Seismologists
have devised two scales of measurement to enable them to describe and record information
about earthquakes in quantitative terms. The most widely known measurement is
the Richter scale, a numerical logarithmic scale developed and introduced by
American seismologist Charles F. Richter in 1935.
The purpose of the scale is
to measure the amplitude of the largest trace recorded by a standard
seismograph one hundred kilometers from the epicenter of an earthquake. Tables
have been formulated to demonstrate the magnitude of any earthquake from any
seismograph. For example, a one-unit increase in magnitude translates into an
increase of times thirty in
released energy. To put that
another way, each number on the Richter scale represents an earthquake ten
times as strong as one of the next lower magnitude. Specifically, an earthquake
of magnitude 6 is ten times as strong as an earthquake of magnitude 5.
On the Richter scale, earthquakes of 6.75
are considered great and 7.0 to 7.75 are considered major. An earthquake that
reads 4 to 5.5 would be expected to have caused localized damage, and those of
magnitude 2 may be felt.
The other earthquake-assessment scale,
introduced by the Italian seismologist Giuseppe Mercalli, measures the
intensity of shaking, using gradations from 1 to 12. Because the effects of
such shaking dissipate with distance from the epicenter of the earthquake, the
Mercalli rating depends on the site of the measurement Earthquakes of Mercalli
2 or 3 are basically the same as those of Richter 3 or 4; measurements of 11 or
12 on the Mercalli scale can be roughly correlated with magnitudes of 8 or 9 on
the Richter scale. In either case, the relative power or energy released by the
earthquake can be understood, and the population waits to hear how bad the
earthquake that just passed really was.
It is estimated that almost one million
earthquakes occur each year, but most of them are so minor that they pass
undetected. In fact, more than one thousand earthquakes of a magnitude of 2 or
lower on the Richter scale occur every day.
1. Which of the following is the main topic of the passage?
A. Earthquakes C.
Charles F. Richter
B. The Richter scale D. Seismography
2. According to information in the passage, what does the Richter
scale record?
A.
The distance from the epicenter
B. The amplitude of
the largest trace
C. The degree of damage
D. The location of the epicenter
3. The word standard in paragraph 1 could best be replaced by?
A.
reliable C. conventional
B.
complex D.
Abandoned
4. What is the value of the tables?
A. They allow us to interpret the magnitude of
earthquakes
B.
They help us to calculate our distance from earthquakes
C.
They record all earthquakes
D.
They release the energy of earthquakes
5. How does each number on the Richter scale compare?
A.
Each number is one hundred times as strong as
the previous number
B. Each magnitude is ten times stronger than the
previous
magnitude
C.
The strength of each magnitude is one less
than
the previous magnitude
D.
The scale decreases by five or six for each number
6. What does the author means by the statement :
Because the
effects of such shaking dissipate with distance from the epicenter of the
earthquake, the Mercalli rating depends on the site of the measurement?
A. The Mercalli
rating will vary depending on the
location of the measurement
B. The results of the Mercalli rating are
less accurate at greater distances from the epicenter
C. The stronger shaking of the earthquake
at the center is not detected by the Mercalli rating
D. The Mercalli rating is useful because it
is taken farther away from the center of the earthquake
7. The word undetected in paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to ?
A.
with no damage C.
with no name
B. with no notice D. with no
problem
8. With which of the following statements would the author most
probably agree?
A.
Only the Richter scale describes
earthquakes in quantitative terms
B.
Both the Richter scale and the
Mercalli Scale measure earthquakes in the same way
C.
Most earthquakes are measurable on
either the Richter or the Mercalli scale
D. The Mercalli and
the Richter scales are different but they can be compared
9. The passage discusses all of the following in the explanation of
the Richter scale EXCEPT ?
A.
It was introduced in 1935
B.
It was developed by an American
seismologist
C. It has a scale
of 1 to 12
D.
It measures the magnitude of
earthquakes
Problem 23 Transitive and Intransitive Verbs – Lay and Lie
PROBLEMS
WITH REDUNDANCY
Redundancy means using more words than
necessary.
Problem
19
Redundancy – Unnecessary Phrases
In all patterns, prefer simple, direct
sentences to complicated, indirect sentences. Find the
subject-Verb-Complement-Modifier, and determine whether the other words are
useful or unnecessary.
S V
C
M
Lee learned English quickly
Avoid
using an adjective with such phrases as in character or in nature.
Avoid
using the redundant pattern in a adjective manner
Instead
of an adverb such as quickly. in a
quick manner
Examples
Incorrect: The key officials who testified before the
senate committee responded in a manner that
was evasive.
Correct : The
key officials who testified before the senate committee responded evasively.
Incorrect: Mr. Davis knows a great deal in terms of the
condition of the situation.
Correct : Mr.
Davis knows a great deal about the situation.
Incorrect: It was a problem which was very difficult in
character and very delicate in nature.
Correct : The
problem was difficult and delicate.
Incorrect: The disease was very serious in the nature of
it.
Correct : The
disease was very serious.
Problem
20
Redundancy – Repetition of Words With the Same Meaning
Redundancy – Repetition of Words With the Same Meaning
In all
patterns, avoid using words with the same meaning consecutively in a sentence.
Examples
Incorrect: The money that I have is sufficient enough
for my needs.
Correct : The
money that I have is sufficient for my needs.
Incorrect: Bill asked the speaker to repeat again
because he had not heard him the first time.
Correct : Bill
asked the speaker to repeat because he had not heard him the first time.
Incorrect: The class advanced forward rapidly.
Correct : The
class advanced rapidly.
Incorrect: She returned back to her hometown after she
had finished her degree.
Correct : She returned
to her hometown after she had finished her degree.
Incorrect: I am nearly almost finished with this
chapter.
Correct : I am
nearly finished with this chapter.
or
I am almost finished with this chapter.
Problem
21 Redundancy – Repetition of Noun by Pronoun
In all
patterns, avoid using a noun and the pronoun that refers to it consecutively in
a sentence. Avoid using pronoun after the noun it refers to, and that.
Examples
Incorrect: My teacher he said to listen to the news on
the radio in order to practice
listening comprehension.
Correct : My
teacher said to listen to the news on the radio in order to practice listening comprehension.
Incorrect: Steve he plans to go into business with his
father.
Correct : Steve
plans to go into business with his father.
PROBLEMS
WITH WORD CHOICE
Problem
22
Transitive and Intransitive Verbs – Raise
and Rise
A
transitive verb is a verb that takes a complement. An intransitive verb is a
verb that does not take a complement.
The
following pairs of verbs can be confusing. Remember that raise is a
transitive verb; it takes a complement. Rise is an intransitive verb; it
does not take a complement.
Transitive Intransitive
Verb
word Past Participle Verb word Past Participle
Remember
that to rise means to move to a higher place or to cause to rise. To rise
means to go up or to increase.
Raise
and rise are also used as nouns. A raise means an increase in salary. A rise
means an increase in price, worth, quality, or degree.
S RAISE C M
Heavy rain raises the water level of the reservoir every spring.
Heavy rain raised the water level of the reservoir
last week.
S RISE C M
The
water level rises when it rains every spring.
The
water level rose when it rains every spring.
Examples
Incorrect: The cost of living has raised 3 percent in
the past year.
Correct : The
cost of living has risen 3 percent in the past year.
Incorrect: The flag is risen at dawn by an honor guard.
Correct : The
flag is raised at dawn by an honor guard.
(An honor guard raises the flag.)
Incorrect: Kay needs to rise her grades if she wants to
get into graduate school.
Correct : Kay
needs to raise her grades if she wants to get into graduate school.
Incorrect: The landlord has risen the rent.
Correct : The
landlord has raised the rent.
Problem 23 Transitive and Intransitive Verbs – Lay and Lie
Remember
that lay is a transitive verb; it takes a complement. Lie is an
intransitive verb; it does not take a complement.
Transitive Intransitive
Verb
word Past
Participle Verb word
Past Participle
lay laid laid lie lay lain
Remember
that lay means to put, to place, or to cause to lie. To lie means
to recline or to occupy a place.
The past
form of the verb to lie is lay.
S LAY C M
The
postman lays the mail on the table every day.
The
postman lays the mail on the table yesterday.
S LIE C M
He lies
on the sofa to rest every day
after work.
He lay on the sofa to rest yesterday
after work.
Examples
Incorrect: Her coat was laying on the chair.
Correct : Her
coat was lying on the chair.
Incorrect: Key West lays off the coast of Florida.
Correct : Key
West lays off the coast of Florida.
Incorrect: I have lain your notebook on the table by the
door so that you won’t forget it.
Correct : I
have laid your notebook on the table by the door so that you won’t forget it.
Incorrect: Key West lays off the coast of Florida.
Correct : Key
West lays off the coast of Florida.
Incorrect: Why don’t you lay down for a while?
Correct : Why
don’t you lie down for a while?
Incorrect: Linda always forgets where she lies her
glasses.
Correct :
Linda always forgets where she lays her glasses.
Problem
24 Transitive and Intransitive
Verbs – Set and Sit
n Remember that set is a transitive verb; it takes a
complement. Sit is an
intransitive verb; it does not take a complement.
Transitive Intransitive
Verb word
Past Participle Verb word Past
Participle
set set set sit sat
sat
Remember that to set means to put, to place, or to cause to sit. To sit means to occupy a place on a
chair or a flat surface.
S SET C M
The
students set the lab equipment on the table every
class.
The
students set
the lab equipmenton the table last
class period.
S SIT C M
The
equipment sits on the table every class.
The
equipment sat on
the table last class period
Examples
Incorrect: Please sit the telephone on the table by the
bed.
Correct :
Please set the telephone on the table by the bed
Incorrect: Won’t you set down?
Correct :
Won’t you sit down?
Incorrect: Their house sets on a hill overlooking a
lake.
Correct :
Their house sits on a hill overlooking a lake.
