1. You might think that staying safe during the eruption of a volcano is just a matter of hiding under a table
and hoping your house doesn't catch on fire. Nothing
could be further from the truth. Surviving a volcani
eruption is a matter of understanding how volcanoes
most commonly affect people, being prepared, and
following some easy guidelines.
2 Volcanic activity may be scary, but it is the result of
simple and very natural geological processes.
Volcanoes are holes in the Earth's crust where
substances from beneath the surface, such as hot
gases and molten rock, can escape. "You can think of
a volcano as a paper cut or a pimple on the Earth
says volcanologist Roberta Alvarez. "They re usually
not a big deal on the scale of the whole planet, but
they're a big deal to us." Sometimes these eruptions
can be small and ongoing, such as the Mt. Kilauea
eruption in Hawaii that has been occurring since 1983
Other times, as was the case with Mt. St. Helens in
Oregon, the eruptions are abrupt and violent. When the
lava and ash emitted from a volcano cool and harden,
they gradually form mountains.
3. If you're wondering whether or not you live near one of
these mountains, you're in luck. The U. S. Geological
Survey (USGS) keep track of active volcanoes all
around the Ring of Fire, which is the area of high
volcanic activity that forms the border of the Pacific
Ocean. Some of the most worrisome volcanoes in the
United States are Mt. Kilauea in Hawaii and Mt.
Shishaldin in Alaska. The USGS records many other at-
risk locations as well, so you can find out how risky
your location is with just a little research.
4. If you're one of the people who lives near a volcano,
you should be aware of several dangers that these
forces of nature present. The most dramatic danger is
molten lava that flows down the sides of the
mountains. Although lava moves slowly enough for
most people to escape from it on foot" says Alvarez,
it's a precursor to a much more dangerous threat
wildfires." Volcanoes also tend to spew huge amounts
of ash into the atmosphere, which can affect areas
hundreds of miles away from the eruption and can
make breathing difficult for babies and people with
lung problems, according to the National Asthma
Society (NAS). The ash can also be so thick that it
buries houses
5. If you live near an active volcano, your best chance of
surviving an eruption is to be prepared. The Federal
Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA
recommends that families maintain an emergency
supply kit with first aid and day-to-day essentials
Families should also create a plan to gather in an
agreed upon location if phone or Internet service is
down. Once you account for everyone in your family.
follow the designated evacuation route to get away
from the volcano quickly and carefully
6. In other words, stay calm and be prepared. Advice that
would be suited to practically any disaster will help you
weather a volcanic eruption as well. All you need is a
little understanding, a little planning, and a little
patience, and you should come out all right.
Which statement best explains how paragraph 6 makes the
essay clearer?

O A. It introduces details about volcanoes that help develop
the main topic
O B. It summarizes the volcano-related topics covered
earlier in the essay
O C. It leaves the reader with a sense of urgency about the
dangers of volcanoes.
O D. It elaborates on the reasons the author chose to focus
on volcanoes.