Colombia Responds to Earthquake, Faces Questions Over Aid
Listen to the story
A big earthquake hit Colombia. The government sent help to people. But the help was not the same in every place. Some areas got help fast. Other areas waited a long time.
Colombia was slow to accept help from other countries. This is called international aid. Many countries wanted to help Colombia.
A geologist named Fabio Florindo talked about the earthquake. He said it was an anomalous earthquake. This means it was strange or not normal.
Florindo said there will be more aftershocks. Aftershocks are smaller earthquakes that come after a big one.
People also looked at Venezuela. Venezuela had a big disaster from an earthquake before. Colombia's earthquake was the same size. But Colombia did not have the same disaster. Experts want to know why.
Vocabulary15 words
- earthquake
- when the ground shakes hard
- international aid
- help that comes from other countries
- geologist
- a scientist who studies the earth and rocks
- anomalous
- strange; not normal
- aftershocks
- small shakes that happen after a big earthquake
- disaster
- a very bad event that hurts many people
- response
- what you do after something happens
- government
- the group of people who run a country
- magnitude
- how strong an earthquake is
- deploy
- to send people or things somewhere to help
- uneven
- not the same in every place
- hesitation
- waiting because you are not sure
- emergency
- a sudden bad situation that needs fast help
- expert
- a person who knows a lot about one thing
- damage
- harm done to something
Quiz
Answer key
1. A big earthquake 2. It was anomalous, or strange 3. False
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
A big _____ hit Colombia. The government sent help to people. But the help was not the same in every place. Some areas got help fast. Other areas _____ a long time.
Colombia was slow to accept help from other countries. This is called international _____. Many countries wanted to help Colombia.
A _____ named Fabio Florindo talked about the earthquake. He said it was an _____ earthquake. This means it was strange or not normal.
Florindo said there will be more _____. Aftershocks are smaller earthquakes that come after a big one.
People also looked at Venezuela. Venezuela had a big _____ from an earthquake before. Colombia's earthquake was the same _____. But Colombia did not have the same disaster.