Read the article below.  Choose the correct answers and details for each
      question.  

HINT:  Read the questions before reading the article.  It helps to prepare
                           you for the reading purpose.

      Have you ever dragged your feet across a carpet?  When you touched something, did you get a shock?  That is static electricity.  It occurs when negative charges are attracted to positive charges. 

     Lightning is static electricity.  In a thunderstorm, the negative charges are in the clouds. These charges are attracted to the positive charges in the ground.  The resulting spark is lightning.  Most lightning occurs in the cloud or between the cloud and ground.

     Lightning is very powerful! A flash of lightning could turn on a 100-watt light bulb for more than 3 months. The air near a strike is hot.  It is hotter than the surface of the sun! Lightning starts many fires in the United States. In the past 10 years, lightning started more than 15,000 fires.

     Lightning is very dangerous! Your chances of being struck are about 1 in 600,000.   You can reduce your chances by following safety rules.

·   First check the weather forecast. Don’t make outdoor plans if there is a chance of thunderstorms.

·   If you are caught outside, try to find shelter.    Most lightning deaths and injuries occur when people are outdoors.

·   Keep away from trees and find a low place. 

·   If you cannot find a shelter, get in to the "lightning safety position".  Squat down near the ground with your heels touching. Put your hands over your ears.

DIRECTIONS:  Read each question carefully.  Select the best answer to the question.  Then select the best supporting detail for each answer.  For explanations of each answer, click on the arrow in the explanation box.