Present Tense - General Truth Practice

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"El Nino" facts
Practice 1
Practice 2

Present Tense Practice

Talking about weather

El Nino - What is it Anyway?

El Nino is an unusual warming of surface ocean waters in the eastern tropical Pacific. It is the pattern of reversing surface air pressure between the eastern and western tropical Pacific. When the surface pressure is high in the eastern tropical Pacific it is low in the western tropical Pacific.

The ocean warming and pressure reversals happen at the same time. The name came from South American fisherman. El Nino is Spanish for "The Christ Child". This weather pattern comes about the time of the celebration of the birth of the Christ Child Christmas.

surface (n.) – the top layer of an area of water or land

tropical (adj.) – coming from or existing in the hottest parts of the world near the equator

pattern (n.) – the regular way something happens

reversing (adj.) – changing in direction; reversals

pressure (n.) – weather: a condition of air that affects Earth's atmosphere

Practice 1

Weather & Currents

Ocean Currents

Normal Ocean Current Conditions

Select the response from the menu that best completes the sentence.
Compare your response to the answer by clicking the "check" button.

The water on the surface of the ocean warmer than at the bottom because it heated by the sun. house-sitting – occupying and watching over a house for someone while they are gone on vacation

Feedback 1

In the tropical Pacific, winds generally in an easterly direction.

easterly = towards the East

Feedback 2

These winds the surface water toward the west.

Feedback 3

The water up more as it west.

Feedback 4

Along the coast of South America, the warm water from below.

Feedback 5

Deeper colder water from the bottom of the ocean up toward the surface away from the shore.

Feedback 6

This nutrient-rich water the large fish population commonly found in this area.

nutrients (n.) – what fish need to live (chemicals or food)

Feedback 7

Because of ocean currents, Peruvian fishing grounds one of the five richest in the world.

Feedback 8

Resources

NASA. "For Kids Only" http://kids.earth.nasa.gov/
"El Nino: Making Sense of Weather." http://kids.earth.nasa.gov/archive/nino/intro.html
"What on Earth?" http://kids.earth.nasa.gov/games/

Practice 2

What Are Hurricanes?

Select the verb form.

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Compare your response to the answer by clicking the "Check" button at the bottom.

9–13.

Most people twisters and tornados are the same. However, tropical twisters from hurricanes . They form when large areas of the ocean heated. The air pressure over that area . This thunderstorms and strong surface winds.

Most people twisters and tornados are the same. However, tropical twisters from hurricanes. They form when large areas of the ocean heated. The air pressure over that area . This thunderstorms and strong surface winds.

14–15.

Cyclones over tropical water ( in the Atlantic off the coast of Africa, or in the Pacific near the equator). They over long distances gathering energy from the ocean.

16–17.

When the winds around a cyclone speeds greater than 74 mph, the cyclone is called a "hurricane" (in the Atlantic and Northeastern Pacific) or a "Typhoon" (in the Pacific). Each year on average, ten cyclones over the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, or Gulf of Mexico. About six of these will strengthen enough to become hurricanes.

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