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Devastating Earthquakes

Devastating Earthquakes

Date: Mar 19 2010

Themes: News

Grammar: Present Perfect Progressive

Intro

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The world was trying to help rebuild Haiti after its devastating earthquake when an even larger quake rocked central Chile. The earthquake in Chile measured 8.8 in intensity and lasted almost four minutes, making it one of the worst earthquakes ever recorded. It was so powerful, it actually moved the entire city of Concepcion 10 feet (about 3 meters) to the west.

Even though the Haiti earthquake was smaller than the one in Chile, it caused terrible damage and thousands of deaths. Humanitarian aid has been pouring in to Haiti from around the world, but there is still much to be done to help this suffering country. Find out how Marni and Mason have been doing their part to help Haiti.

Dialog

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Marni

Marni

Mason

Mason

Marni:  So I just went online and donated some money to an organization called Partners in Health, which is a health organization based in Haiti.

Mason:  You are a good person.

Marni:  Well, it needs to be done. Over 200,000 people have died in the earthquake. Another 300,000 injured. It’s just a huge devastation.

Mason:  That’s pretty staggering.

Marni:  And that…Haiti is one of the poorest countries in the world, so they’re already dealing with such huge poverty issues, and then to have this devastation on top of it, I just think it’s very tragic.

Mason:  It definitely seems like there’s been a lot of world aid coming together. And I know that Haiti was kind of…kind of approaching a turning point, so, I’ve heard a lot of people comment that they’re hoping they can use this rather tragic incident as a very literal break from the past and rebuild on a better foundation.

Marni:  Yeah, I think the relief effort has been wonderful. People have just really come together from famous people to all the telethons that have been happening, just to people donating whatever they can from all over the world, and it’s not just in our country, it’s everywhere. Humanitarian aid has been wonderful. But it is my hope that…you always want something good to come out of something so tragic.

Mason:  Actually someone from my work got leave to go volunteer and just flew down. She’s gonna be down there for like a month.

Marni:  That’s incredible. See, stories like that just really warm your heart.

 

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Discussion

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Marni is one of many ordinary people who have donated money to help Haiti. The massive earthquake that hit Haiti in January caused over 200,000 deaths and destroyed countless buildings. The rebuilding effort is still happening now and will not be over for a long time.

Fortunately the world has come together to provide relief to Haiti. Mason even knows someone who is going to Haiti personally to help out. Aid has also been pouring into Chile, where an even bigger quake hit in February.

Have you ever experienced an earthquake or other natural disaster in your country? What should people do to help Chile and Haiti?

 

Comments

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EstebanM

EstebanM

Colombia

Almost every decade Colombia has suffered a terrible earthquake. I remember, cause my age, in the 99, the Armenia (Quindio) earthquake. It was devastating. But, as I'd like to happen in Haiti, it was an opportunity to set up some kind of a new city. Everything is an opportunity, even disgrace unfortunately.

08:55 PM Jun 23 2010 |

david_dsl

Chile

hi, i´m from Chile, it´s a very interesting subject for me. i lived the 8.8 intensity, it has been the hardest and freakiest experience in my life. When the earthquake was happening i thought "this is the end of the world" jijiji.

bye

 

 

03:13 PM Jun 19 2010 |

Marcelolic

Marcelolic

Brazil

Oh yeah…Thanks for God here in Brazil we have no earthquakes but we have other nature events like floods…Last year we had a big flood in the south of Brazil in some little towns of a state called Santa Catarina.Many people lost their belongings and their lifes! very sad…So all over Brazil met to help those people with donates,food and rebuild each town devasted by water :)

03:07 PM Apr 17 2010 |

fallongreen

Cameroon

not at all.i have experienced the mount cameroon eruption,and i was told of the lake nyos disaster that occurred in1986 still in cameroon.

08:57 AM Mar 29 2010 |

西江月

China

HI

03:55 AM Mar 27 2010 |

Ca_Brazil

Ca_Brazil

Brazil

i've never experiencied an earthquake. i hope never get through of it, i see all the terrible things that has happenend after these disasters and its so shocking. people running after water and food, no safe place to go, to sleep and no hope. So, hope all donations help to rebuild Haiti and Chile. right now i can do much, so at least i can pray for God to give them all they need, especially hope.  

12:24 AM Mar 23 2010 |

afufu

China

I am a Chinese,I live in China.A terrible earthquake happened here about two years ago.Many people died,and countless people lost their home.I felt sorry for them.But I did nothing to help them,so I also felt guilty.

Back to that time,I was on a business trip in a remote place.And there wasn't a station I can donate.But I can't use that for a excuse. I should have done something.

02:47 PM Mar 22 2010 |

mima25

mima25

Poland

Earthquake is staggering

02:32 PM Mar 22 2010 |

ala4fadeel

Sudan

I had the experience of being in a city where there was an earthquake that was in Khartoum the capital of my country but it was a light one. We need to stick together and help each other in the hard time .

08:00 PM Mar 21 2010 |

s id

Saudi Arabia

 thanks a lot of God that we haven`t had earth quakes yet .  our felling and prayed with those people who has afflicted its

07:26 PM Mar 21 2010 |

thembiey

thembiey

South Africa

wow! i have heard about such a thing but i have not had experienced it. hopefully that coutry will be owk

04:47 PM Mar 21 2010 |

glassy heart

Saudi Arabia

 I haven't had such an experience of earthquake in my country

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltaz-Gdds6U

God help thos who help people

Mr.o.G thx for touching poem

04:12 PM Mar 21 2010 |

bordo34

Turkey

earthquake is one of the huge disasters for humanity.Turkey is located critical zone.We have been living eartquake which 7.5 violence in izmit in 1999.Thousands of people died and many people became a homeless and the other side we have been helping this people.goverment gave a home,money,well-being ..we have been hearing gossips about earhquake in istanbul these days but we are not ready that..ı am afraid of earthquake

06:48 PM Mar 20 2010 |

khaye-cee

khaye-cee

Philippines

we had also experienced a tragic that has happened here in our country and it was a strong storm that was came and the name of this storm is ondoy hundereds of people died specially those children :( but the humanitarian aid helps those crippled people.. i think the better we can do is donate even though if it is little things atleast you give and it'll help so much!

01:33 PM Mar 20 2010 |

~MemoTheHun~

Germany

thousands of deaths??? it was hundred thousands

11:24 AM Mar 20 2010 |

Mugdha

Mugdha

India

yes…this incident took place near about 1981…in those days i was leaving in suburban’s of Mumbai…in India my house was near a small river…both side of the river there were small housing colony. And up to that time there had not single time the river had been fluided.

So in every rainy season we residence of the river side had been taking the joy of river s fullness of water. But in 1981 s rainy season that river had got fluid. it destroyed many houses…people were stuck in there houses or on the terse of there houses for 4 to 5 hours. No one was caused death but psychologically …that was traumatic experience for us.

11:21 AM Mar 20 2010 |

nathraj

India

The process of teaching is good

08:49 AM Mar 20 2010 |

isaac25

isaac25

Chile

 Hello everybody, i think i`m the first chilean writting here. About the earthquake my city wasn´t affected. but i know people affected for this tragedy. Anyway we are lucky because all (or almost all) the world is helping us.

 But little shakes will continue for a long time because of this earthquake, and maybe could be another bigger than the last earthquake, we have to be preppared.

 

 

12:38 AM Mar 20 2010 |

rosendo

rosendo

Mexico

i think this kind of stuff are because of the big pollution that we have done. so , may be the earth is tired to keep all the things we have done.

this is one call from the earth to us.

pls we have to chance !!!

12:37 AM Mar 20 2010 |

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