Gum tree

A type of tree that grows in

Australia
Towering

Big and tall
Frightened

Scared
Head home

To go home
Vehicle


A type of machine such as a car, a
truck or a van
Behind the wheel

Somebody who is driving
Chunks


A large amount or lots of a certain
thing
Hail

Small balls of ice that falls like rain
Halt

To come to a stop
Sped down

To go more quickly down a road
Cyclone proof


Something that is able to protect
against a cyclone
Gale

Very strong wind
Thunderous

Very loud thunder noises
Freight train

A train that carries cargo
Glance

To quickly look at somebody or
something


Vocabulary list


If the girls had known what was going to happen, they would have never gone on
their bike ride that day.
But in the morning, it looked like a perfect day for a long bike ride in the park.
Maria and Ariel set out at 7 am and didnt stop for lunch until noon. They sat
under a gum tree and had a picnic. That when the sky began to change. They
started to worry. On the horizon, a towering bank of dark clouds appeared. They
looked at each other.
There was no way they could pedal fast enough to avoid the coming storm. The
girls jumped onto their bikes and tried to head home. The sky was very dark, and
the trees where bending in the wind. They could barely pedal against the gale.
Suddenly, a yellow car pulled up alongside their bikes. Marias Mother, was at the
wheel. She opened the door and shouted, GET IN!! she looked frightened, too.
The girls dropped their bikes and jumped into the vehicle just as gigantic chunks
of hail began to fall. The car sped down the road as hailstones bounced off the
car. Maria looked back at the dark sky and screamed, Its a cyclone! The storm
was chasing them! How could they outrun the cyclone? Ariel was terrified. It
didnt look like they could out run the cyclone!
Marias mother had to shout above the roar of the storm Grandmas house is not
far; we can make it there, she said I know she has a cyclone proof room under
her house
After driving a short distance, she turned sharply into a narrow driveway and
screeched to a halt. Marias mother pointed at the cyclone proof doors and yelled
at the girls to get inside. All three of them rushed through the doors. Not a minute
too soon. A thunderous sound, like a freight train, passes right over grandmas
house.
Then suddenly it was over. They had made it. The girls and Marias mother
exchanged a
glance. Would the
car still be there?
Name: .
Date: .
What is a cyclone
Violent wind storms are called cyclones in Australia, and are
known as typhoons and hurricanes in other countries.
Cyclones move at up to 360 kilometres per hour! They also
cause heavy rain. The wind and rain causes lots of damage
when the cyclone crosses over buildings and towns.
1. Tick the picture of a cyclone

This is what a cyclone proof room may looks like




a.

b.

c.
Vocabulary
Write down 5 words that you didnt understand in the story,
Racing a Cyclone.
1. .
2. .
3. .
4. .
5. .
Use a dictionary to find the meaning of these words
1. .
2. .
3. .
4. .
5. .








Spelling words
Write the missing letters in the words
1. F r g t e n e d
Means to be scared
2. u n k s
A large amount or lots of a certain thing
3. T h n e r o s
Very loud thunder noises
Literal questions
1. Shade true or false for the following sentences
The girls had skateboards. True false
Maria and Ariel had a picnic under a gum tree. True false
Ariel screamed its a cyclone. True false
Grandmas house was far away. True false


2. Tick the colour of the car Marias mother was driving

Focus questions
What are the names of the three main characters?
1. .
2. .
3. .
Where is the story set?
.
.
In the boxes write what happens in the story starting with
the topic, problem then solution.


solution
problem
Topic
Predicting questions
1. What do you think will happen next?
.
.

2. Why do you think the girls left their bikes behind?
.
.

3. Do you think Marias mothers car is still where they
left it?
.
.
Draw a picture of what you think happened to the car.