Heavy Rain Floods Streets in Japan, Lightning Suspected in Power Pole Fire
Listen to the story
Heavy rain fell suddenly in many parts of Japan.
In Hiroshima, rain fell very fast in the morning. People saw about 40 millimeters of rain in one hour. This is called heavy rain.
The rain came during the time when people go to work and school. A road near Heiwa Park became full of water. This is called flooding.
In Kure city, water came up from a drain at a restaurant. A drain is a pipe that takes away water.
In Higashihiroshima city, a road in a home area went under water too.
Somewhere else, people say lightning hit a power pole. A power pole holds wires for electricity.
One person said, 'Sparks fell down like rain.' Sparks are small pieces of fire.
No one knows yet why this happened. People are still checking the damage.
Vocabulary10 words
- heavy rain
- rain that falls very fast and hard
- flooding
- when water covers land that is usually dry
- drain
- a pipe that carries water away
- lightning
- a bright flash of light in a storm
- power pole
- a tall pole that holds electric wires
- sparks
- small bright pieces of fire
- damage
- harm done to something
- sudden
- happening very fast, with no warning
- millimeter
- a very small unit used to measure rain
- restaurant
- a place where people buy and eat food
Quiz
Answer key
1. Heavy rain caused flooding 2. Lightning 3. False
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Heavy rain fell _____ in many parts of Japan.
In Hiroshima, rain fell very fast in the _____.
People saw about 40 _____ of rain in one hour.
A road near Heiwa Park became full of _____.
This is called _____.
In Kure city, water came up from a _____ at a restaurant.
In Higashihiroshima city, a road in a home area went under _____ too.
People say _____ hit a power pole.
One person said, 'Sparks fell down like _____.'
No one knows yet why this _____.