Early morning explosion at Mississippi chemical plant brings emergency response

Study the questions and tasks

Work through the material below, or start the interactive practice above to complete an attempt. Try the exercises before opening any answer or transcript sections, then use them to review your work.

Practice level

B2. Try this level if you can follow the instructions and understand most of the language; choose an earlier level if you need more support.

Question formats

Single choice

How to approach this practice

Read the passage for its main idea, then return to the relevant sentence or paragraph for each question. Base answers on the passage.

1. Question 1 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What is the main purpose of the article?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. To explain how chemical plants manufacture products
   2. To summarize an explosion and the response it produced
   3. To compare industrial facilities in different states
   4. To evaluate the long-term effects of black smoke
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   To summarize an explosion and the response it produced

   It summarizes the confirmed event and explains the emergency response.

   The reported event is therefore an early morning explosion at a Mississippi chemical plant, followed by a response from emergency crews.

2. Question 2 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Why does the article emphasize the smoke’s visibility?

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   1. To show that the smoke was harmless
   2. To explain why people noticed the incident
   3. To prove that the facility was damaged
   4. To identify the chemicals released
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   To explain why people noticed the incident

   Its visibility explains how the incident attracted attention beyond the plant.

   The visible smoke was a central part of the incident.

3. Question 3 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   In the sentence “Together, they show,” what does “they” refer to?

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   1. The plant and its products
   2. The smoke and the facility
   3. The explosion and responders’ arrival
   4. The location and the time
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   Answer

   The explosion and responders’ arrival

   The pronoun refers to the explosion and responders’ arrival.

   The event involved two connected developments: an explosion at an industrial site and the arrival of responders.

4. Question 4 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What relationship does the article establish between the explosion and response?

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   1. The response caused the explosion
   2. The response happened before the explosion
   3. The response followed the explosion
   4. The response replaced the explosion
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   Answer

   The response followed the explosion

   The response occurred after the explosion and visible smoke appeared.

   At the Mississippi plant, their response followed the explosion and the appearance of the large black plume.

5. Question 5 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   What can be inferred about the black plume?

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   1. It was difficult to observe
   2. It was unusually visible
   3. It came from surrounding homes
   4. It disappeared before responders arrived
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   It was unusually visible

   Its dark color and size made it particularly easy to observe.

   Black smoke can be especially noticeable because of its dark color and size.

6. Question 6 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Why does the article include background definitions?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. To introduce unrelated historical information
   2. To explain technical terms used in the report
   3. To identify the plant’s owner
   4. To describe chemical production in detail
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   To explain technical terms used in the report

   The definitions clarify specialized terms for readers unfamiliar with them.

   Background: A chemical plant is an industrial facility where substances are processed or made for use in other products.

7. Question 7 · Single choice

   Choose one answer.

   Which sequence best represents the reported incident?

   Return to the passage, recording or visual
   1. Response, production, explosion
   2. Explosion, smoke, response
   3. Smoke, evacuation, production
   4. Assessment, explosion, construction
   Check answers and explanations

   Answer

   Explosion, smoke, response

   The article presents the explosion, smoke, and subsequent emergency response.

   The large plume of black smoke made the incident visible in the air above the facility.

What to review next

Find the words that support each answer. For a mistake, compare the question with the evidence and identify the detail or inference you missed.

A focused practice result shows how you did on these tasks. Use several activities across skills to decide what to study next; one practice score does not certify an overall CEFR level.

Before you practise: a worked example

Look for evidence in the text. Separate what the writer says from what you already know about the topic.

The library normally closes at six, but on Fridays it stays open until eight. When does it close on Friday?

The answer is eight. But introduces an exception to the normal closing time, so the first time mentioned is not the answer.

This teaching example is separate from the scored questions. After your test, compare any mistakes with the explanation and revisit the topic before trying again.