Main Idea
According to the reading, it is possible to predict exactly when an earthquake will happen.
No - False
Paragraph A - Why do they mention the major cities (Tokyo, Istanbul, Lima, Los Angeles) ?
Big cities that are regularly affected by earthquakes.
huge, large, very big
massive
Which earthquake waves arrive the fastest, according to the infographic
P-waves
"...has already predicted where its next great earthquake will be: the region of Tokai"
Japan
Why did scientists choose Parkfield, Californaia to see if predicting earthquakes is possible?
The San Andreas fault runs through it, and earthquakes happen approximately every 22 years there.
Japanese government officials believe that earthquake prediction is possible (which paragraph discusses this?)
C
no pattern, not predictable
random
What kind of earthquake waves arrive slowly but cause more damage?
S-waves
... says his laboratory experiments show that before a fault in the Earth's crust finally breaks and causes an earthquake, it slips just a little.
Naoyuki Kato
What did researchers claim to discover in the journal article "Nature"?
they detected small changes in the fault shortly before an earthquake hit
Introduction to the idea and importance of "pre-slip" theory (which paragraph discusses this?)
Paragraph D
exact, specific
precise
What can you add to tunnels so they are able to bend?
flexible joints
Why do they start? What makes them stop?
earthquakes
Why is "pre-slip" important to earthquake detection?
If we can detect changes (pre-slip) in a fault before a major earthquake happens, we may be able to predict the next big quake
There is still a long way to go, but it appears that research being done on earthquakes shows prediction may be possible. (This is the main idea of which paragraph?)
Paragraph H
find, discover
detect
These are attached to inner walls which allow skyscrapers to sway without breaking
steel skeletons
The San Andreas Fault runs through it
Parkfield, California
In the late 1980s, scientists studied in Parkfield hoping to find a clue, but could not find evidence of anything unusual prior to the earthquake. However, in 2008, scientists started to find evidence of warning signs.
According to the reading, what did the scientists do differently that may have helped them discover warning signs?
Scientists in Parkfield dug deeper into the ground, and by 2005 they had reached the fault's final depth of three kilometers.
Scientists began digging deeper in order to discover more data on fault changes before major earthquakes (which paragraphs discuss this?)
Paragraph F
follow, monitor
track
These long pipes make bridges and overpasses more flexible
micropiles
It led many to believe that perhaps earthquakes really are random events.
Scientists reviewed data but found no evidence of anything unusual preceding the quake. (in 2004)