Natural disasters bring up personal experiences, cultural differences in preparedness, and some strong opinions about safety and risk. Students usually have stories to share, and the topic works well for practicing past tense descriptions and hypothetical scenarios.
Questions are organized by level from beginner to advanced. A printable PDF of all the questions is available at the bottom of the page.
Beginner (A1-A2)
- What do you do when there is a big storm? Do you stay inside or go outside?
- Where is a safe place to go during an earthquake? Do you have one where you live?
- Have you ever seen very strong wind, a big storm, or a flood? What was it like?
- If you had only five minutes to leave your house during a disaster, what would you grab first?
- What are three things you should have in an emergency kit? (Water, flashlight, food, blankets, etc.)
- Have you ever lost electricity because of bad weather? How long did it last?
- Does your family have a plan for what to do during a natural disaster? What is it?
- Have you ever had to stay home from school or work because of bad weather? What happened?
- What natural disaster are you most afraid of? Why?
- Where do you get information when bad weather is coming? (TV, phone, radio, internet, etc.)
Elementary (A2)
- How many types of natural disaster can you name? Which one do you think is the worst, and why?
- What natural disasters are common in your country? How do people usually prepare for them?
- What is the best or worst natural disaster movie you have seen? What made it so good or bad?
- What is the difference between a hurricane, a typhoon, and a cyclone? Do you get any of these where you live?
- Which countries do you think have the most natural disasters? What types of disasters do they face, and why?
- Can you think of any country that doesn’t have natural disasters?
- Do you know anyone who has been in a flood or earthquake? Tell me about it.
- What is the weather like before a big storm comes? How can you tell it’s coming?
- What season has the most natural disasters where you live? What kind of disasters happen then?
- Do people in your country talk about natural disasters a lot, or not very much?
- Have you ever prepared for a natural disaster before it happened? What did you do?
- What kind of damage do tornadoes usually cause? Have you seen pictures or videos of this?
- What do rescue workers do after a natural disaster? What kind of training do they need?
- What warnings do people get before a hurricane comes? How much time do they usually have?
- Have you ever seen a natural disaster on the news that really affected you? What happened?
- What is the worst weather you have ever experienced? Why was it so bad?
- Has your school or workplace ever practiced what to do during a disaster? What did you do?
Intermediate (B1)
- Have you ever been through a natural disaster? Tell your group about your experience if it isn’t too traumatic.
- Think of three natural disasters. What can you do to stay safe during and after those natural disasters?
- Would you ever volunteer to help after a natural disaster hit? If yes, What would you like to volunteer to do? If no, why not?
- What do you think about people who follow tornadoes around to get data, video and photographs?
- What is the scariest natural disaster? Why?
- Do you think your home is safe if a natural disaster happens? Why or why not?
- Do you prefer to live somewhere with hot weather risks or cold weather risks? Why?
- Do you think schools should teach children what to do during natural disasters? Why or why not?
- Should governments force people to leave dangerous areas before a natural disaster hits? Why or why not?
- How do you think living through a natural disaster changes a person? Give some examples.
- Do you think natural disasters are getting worse because of climate change? What evidence do you see?
- If a big earthquake happened right now, how ready would you be? What would you do first?
- What do you think about people who refuse to leave their homes during an evacuation? Is that brave or foolish?
- If you could live anywhere in the world but had to accept the natural disaster risks of that place, where would you go?
- Some people say natural disasters bring communities closer together. Do you agree? How so?
Upper-Intermediate (B2)
- How can technology lessen the damage caused by natural disasters?
- Can natural disasters ever be a good thing? What are some possible benefits that people might not think about?
- What makes some buildings survive earthquakes while others collapse? Should all buildings be required to meet earthquake standards?
- Do you think the media sensationalizes natural disasters? How so?
- What can governments and communities do to reduce deaths from natural disasters? What are the biggest obstacles to implementing these solutions?
- Compare how news media covered natural disasters 20 years ago versus today. What has changed and why?
- What are the psychological effects of living in an area where natural disasters are common? How do people cope with constant risk?
- How do insurance companies decide what to cover when it comes to natural disasters? What do you think about those policies?
- What are the environmental consequences of natural disasters beyond the immediate destruction? How long does it take ecosystems to recover?
- How is rebuilding after a natural disaster different for wealthy communities compared to poor ones? What can be done to close that gap?
- What are the advantages and disadvantages of building cities in areas known for natural disasters, like coastlines or earthquake zones?
- How do social media and smartphones change the way people respond to natural disasters compared to 20 years ago?
- Some countries invest heavily in disaster prevention while others spend mostly on disaster response. Which approach do you think works better in the long run?
- Compare how two different countries you know about handle natural disasters. What does one do better than the other?
- After major disasters, there is often a wave of solidarity and generosity that fades within weeks. Why does that happen, and what would it take to keep that sense of community going long-term?
Advanced (C1)
- How will climate change affect the frequency and intensity of natural disasters in the next 20 years? What political and economic tensions will this create?
- What ethical responsibilities do journalists and social media users have when sharing images and stories from natural disasters? Where is the line between raising awareness and exploiting tragedy?
- Why do governments often prioritize economic rebuilding over addressing the underlying vulnerabilities that made communities susceptible to disaster damage? What political pressures drive these decisions?
- What tensions exist between individual property rights and collective safety when governments try to prevent people from living in high-risk areas? How should societies balance freedom and protection?
- How do cultural beliefs about fate, punishment, and nature shape how different societies prepare for and respond to natural disasters? What are the practical consequences of these worldviews?
- Some people choose to live in areas that regularly experience natural disasters, like tornado zones or flood plains. What keeps them there despite the risk, and what does that say about how humans evaluate danger?
- Governments sometimes use natural disasters as a reason to increase surveillance, restrict movement, or expand their authority. When is that justified, and when does it go too far?
- Some scientists say we should stop calling them ‘natural’ disasters because human decisions — where we build, how we plan, who we protect — determine how bad the damage is. Do you think they have a point?
- We have better technology and more knowledge about disasters than ever before, yet the damage from natural disasters keeps getting worse globally. What explains that contradiction?
- Wealthier countries often send aid after disasters in poorer countries, but that aid sometimes comes with political or economic strings attached. How does disaster aid reshape the relationship between the countries involved, and who really benefits in the long run?