Earthquake

1                 Every year earthquakes are responsible for a large number of deaths and a vast amount of destruction in various parts of the world. most of these damaging earthquakes occur either in a narrow belt which surrounds the Pacific Ocean or in a line which extends from Burma to the Alps in Europe. Some of the destruction is directly caused by the quake itself. An example of this is the collapse of buildings as a result of the quake itself.  Other damage results from landslides or major fires which are initiated by the quake.

2                 These are about a million quakes a year. Fortunately, however, not all of them are destructive. The intensity of an earthquake is measured on the Richter Scale, which goes from 0 upward. The highest scale recorded to date is 8.9. major damage generally occurs from quakes ranging upward from 6.0.

3                 The actual cause of the quake itself is the breaking of rocks at or below the earth's surface. This is produced by pressure which scientists believe may be due to a number of reasons, two of which are the expansion and contraction of the earth's crust and continental drift.

4                 In order to limit the damage and to prevent some of the suffering resulting from earthquakes, scientists are working on ways to enable accurate prediction. Special instruments are used to help people record, for example, shaking of the earth. Scientists are trying to find methods that will enable them to indicate the exact time, location and size of an earthquake.

5                 Certain phenomena have been observed which are believed to be the signs of imminent earthquakes. These include strange behaviors of some animals, the changes in the content of mineral water, etc.  The magnetic properties of rocks may also display special pattern before earthquakes happen.

1. paragraph 2__________  A. Earthquakes forecast

2. paragraph 3__________  B. Historical records of earthquakes

3. paragraph 4__________  C. Intensities of earthquakes

4. paragraph 5__________  D. Cause of earthquakes

                          E. Indications of earthquakes

                          F. Damaging earthquakes

5. Not all damage during an earthquake is caused by  ____________.

6. Not all earthquakes are strong enough to cause ___________.

7. Scientists have been working hard to warn people of ____________.

8. Earthquakes can be predicted by observing ______________.

                           A. the quake itself

                           B. accurate prediction

                           C. damage of property and loss of lives

                           D. a possible earthquake

                           E. the unusual behaviors of some animals

                           F. the strong behaviors of human beings

         答案及解析：

Earthquake

1．C。解题思路：抓住句中用词特点：该段的第3句中包含intensity(强度)一词，而且段中提到的也是震级强度数字。”。 

  2．D．解题思路：段首句中提到了cause及reasons。

  3．A．解题思路：段首句中有prediction （预报），indicate（显示）对应A中的forecast（预报）。

  4． E。解题思路：段首句中的phenomena（现象）对应E中的 indications（迹象）。

  5．A．该题可直接借助句意判断答案。也可以借助原文：利用“cause”一词判断，该句可能在涉及到地震损坏的语句中，于是在第1段的第3句中找到答案相关句，确认答案。

Some of the destruction is directly caused by the quake itself.

6．C。该句也可直接借助句意判断答案。如果借助原文：利用“strong, cause”作为答案线索词，查看全文似乎并没有直接涉及到这样词语的句子，但我们在第2段发现“Fortunately, however, not all of them are destructive.”，结合该句的句意判断答案为C。

7．D．该句也可直接借助句意判断答案。如果借助原文：利用“warn, scientists” 作为答案线索词，查看全文， 在第4段中找到答案相关句：In order to limit the damage and to prevent some of the suffering resulting from earthquakes, scientists are working on ways to enable accurate prediction. 确认答案。]

8．E．根据常识人类的行为变化跟地震没关系，所以不选F。如果借助原文：利用“observe” 作为答案线索词，查看全文，在最后一段中找到答案相关句Certain phenomena have been observed which are believed to be the signs of imminent earthquakes. These include strange behaviors of some animals, the changes in the content of mineral water, etc.