Helping in a Hurricane

Helping in a Hurricane
By ReadWorks

Briannewasbusyworkingonacrosswordpuzzlewhenthelightswentoff.Asshewentto
fillinnumber9downonethatshehadbeenstuckonforagesshecouldnolongerseethetip
ofherpencil.Outside,thelightrainhadturnedintoatremendousdownpour,andthefew
peoplethatshenoticedrunninghomeanhouragowerelonggone.Herblockwascoveredwith
aviolentstreamofrainwater,withbitsofgarbageandmisplaceditemsfloatingalonginit.
Brianne,grabyourbackpack,wehavetoheadoutnow,hermomsaid.Briannes
youngerbrother,Ian,taggedbehind,hisbrightyellowrainbootssquealingwitheachstep.An
hourearlier,thesixoclocknewshadflashedamapofNewYorkCitymarkedwithdifferent
colors.Anyonewholivedintheredzonewasencouragedtoevacuatetoasaferarea.
BriannesfamilylivedindowntownManhattan,aneighborhoodcoveredcompletelyinred.
Butshehadignoredthebroadcast,returninginconcentrationtoherpuzzle.Now,shewas
beinginterruptedbythestormyetagain.
Comeon,Brianne,movealittlefasterplease!hermompleaded.Withintenminutes,
thefamilywasoutthedoorandintheircar,whichthankfullyhadbeenintheparkinggarage
attachedtotheirapartmentbuilding.Thewindshieldwipersferociouslyswipedleftandright
inafutileattempttokeeptheroadvisiblewhileBriannesdaddroveveryslowlyuptown.They
wereontheirwaytoBriannesuncleshome,whichwaslocatedinthegreenzone.There,they
wouldwaitoutthestormandhopefullyreturntotheirhomethenextday.
Butoncetheyarrived,theTVdeliveredmorebadnews.Thestormhadbeendubbed
HurricaneSandy,andtheweatherforecastersaidthatthemajorityofManhattanwould
remainwithoutelectricityforatleastafewdays.Helpcenterswouldbesetuparoundthecity
whereanyonecouldrest,eat,andrechargephones.Briannefinallypaidattentiontothe
severityofthesituation,andshewatchedthenewsinshockasitnarratedthedestructionof
placessheloved.
***

Aweeklater,Brianneandherfamilyreturnedhome.Luckily,nothinghadbeen
damagedotherthanallthefoodintheirfridge.Ianyelledoutwhenheopenedtherefrigerator
door,horrifiedbythesmelloftherottingfood.Butothershadnotbeensolucky.Eachday,
thenewspaperrevealedmoreneighborhoodsthathadbeencompletelywipedoutbythe
hurricane.Briannesfathersuggestedthattheydriveouttosomeofthemtoseethewreckage
andfindouthowtheycouldhelp.
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2015 ReadWorks, Inc. All rights reserved.

Helping in a Hurricane

ThetwodrovedowntoFarRockaway,Queensoneoftheworstaffectedareasand
Briannetookpicturesalongtheway.Throughherlens,shesawhomestornapartasifthey
weremadeofpaper;sheclimbedacrossbeamsofwoodthathadbeenrippedfromwalls;she
talkedtofamilieswhowerestandinginshocknearthebay.Herfatherhelpedgatheranything
thatcouldbesavedforthosewholosttheirhomes,andtheydistributedsandwichesand
drinkstothechildrenwhowereplayinginthewreckage.

OntheirwaybacktoManhattan,Briannecombedthroughhercamerasmemoryto
viewthepicturesshetook.Howaboutwedoafundraiserforthesefamilies?sheaskedher
dad.Thentheycanstartrebuildingtheirlives.
Herdadlookedather.Howdoyouwanttodoit?heasked.
Ithinkwecandosomethingwiththesepictures,sherepliedwithadeterminedsmile.
***

Amonthlater,Briannewalkedthroughthedoorofalocalbookstorenearherhometo
begreetedbyherphotographshangingonthewalls.Inthecenteroftheroom,someonehad
setupatablewithsnacksforguests.Alargebannerhungabovethecashregisterthatread
HurricaneSandyFundraiser.Aftermuchplanning,thebookstorehadagreedtohost
Briannesefforts,andturnedthespaceintoagallerythatwouldchargefivedollarsfor
admission.Alltheproceedswouldgotothevictimsofthehurricanetohelpwiththecostof
rebuildingtheirhomes.

Althoughtheeventhadaslowstart,bytheendofthenightthebookstorewasfull.
Friendsandfamilymembershadfloodedthemakeshiftgallery,attractingcuriouspassersby.
Briannetriedtokeepcountofthenumberofguestswhowalkedthroughthedoors,butshe
soonlostcount.Countingthemoneywouldnthelp,sincesomevisitorspaidmorethanthe
entrancefee,knowingthattheproceedswerebeingdonatedtoagoodcause.

Attheendofthenight,Brianneandherfamilywereexhausted.Buttheystillhadto
cleanup.Briannewalkedaroundtheroom,takingdowneachpicturewithcare.Shelooked
backonhermemoriesofFarRockaway.Eventually,shegottothelastone.Inthepicture,a
younggirlclutchedapinkstuffedanimal,hersmallfingerswhitefromhertightgrip.Brianne
thoughtthestuffedanimalmightbethelastthingofthegirlsthatremainedafterthe
hurricane.Assheexaminedtheimage,shethoughtabouthowshecouldntwaittoreturnto
theneighborhood,andshehopedthatshecouldfindthisgirlagain.

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2015 ReadWorks, Inc. All rights reserved.

Questions: Helping in a Hurricane

Name:

Date: _______________________

1. What is the name of the storm in the story?

______________________________________________________________________
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2. What is the setting of the story?
______________________________________________________________________
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3. Briannes family has to leave their home because it isnt safe during the storm. What
evidence from the text supports this statement?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
4. How does Brianne feel when she sees the wreckage in Far Rockaway?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

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2015 ReadWorks, Inc. All rights reserved.

Questions: Helping in a Hurricane

5. What is the main idea of this story?

______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
6. Read the sentences and answer the question.
"But once they arrived, the TV delivered more bad news. The storm had been dubbed
Hurricane Sandy, and the weather forecaster said that the majority of Manhattan would
remain without electricity for at least a few days. Help centers would be set up around
the city where anyone could rest, eat, and recharge phones. Brianne finally paid
attention to the severity of the situation, and she watched the news in shock as it
narrated the destruction of places she loved."
What does the word severity mean as used in this text?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
7. What word or phrase best completes the sentence?
Briannes family thought they would be able to return home after a day; _______, the
hurricane was worse than expected, so they didt return home for a week.
____________________________________

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2015 ReadWorks, Inc. All rights reserved.

Questions: Helping in a Hurricane

8. What does Brianne suggest they do to help families affected by Hurricane Sandy
rebuild their lives?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
9. Explain whether Briannes fundraiser is a success. Support your answer using
evidence from the text.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
10. Why were the photographs Brianne sold at the fundraiser a good way to raise
money for the families affected by Hurricane Sandy? Support your answer using
evidence from the text.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________

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2015 ReadWorks, Inc. All rights reserved.