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Australia's harsh summer: fires, floods and heat (Level A2) — brown volkswagen beetle on river during daytime

Australia's harsh summer: fires, floods and heatCEFR A2

3 Mar 2025

Level A2 – High beginner / Elementary
2 min
91 words

Australia had a run of extreme events during the January–February summer. The country saw long heatwaves, storms, floods and large bushfires that began in late December 2024 and continued into mid-January.

Fires damaged national parks and visitor facilities, and there were worries for threatened animals and rare plants. Coral bleaching also grew worse in 2024. Northern Australia experienced severe wet-season floods, and the monsoon reached Darwin late in early February 2025. A powerful cyclone hit northwestern areas, and many people faced damage, moves and higher home insurance costs.

Difficult words

  • heatwaveA period of very hot weather
    heatwaves
  • bushfireA large fire in wild open country
    bushfires
  • bleachingWhen coral loses its colour and becomes pale
  • cycloneA very strong tropical storm with winds
  • floodLarge amounts of water covering land
    floods
  • threatenedAt risk of disappearing or dying out

Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.

Discussion questions

  • Have you ever experienced a heatwave or strong storm? What happened?
  • What would you do if a flood came to your area?
  • How would damage and higher home insurance costs affect people in a community?

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