Mount Etna Erupts Again; Catania Airport Returns to Normal
Mount Etna, the famous volcano in Sicily, Italy, has started erupting again after a short pause.
During an eruption, a volcano releases smoke, rock, and ash into the air. Ash consists of tiny particles of rock and dust.
This ash had been causing trouble for Catania airport, located near the volcano, because planes cannot fly safely through clouds of ash.
However, INGV, the Italian institute that monitors volcanoes and earthquakes, told the TV channel Sky TG24 that there is no longer any ash in the atmosphere.
The atmosphere is the layer of air around the Earth where weather and volcanic clouds happen.
Thanks to this improvement, Catania airport is now moving back toward normality, meaning flights can operate as usual again.
Etna is one of the most active volcanoes in Europe, and eruptions like this one are fairly common.
Local authorities and airport officials often have to react quickly when ash clouds appear, since they can disrupt flights across the region.
For now, though, it seems the situation around Catania is improving, even as Etna's eruptive activity continues on the mountain itself.
Vocabulary7 words
- volcano
- a mountain that can release fire, smoke, and rock
- eruption
- an event when a volcano suddenly releases smoke, rock, or ash
- ash
- tiny particles of rock and dust that come from a volcano
- Catania
- a city in Sicily, close to Mount Etna
- INGV
- the Italian scientific institute that studies volcanoes and earthquakes
- atmosphere
- the layer of air surrounding the Earth
- normality
- the usual state of things, without problems
Quiz
Answer key
1. It has resumed erupting after a short pause 2. Because of volcanic ash in the air 3. There is no more ash
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Mount Etna, the famous volcano in Sicily, Italy, has started _____ again after a short pause.
During an eruption, a volcano releases smoke, rock, and _____ into the air.
This ash had been causing trouble for _____ airport, located near the volcano, because planes cannot fly safely through clouds of ash.
However, INGV, the Italian institute that monitors volcanoes and earthquakes, told the TV channel Sky TG24 that there is no longer any ash in the _____.
Thanks to this improvement, Catania airport is now moving back toward _____, meaning flights can operate as usual again.
Etna is one of the most _____ volcanoes in Europe, and eruptions like this one are fairly common.
Local authorities and airport officials often have to react quickly when ash clouds appear, since they can _____ flights across the region.
Discussion questions
- Have you ever experienced travel disruption because of natural events like volcanoes or storms?
- Why do you think ash clouds are so dangerous for airplanes?
- How important is it for airports to have quick monitoring systems, like INGV provides?
- What do you know about other famous volcanoes in the world?