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26 Aug 2026
Glacier calving; Image Wikipedia
Why Did the Earth Shake for Nine Days?
Warm-up → Read & Listen → Check Understanding → Language → Use It
WARM UP
Think Ahead: Which detail do you think appears in this story?
a) A volcano erupted underwater for a week.
b) A mountain fell into water and made a huge wave.
c) A space rock hit the ocean in Greenland.
Ask:
(1) Have you ever felt the ground shake or vibrate?
(2) What happens when you drop a heavy rock into water?
VOCABULARY
vibration (/vaɪˈbreɪ.ʃən/, noun)
Meaning: A continuous fast shaking movement.
Example: The loud drum made a strong vibration in the room.
collapse (/kəˈlæps/, verb)
Meaning: To fall down suddenly and break apart.
Example: Heavy snow caused the weak roof to collapse.
climate (/ˈklaɪ.mət/, noun)
Meaning: The normal weather conditions of a place over time.
Example: Greenland has a very cold polar climate.
narrow (/ˈnær.əʊ/, adjective)
Meaning: Measuring a small distance from one side to the other.
Example: The boat sailed through a narrow path between the rocks.
fjord (/fjɔːd/, noun)
Meaning: A long, thin strip of sea water between high cliffs.
Example: We saw cold blue water inside the deep Greenland fjord.
vibrate (/vaɪˈbreɪt/, verb)
Meaning: To shake rapidly back and forth.
Example: Mobile phones vibrate when someone calls.
puzzle (/ˈpʌz.əl/, noun)
Meaning: A difficult problem that requires careful thought to solve.
Example: Solving this science puzzle took a long time.
In September 2023, scientists around the world heard a strange sound. It was a giant vibration that travelled through the Earth. This shaking did not stop quickly. It lasted for nine whole days!
Scientists were very surprised because normal earthquakes do not sound like this. They wanted to find out what happened. Soon, they found the answer in a cold place called Greenland.
A huge mountain peak collapsed because warming climate melted the ice holding it up. Tons of rock and ice fell fast into a narrow fjord. This giant fall created a huge wave of water called a mega-tsunami.
The tall water wave moved back and forth inside the narrow fjord every ninety seconds. It was trapped like water sloshing in a bath. This sloshing water pushed against the rock walls of the fjord. The moving water made the whole planet vibrate gently for nine days. Scientists worked together to solve this amazing science puzzle.
Listen
Dickson Fjord in Greenland; Image Wikipedia
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Why were scientists surprised by the strange sound in September 2023?
2. Where did the mountain collapse happen?
3. How did warming climate cause the rockfall?
4. Why was the ocean wave trapped inside the fjord?
5. Would you like to be a scientist who solves Earth mysteries? Why?
FILL IN THE GAPS
FILL THE GAPS
Section 1: Fill in the Gaps
Word Bank: collapse, narrow, vibrate, vibration
In September 2023, scientists around the world heard a strange sound. It was a giant _______(1) that travelled through the Earth. This shaking did not stop quickly. It lasted for nine whole days!
Scientists were very surprised because normal earthquakes do not sound like this. They wanted to find out what happened. Soon, they found the answer in a cold place called Greenland.
A huge mountain peak _______(2) because warming climate melted the ice holding it up. Tons of rock and ice fell fast into a _______(3) fjord. This giant fall created a huge wave of water called a mega-tsunami.
The tall water wave moved back and forth inside the narrow fjord every ninety seconds. It was trapped like water sloshing in a bath. This sloshing water pushed against the rock walls of the fjord. The moving water made the whole planet _______(4) gently for nine days. Scientists worked together to solve this amazing science puzzle.
Section 2: Main Idea
What is the main idea of this article?
a) Earthquakes in Greenland happen every ninety seconds during winter.
b) A landslide in Greenland created sloshing water that made Earth vibrate for nine days.
c) Scientists built a giant bath to test water waves in icy fjords.
UNDERSTANDING
Section 3: True or False
1. The strange vibration through the Earth lasted for nine days. T/F
2. The mountain fell because the weather in Greenland got colder. T/F
3. Water sloshed back and forth inside a narrow fjord every ninety seconds. T/F
Section 4: Put Events in Order
Put these events in order from 1 to 3:
( ) A huge mountain peak collapsed into a narrow fjord.
( ) Warming climate melted ice that held up the mountain rock.
( ) Trapped water sloshed back and forth and made the Earth vibrate for nine days.
LANGUAGE
Section 5: Vocab Match
1. vibration
2. collapse
3. climate
4. narrow
5. fjord
a) measuring a small distance across
b) a long strip of ocean between high cliffs
c) a fast shaking movement
d) normal weather pattern of a region
e) to fall down suddenly
USE IT
Section 6: Discussion Builder
1. Warming temperatures can melt glacier ice and cause mountains to _______.
a) collapse
b) vibrate
c) freeze
2. Ocean water trapped in a _______ fjord moves back and forth quickly.
a) narrow
b) loud
c) warm
Section 7: Sentence Unscramble
1. Unscramble the sentence parts into the correct order (A-E):
A) through the planet
B) A giant vibration
C) for nine days
D) travelled gently
E) around the world
2. Unscramble the sentence parts into the correct order (A-E):
A) fell fast into
B) Tons of heavy rock
C) a deep Greenland fjord
D) during the landslide
E) and cold ice
ANSWER KEY
Answer Key
Warm Up: b) A mountain fell into water and made a huge wave.
Section 1: Fill in the Gaps
(1) vibration, (2) collapse, (3) narrow, (4) vibrate
Section 2: Main Idea
b) A landslide in Greenland created sloshing water that made Earth vibrate for nine days.
Section 3: True or False
1. True (T)
2. False (F)
3. True (T)
Section 4: Put Events in Order
(2) A huge mountain peak collapsed into a narrow fjord.
(1) Warming climate melted ice that held up the mountain rock.
(3) Trapped water sloshed back and forth and made the Earth vibrate for nine days.
Section 5: Vocab Match
1 - c, 2 - e, 3 - d, 4 - a, 5 - b
Section 6: Discussion Builder
1. a) collapse
2. a) narrow
Section 7: Sentence Unscramble
1. B - D - A - E - C (A giant vibration travelled gently through the planet around the world for nine days.)
2. B - E - A - C - D (Tons of heavy rock and cold ice fell fast into a deep Greenland fjord during the landslide.)
Section 8: Discussion Questions
(Student-led discussion answers will vary.)
Thank you for your feedback!