one of the most damaging and deadly events that occur is the hurricane. When hurricanes move ashore, they bring with them a storm surge of ocean water along the coastline, high winds, tornadoes, and both torrential rains and flooding. An excellent example of this can be Hurricane Katrina, first Category 5 hurricane of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season.

During hurricane Katrina, homes, businesses, roads and bridges were damaged or destroyed by high winds and/or high waves. Debris from the high winds damaged property. Roads and bridges were washed away by flash flooding or blocked by debris. In this particularly large storm, the force of the wind alone caused tremendous devastation. Trees and power lines toppled and weak homes and buildings crumbled. These losses were not just limited to the coastline damage extended hundreds of miles inland.

The birth of a hurricane requires at least three conditions. First, the ocean waters must be warm enough at the surface to put enough heat and moisture into the overlying atmosphere. Second, atmospheric moisture from seawater evaporation must combine with that heat and energy to form the powerful engine needed to propel a hurricane. Third, a wind pattern must be near the ocean surface to spiral air inward: the beginnings of a hurricane! Hurricanes and their potential for destruction are rated using a scale from 1 to 5 called the SaffirSimpson scale. A Category 1 hurricane is the least destructive and a Category 5 hurricane is the most destructive. The rankings are not absolute in terms of effects. Lower-category storms can inflict greater damage than higher-category storms, depending on factors such as local terrain and total rainfall. In fact, tropical systems of less than hurricane strength can produce significant damage and human casualties, especially from flooding and landslides.

Hurricanes are named to provide ease of communication between forecasters and the general public regarding forecast, watches and warnings. Since the storms can often last a week or longer and that more than one can be occurring in the same area at the same time, names can reduce the confusion about what storm is being described.

1.- IN YOUR OWN WORDS AND BASED ON THE IDEAS FROM THE TEXT, ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS (4 marks)

1.- What makes a hurricane so devastating?
2.- What is important in order to cause a hurricane?
3.- Why are hurricanes given different names?
4.- How can people know if a hurricane is dangerous or not?

2.-ARE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES TRUE OR FALSE? SAY WHY.TAKE EVIDENCE, EVEN QUOTING, FROM THE TEXT TO SUPPORT YOUR ANSWER. NO MARKS ARE GIVEN IF YOU WRITE ONLY TRUE OR FALSE. (2 marks)

3.- VOCABULARY. FIND FOUR SYNONYMS IN THE TEXT THAT HAVE A SIMILAR MEANING (1 mark) (0,25 each)

4.-WRITE A COMPOSITION IN ENGLISH OF ABOUT 130 WORDS. CHOOSE ONE OF THE TOPICS. (3 marks)

1.- Imagine you are an aid-worker sent to a place devastated by a hurricane. What would you do?
2.- Are natural disasters caused by our wasteful use of nature?

	English Department
	BHI Orixe IES
	University Entrance English Test
	JUNE 2005/2006
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UNIBERTSTATERA SARTZEKO HAUTAPROBAK. 2005/2006 EKAINA. PRUEBAS DE ACCESO A LA UNIVERSIDAD JUNIO. 2005/2006. HURRICANES Among the various natural disasters that can affect our lives one of the most damaging and deadly events that occur is the hurricane. When hurricanes move ashore, they bring with them a storm surge of ocean water along the coastline, high winds, tornadoes, and both torrential rains and flooding. An excellent example of this can be Hurricane Katrina, first Category 5 hurricane of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season. During hurricane Katrina, homes, businesses, roads and bridges were damaged or destroyed by high winds and/or high waves. Debris from the high winds damaged property. Roads and bridges were washed away by flash flooding or blocked by debris. In this particularly large storm, the force of the wind alone caused tremendous devastation. Trees and power lines toppled and weak homes and buildings crumbled. These losses were not just limited to the coastline damage extended hundreds of miles inland. The birth of a hurricane requires at least three conditions. First, the ocean waters must be warm enough at the surface to put enough heat and moisture into the overlying atmosphere. Second, atmospheric moisture from seawater evaporation must combine with that heat and energy to form the powerful engine needed to propel a hurricane. Third, a wind pattern must be near the ocean surface to spiral air inward: the beginnings of a hurricane! Hurricanes and their potential for destruction are rated using a scale from 1 to 5 called the SaffirSimpson scale. A Category 1 hurricane is the least destructive and a Category 5 hurricane is the most destructive. The rankings are not absolute in terms of effects. Lower-category storms can inflict greater damage than higher-category storms, depending on factors such as local terrain and total rainfall. In fact, tropical systems of less than hurricane strength can produce significant damage and human casualties, especially from flooding and landslides. Hurricanes are named to provide ease of communication between forecasters and the general public regarding forecast, watches and warnings. Since the storms can often last a week or longer and that more than one can be occurring in the same area at the same time, names can reduce the confusion about what storm is being described. 1.- IN YOUR OWN WORDS AND BASED ON THE IDEAS FROM THE TEXT, ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS (4 marks) 1.- What makes a hurricane so devastating? 2.- What is important in order to cause a hurricane? 3.- Why are hurricanes given different names? 4.- How can people know if a hurricane is dangerous or not? 2.-ARE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES TRUE OR FALSE? SAY WHY.TAKE EVIDENCE, EVEN QUOTING, FROM THE TEXT TO SUPPORT YOUR ANSWER. NO MARKS ARE GIVEN IF YOU WRITE ONLY TRUE OR FALSE. (2 marks) 1.- Category 5 hurricanes are not always the most damaging ones. 2.- No special atmospheric factors are needed to give rise to a hurricane. 3.- VOCABULARY. FIND FOUR SYNONYMS IN THE TEXT THAT HAVE A SIMILAR MEANING (1 mark) (0,25 each) 1.- Fell apart. 2.- To push forward. 3.- Deaths. 4.- Weathermen. 4.-WRITE A COMPOSITION IN ENGLISH OF ABOUT 130 WORDS. CHOOSE ONE OF THE TOPICS. (3 marks) 1.- Imagine you are an aid-worker sent to a place devastated by a hurricane. What would you do? 2.- Are natural disasters caused by our wasteful use of nature?
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