When the Sky Attacks! Hail, Storms, and Tornadoes 😱

Have you ever had to run from the weather? ⛈️ Whether it’s hail the size of golf balls or a storm that shakes the windows, extreme weather is something we don’t forget. And when you're from Texas like me... well, let’s just say the sky has a personality!

In this activity, we’ll explore wild weather vocabulary and read a true story from my life in Texas — with some scary tornado sirens and a happy ending. Ready to learn?

📚 Vocabulary Task – Match the Words

Match the weather word with its definition:

1. Hail

2. Tornado

3. Storm

4. Siren

5. Bathtub

6. Stairwell

7. Mattress

8. Destroyed

a. A signal that warns people of danger

b. A powerful rotating column of air touching the ground

c. Frozen balls of rain falling from the sky

d. A soft thing you sleep one. Completely broken or ruined

f. A violent weather event with wind, rain, thunder, etc.

g. A deep tub used for washing in the bathroom

h. A space between floors in a building, used for stairs

📖 Reading & Comprehension – My Tornado Story

Being from Texas, I grew up with wild weather. We had tornado drills at school, and at home, we knew to hide in the room closest to the center of the house with no windows. I remember once, during a visit to Dallas in 2014, a tornado hit the day after Christmas. The weather was strangely warm. My family was in East Dallas, and I was staying in a hotel downtown. While shopping at a mall, I heard the tornado sirens. The mall closed instantly—iron curtains came down, and we had to hide in the stairwell. Luckily, the tornado missed us, but later I learned that an F3 tornado had passed just 1 km from my parents’ home. When I returned, houses nearby were completely destroyed. It was shocking.

❓ Comprehension Questions

Choose the best answer (A, B, or C):

1. What day did the tornado strike? A. Christmas Day B. The day after Christmas C. New Year’s Eve

2. Where was I when the tornado sirens started? A. At my parents' home B. In a hotel room C. In a shopping mall

3. What happened inside the mall? A. People ran outside B. The mall closed and people hid C. There was a fire

Answers: 1: B, 2: C, 3: B

Do you have crazy weather where you live? How do you prepare for storms or dangerous weather? Talk to a friend or write 3–5 sentences in English about your experience.

And remember — whether you're taking one of my English courses with CPF in Vincennes, or studying through E-learning and private tutoring in English, talking about real events like this helps you build confidence and fluency. 💪