Hawaii Braces for First Direct Hurricane Hit Since 1992

It is a category one storm now.

Officials say it may be the first direct hit there in 34 years.

So this is not just windy weather.

What is the storm doing right now?

It is moving near the islands.

The centre may pass close to Big Island.

It may also make landfall there.

That means it could reach the land directly.

And the rain sounds serious too.

How much rain are they talking about?

In the worst case, it could bring 25 inches of rain.

Officials also warn about a storm surge.

That is a big rise in sea water.

It can push water onto roads.

And into homes.

That picture is easy to imagine.

And very worrying.

Are people already feeling the effects?

Yes, many flights have been cancelled.

Some airports on Big Island had many flights grounded.

Nearly 37,000 customers lost electricity.

Some roads were also cut off.

By landslides.

So the storm is already changing daily life.

What are people being told to do?

They are being told to get ready early.

Some people filled bags with sand.

They used them to protect their homes.

Shelters are open on Big Island.

That sounds like a long night ahead.

Do officials think the storm will stay that strong?

It may weaken later.

It may become a tropical storm.

But officials still warn about heavy rain.

Floods.

And dangerous surf.

So the danger is not over yet.

A big gold medal for Ireland.

Now we go to Owen, our LinguaWire correspondent for sport.

Thanks, Daniel. Kate O'Connor has won gold.

In the heptathlon.

She took the title at the European Championships in Birmingham.

That is a big moment.

How close was it at the end?

Very close.

She went into the final race with a small lead.

She had to stay within 3.4 seconds.

That was enough to keep gold.

So the last race really mattered.

What was that race like?

It was the 800 metres.

O'Connor said it was the most nerve-racking 800 of her life.

She started fast.

Then her rivals pushed hard too.

But she stayed close enough.

And the points tell the story too.

What did she finish with?

She finished with 6,751 points.

That was a national record for Ireland.

Emma Oosterwegel of the Netherlands took silver.

Sofie Dokter, also from the Netherlands, took bronze.

A national record makes it even bigger.

What did O'Connor say after the win?

She said her late grandmother would have been jumping for joy.

She also said this year has been very tough.

She wanted to dedicate the medal to her granny.

That gives the win a very personal side.

Did this come after other good results?

Yes, it did.

She also won gold at the Commonwealth Games in July.

Before that, she won silver at last year's World Championships.

So this is another big step in her season.

Part 1: Vocabulary.

1. storm, strong weather with wind and rain.

In the story, it was used for Hurricane Lala.

Example: The storm made the beach empty.

2. shelter, a safe place where people can stay.

In the story, it was used for storm shelters.

Example: We waited in a shelter during the rain.

3. landslide, earth and rocks that move down a hill.

In the story, it was used for roads cut off by earth.

Example: The landslide blocked the road.

Part 2: Grammar.

Title: could bring.

Rule: We use could plus a verb for something possible.

Example 1: Lala could bring a lot of rain.

Example 2: The storm could weaken later.

Repeat after me: could bring