HUNTING HURRICANES!Feature Article

Building BackgroundTyphoons, willy-willies, hurricanesHurricanes can whirl from 50 to 500 miles in

diameter.They can contain sustained winds of 100

miles per hour and wind gusts of 200 miles per hour.

The National Hurricane Center is responsible for forecasting & tracking hurricanes in the USA.

CONNECT 2 UR LIFEDangerous Jobs:a.) police officerb.) firefighterc.) soldierd.) snake handlere.) high-rise construction workerDo you anyone in these jobs?What dangerous jobs are you interested in?

Why?

KEY 2 THE ARTICLEFeature Article tells about an interesting

person or event.

WORDS 2 KNOWSatellite n. man-made object that circles the

earthNavigator n. person who plans and records

where an airplane fliesParachutes n. equipment that slows a

person’s fall from an airplane

SYNONYMSWords with almost the same meanings.Example: big = large

1st chunkPages 58-59, lines 1-35

VOCABULARYLine 11: will hitLine 22: number oneLine 25: pounding wind and rainSynonyms risk =

QUESTIONSWhy do you think the writer made each

heading a question?to encourage readers to read the section to find the answer

Why Fly into a hurricane?Isn’t Hurricane Hunting Dangerous?Who are the Hurricane Hunter?

QUESTIONSWhat is the main idea of the section “Isn’t

Hurricane Hunting Dangerous?”There is a danger, but the crew is very safety conscious.

What are the supporting details?Winds reach 200 miles an hour, but it’s safe because the crew knows what to do

THINK IT THROUGHWhy do some people fly planes into a

hurricane?to learn more about the storm.

2nd chunkPages 60-61, lines 36-67

VOCABULARYLine 39: walk of life = the rest of the time

they have other jobsLine 49: surviving = livingLine 53: dropsonde = equipment, tube

QUESTIONSWhat are the jobs of the people in the plane?

Pilot, co-pilot, navigator, flight engineer, weather expert.

Why do hurricanes hunters use the WC-130 Hercules?Because it’s strong, built to take very bad weather, and contains special equipment.

QUESTIONSWhat a dropsonde does?

It falls through the eye of the hurricane and gathers information about the strength, speed, and direction of the hurricane.

What kind of information do Hurricane Hunters get? How do they use it?Strength, speed, and direction of the storm; they radio their information to weather stations that warn people of the storm’s approach.

3rd chunkPage 62, lines 68-79

QUESTIONSSummarize the first two paragraphs to

explain how hurricane hunting got started.A pilot flew into a hurricane on a dare; he then took notes on the hurricane. This started the profession.

THINK IT THROUGHWhat does it take to be a Hurricane Hunter?Why do you think a person would want to

become a Hurricane Hunter?Do you have what it takes to be a Hurricane

Hunter? Why or why not?

ANSWERSSummarize the list on page 63.He or she must be interested in weather,

helping people, taking risks, and so on.