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Paul Sparks,
Sino-Canadian International College, Guangxi University, Online English Lesson Plans, Lesson Material and Ideas
for Semester 2 Reading Lessons...
Reading: Revision Exercises,
Fact and Opinion / "The Main Idea"
Guidelines: Read
the following news article then answer the questions that follow.
"Earthquake Science":
When the earth shook here on March 26th 2000, it helped geologists to figure
out how the earth around Seattle would shake during the real thing less than
a year later.
When Seattle’s Kingdome was demolished with explosives, more than 200
seismic recorders caught every rattle and roll.
Tom Brocher of the
U.S. Geological Survey says: "You can see the red waves
travelling away from the Kingdome."
The areas that shook the worst then also shook the worst when the 6
point eight (on the Richter scale) Nisqually earthquake hit.
"We shouldn’t be surprised to see damage at Boeing field and at
the port of Seattle where we did see damage, because in both of those
areas the ground shook longer and harder than other parts of
Seattle."
It’s what’s known as a slab quake (located) 36 miles below the
surface where the Juan de Fuca plate slab is diving underneath the
North American plate. Geologists believe the plate bent, causing it to
crack, sending shock waves to the surface.
Tom Brocher says, "As soon as we knew it was a deep earthquake-
that it was this type of earthquake- we immediately put out the word
that we should expect very few aftershocks."
There were only 4. In San Francisco's Loma Prieta earthquake here in
1989 which was closer to the surface, there were 120 aftershocks. The
fact that "deep-focus" earthquakes have fewer aftershocks
still puzzles geologists.
Brocher says, "What we can tell people is you’re not going to
have these (aftershocks). What we can’t tell them why. And that’s
a research issue."
Geologists say the Nisqually quake originated from almost the same
spot as the 1949 quake there, and had the same damage patterns. There
were fewer landslides this year because of the lack of rain.
Over the next year and half, researchers want to set off explosives at
the surface near Seattle. Aimed at the slab 37 miles below. The waves
will then bounce off the slab and reflect back to the surface giving
information about where the plate is and how it’s moving.
So, before the earth moves again, geologists will have an idea which
places might be destined to shake the hardest.
Note: Each number
on the Richter scale represents movement 10 times larger than the
previous number.
Task 1 (Fact & Opinion):
1. Write down all of the facts from the article.
2. Write down all of the opinions from the article.
Task 2 (The Main Idea):
What is the main idea of this article?
Task 3 (Vocabulary):
Select the correct meaning for each of the following words:
1. Demolished
Destroyed; torn down
Damaged
Measured
Recorded
2. Seismic recorder
A device to record the sound of an earthquake.
A device to measure movement in the Earth.
A device to predict landslides.
A device to demolish the Kingdome.
3. Geological
Having to do with the structure of the Earth's crust.
Having to do with the huge moving plates deep in the Earth.
Having to do with the effects of earthquakes in different areas.
All of the above
4. Shock waves
Large ocean waves
Huge moving plates deep in the Earth
A device to measure movement in the Earth
A force moving through solid, liquid, or gas.
5. Magnitude
Explosives
A measurable size or force
Seismic recorders
Number of shock waves
6. Minimal
A measurable size or force
Very serious
Smallest; least possible
Largest possible
7. Originated
Began
Reflected
A measurement of movement in the Earth
Exploded
8. Reflect
To think about carefully
To shift suddenly
To throw back or return
Seismic recording
9. Destined
In the past
Held back
Reflected
Very likely to happen
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