Earthquake in Japan
KARAKUWA, Japan (Achieve3000, March 23, 2011). On March 11, 2011, Ayumi Osuga and
her three children were practicing origami when the ground began to shake. From outside,
Osuga's husband yelled, "Get out of there, now!" and the family fled to safer ground. Measuring
9.0 out of 10 on the Richter scale, the earthquake that the Osugas and so many others in Japan's
northeast region experienced on that day was the nation's strongest ever recorded. The quake
was so powerful, in fact, that it triggered a massive tsunami. Afterwards, a huge part of the
country was underwater and unreachable. Amid devastation, residents did what they could to get
by.
After the Quake and Tsunami
After the earthquake and tsunami, everything changed for the affected residents. One minute,
they were going about their lives; the next, forces of nature were transforming the very
landscape around them. The earthquake reduced homes to rubble, shattered tree trunks, twisted
cars, and tangled power lines. A huge factory in Sendai, near the epicenter of the quake, caught
on fire. The tsunami that followed the quake measured 20 to 30 feet high in some spots. The
wall of water barreled inland from the coast and into towns, flooding them.
The disaster also damaged two seaside nuclear power plants. Workers struggled under
dangerous conditions to prevent meltdowns. In the weeks after the quake, Tokyo and other areas
took precautions to avoid being affected by radiation.
Japan sustained terrible losses in the disaster. Thousands of people died, and more than 450,000
were left homeless. Survivors in the affected area had to deal with these losses in an atmosphere
with very few of the comforts they normally take for granted—there was no power, no running
water, and no cell phone reception. Those who lost their homes tried to stay fed and warm in
shelters cobbled together in schools and other public buildings. Some wondered about how their
relatives had fared, but they were unable to contact them.
Bringing Help
The devastation, along with wintry weather in the days following the quake, made relief
operations difficult. Blustery snow, fuel shortages, and widespread damage to airports, roads,
and train rails hampered delivery of badly needed assistance to the homeless.
"People here aren't angry or frustrated yet," said Noriko Sasaki, who was living in one of the
shelters. "But it's a big question mark whether we can keep living like this for weeks or months.
1
I try to concentrate on what I need to do this morning, this day, and not think about how long it
might last."
Officials had to clear roads and airways of debris to allow aid workers to reach those who
needed assistance. Those workers came from other parts of Japan, as well as from nations
around the world. Japanese companies and residents unaffected by the disaster donated bedding
and blankets, while other aid workers brought food and supplies to the shelters. For a while,
survivors were limited to instant noodles, fruit, and bread, as well as water from wells and
mountain rivers. It took longer for them to receive gas, vegetables, socks, underwear, wet wipes,
anti-bacterial lotion, and enough medicine for everyone who needed it.
One week after the disaster, the airport in Sendai was declared ready to receive aid deliveries on
jumbo C-130 and C-17 military transport planes. Previously, the tarmac had been flooded and
littered with small planes, cars, and other objects that the tsunami had carried.
Working Together
Even amidst the devastation, survivors did what they could to help one another, particularly after
more supplies became available. In Karakuwa, the smell of shrimp drifted through a junior high
school that was serving as a shelter. In the kitchen, teachers, mothers of students, and the newly
homeless whipped up three meals and two snacks a day. They mixed together squid, shrimp, and
stir-fried vegetables in large pots, turning it into a nourishing stew that they ladled onto bowls of
rice. They added slices of apples for additional nourishment and delivered these meals
throughout the building.
"For a long time, in the countryside, even if you didn't have enough for yourself, you shared
with others," said Sasaki, who was helping to cook. "That is our culture. Even if [people are] not
relatives, we feel as if they're sisters or brothers."
For Ayumi Osuga, the woman who escaped with her family during the earthquake, there was a
silver lining to the disaster—she appreciates her loved ones even more.
"My family, my children. We are lucky to be alive," Osuga said. "I have come to realize what is
important in life."
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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Earthquake in Japan Questions
1. What is this article mainly about?
A. In March 2011, Japan experienced a massive earthquake, the strongest ever recorded in
the nation, which was followed by a devastating tsunami.
B. Survivors of the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami had to clear roads and airways of
debris to allow aid workers to reach those who needed assistance.
C. In March 2011, a huge factory in Sendai, Japan, near the epicenter of the quake, caught
on fire.
D. Survivors of the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami had to go without the comforts they
normally take for granted—power, running water, and cell phone reception.
2. According to the article, why did relief workers struggle to provide aid to survivors right
after the earthquake and tsunami?
A. Winter weather, fuel shortages, and widespread damage to airports, roads, and train
rails hampered delivery of supplies.
B. Workers had to take the time to travel from other parts of Japan, as well as from
nations around the world.
C. It was too dangerous for relief workers because a huge factory in Sendai, near the
epicenter of the quake, caught on fire.
D. Teachers, mothers of students, and the newly homeless had to be identified to provide
the help that was needed.
3. Which is the closest synonym for the word precautions?
A. Violations
B. Safeguards
C. Procedures
D. Risks
4. The reader can infer from the article that __________.
A. The teachers, mothers of students, and the newly homeless working at a shelter in
Karakuwa are unable to help many people.
B. Most earthquake survivors in Japan wish that relief workers from other nations would
let them recover without outside aid.
C. Some earthquake survivors in Japan are dealing with mixed emotions—relief to be
alive and great sadness over their losses.
D. The fire at the huge factory in Sendai, near the epicenter of the quake, was unable to
be contained.
3
5. Which statement from the article best supports the idea that one challenge for relief workers
after a major earthquake and tsunami is reaching the affected regions?
A. Survivors in the affected area had to deal with these losses in an atmosphere with very
few of the comforts they normally take for granted—there was no power, no running
water.
B. Previously, the tarmac had been flooded and littered with small planes, cars, and other
objects that the tsunami had carried.
C. Those who lost their homes tried to stay fed and warm in shelters cobbled together in
schools and other public buildings.
D. Those workers came from other parts of Japan, as well as from nations around the
world.
6. Suppose Juan wants to find out more about how nuclear power plants operate. He would find
most of his information __________.
A. On a Japanese government Web site about previous earthquakes
B. On a summary of tsunami disasters around the world
C. In a dictionary entry for the word "nuclear"
D. In an encyclopedia under the heading "Generating Nuclear Power"
7. The article states:
Officials had to clear roads and airways of debris to allow aid workers to reach
those who needed assistance.
Which would be the closest synonym for the word debris?
A. wreckage
B. dwellings
C. donations
D. residents
8. The author probably wrote this article to __________.
A. Suggest that there needs to be a larger international effort to help Japan
B. Describe the experiences of earthquake and tsunami survivors throughout history
C. Inform readers about a massive natural disaster that took place in Japan
D. Explain the dangers of exposure to radiation from nuclear power plants
4
9. Which three words have a negative connotation?
The devastation, along with wintry weather in the
days following the quake, made relief operations
difficult. Blustery snow, fuel shortages, and
widespread damage to airports, roads, and train rails
hampered delivery of badly needed assistance to the
homeless.
10. This article is organized by
A.
B.
C.
D.
comparison/contrast
list
chronological order
process
5
Earthquake in Japan Questions
1. What is this article mainly about?
A. In March 2011, Japan experienced a massive earthquake, the strongest ever recorded in
the nation, which was followed by a devastating tsunami.
B. Survivors of the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami had to clear roads and airways of
debris to allow aid workers to reach those who needed assistance.
C. In March 2011, a huge factory in Sendai, Japan, near the epicenter of the quake, caught
on fire.
D. Survivors of the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami had to go without the comforts they
normally take for granted—power, running water, and cell phone reception.
2. According to the article, why did relief workers struggle to provide aid to survivors right
after the earthquake and tsunami?
A. Winter weather, fuel shortages, and widespread damage to airports, roads, and train
rails hampered delivery of supplies.
B. Workers had to take the time to travel from other parts of Japan, as well as from
nations around the world.
C. It was too dangerous for relief workers because a huge factory in Sendai, near the
epicenter of the quake, caught on fire.
D. Teachers, mothers of students, and the newly homeless had to be identified to provide
the help that was needed.
3. Which is the closest synonym for the word precautions?
A. Violations
B. Safeguards
C. Procedures
D. Risks
4. The reader can infer from the article that __________.
A. The teachers, mothers of students, and the newly homeless working at a shelter in
Karakuwa are unable to help many people.
B. Most earthquake survivors in Japan wish that relief workers from other nations would
let them recover without outside aid.
C. Some earthquake survivors in Japan are dealing with mixed emotions—relief to be
alive and great sadness over their losses.
D. The fire at the huge factory in Sendai, near the epicenter of the quake, was unable to
be contained.
6
5. Which statement from the article best supports the idea that one challenge for relief workers
after a major earthquake and tsunami is reaching the affected regions?
A. Survivors in the affected area had to deal with these losses in an atmosphere with very
few of the comforts they normally take for granted—there was no power, no running
water.
B. Previously, the tarmac had been flooded and littered with small planes, cars, and other
objects that the tsunami had carried.
C. Those who lost their homes tried to stay fed and warm in shelters cobbled together in
schools and other public buildings.
D. Those workers came from other parts of Japan, as well as from nations around the
world.
6. Suppose Juan wants to find out more about how nuclear power plants operate. He would find
most of his information __________.
A. On a Japanese government Web site about previous earthquakes
B. On a summary of tsunami disasters around the world
C. In a dictionary entry for the word "nuclear"
D. In an encyclopedia under the heading "Generating Nuclear Power"
7. The article states:
Officials had to clear roads and airways of debris to allow aid workers to reach
those who needed assistance.
Which would be the closest synonym for the word debris?
A. wreckage
B. dwellings
C. donations
D. residents
8. The author probably wrote this article to __________.
A. Suggest that there needs to be a larger international effort to help Japan
B. Describe the experiences of earthquake and tsunami survivors throughout history
C. Inform readers about a massive natural disaster that took place in Japan
D. Explain the dangers of exposure to radiation from nuclear power plants
7
Which three words have a negative connotation?
The devastation, along with wintry weather in the
days following the quake, made relief operations
difficult. Blustery snow, fuel shortages, and
widespread damage to airports, roads, and train rails
hampered delivery of badly needed assistance to the
homeless.
10. This article is organized by
comparison/contrast
list
chronological order
process
8