Earthquakesmayrightlyberankedasoneofthemostdestructiveforcesknowntoman:sincerecordsbegantobewrittendownithasbeenestimatedthatearthquake-relatedfatalities(死亡)havenumberedinthemillionsandthatearthquake-relateddestructionhasbeenbeyondcalculation.Thegreaterpartofsuchdamageandlossoflifehadbeenduetocollapseofbuildingsandtheeffectsofrockslidesfloodsfirediseasetsunamisandotherobservableeventsresultingfromearthquakesratherthanfromquakesthemselves.
Thegreatmajorityofallearthquakesoccurintwospecificgeographicareas.OnesuchareacoversthePacificOceananditsborderinglandmasses.TheotherextendsfromtheEastIndianstotheAtlasMountainsincludingtheHimalayasIranTurkeyandtheAlpineregions.Itisinthesetwogreatbeltsorzonesthatninetypercentofallearthquakestakeplace;theymayhoweverhappenanywhereatanytime.
Thiselementofunknownhasforcenturiesaddedgreatlytothedeadandhorrorsurroundingearthquakesbutinrecenttimestherehavebeenindicationsthatearthquakeforecastmaybepossible.Byanalyzingchangesinanimalbehaviorpatternsofmovementsintheearth'sshellvariationsintheearth'sforceofattractionandthefrequencywithwhichminorearthshakesareobservedscientistshaveshownincreasingsuccessinexpectingwhenandwhereearthquakeswillstrike.Asaresultaworldwideearthquakewarningnetworkisalreadyinoperationandhashelpedtopreparefor(andthuslessen)thevastdestructionthatmightotherwisehavebeentotallyunexpected.
Itisdoubtfulthatmanwilleverbeabletocontrolearthquakesandgetridoftheirdestructivenessaltogetherbutashowandwhyearthquakeshappenbecomebetterunderstoodmanwillbecomemoreandmoreabletodealwiththeirpossibledamagebeforetheyoccur.
60.Whichofthefollowingstatementsistrueaccordingtothepassage?
A.Earthquakesdestructionisdeclining.
B.Maniscapableofconqueringearthquakes.
C.Manisnolongerfearfulofearthquakes.
D.Earthquakeforecastisimproving.
61.Wecaninferfromthepassagethatquakes_______.
A.mostlystrikeinoceansandmountains
B.mayhappenanywhereatanytime