C Read the news article about a boy’s brave acts during an earthquake and answer the questions.
Local boy protects sister during earthquake
Last weekend, an earthquake hit Greystar Town. The earthquake was small, but it surprised and scared many people in the town, including a 15-year-old boy named John Sullivan.
John was at home alone with his 5-year-old sister Judy when the earthquake hit. He was taking care of Judy while their parents were at a nearby shop. “I was reading a book to Judy when the floor just started shaking,” he said. “I looked around and everything was shaking. It was so scary!”
Although John was afraid, he knew what to do. He acted bravely. He grabbed his sister and pulled her under the dining table. She was crying, but John spoke softly to her and tried to keep her calm. He covered her head with his arms and waited for the shaking to stop.
“We learnt about earthquake safety at school,” John explained. “That’s how I knew what to do when an earthquake hit.” During the lesson, John learnt to take cover under heavy pieces of furniture. He also learnt to protect his head from falling objects. But when the shaking started, he didn’t just think about himself. “Judy’s too small to take care of herself. I knew she needed me, so I made sure of protecting her head first,” he said.
When John and Judy’s parents rushed home, they learnt about John’s quick thinking and selfless acts. They were rightly proud of their brave son.
1 Why was John at home alone with his sister?
Because their parents were at a nearby shop.
2 How did John feel when the earthquake started?
He felt scared.
3 What did John do to protect his sister during the earthquake?
He grabbed his sister, pulled her under the dining table, spoke softly to her, covered her head with his arms and waited for the shaking to stop.
4 How did John know what to do during an earthquake?
He learnt about earthquake safety at school.
5 How did John’s parents feel about his actions during the earthquake?
They were rightly proud of him.
