Earthquakes are the most destructive natural disasters. They usually (17)__________ without any warning and result in a great loss of life and an enormous demolition of buildings. Additionally, they may cause devastating landslides or create gigantic tidal waves which, in (18)__________, are colossal walls of water smashing into seashores with such force that they are capable of destroying coastal cities. However, the vast majority of fatalities and serious injuries (19)__________ when buildings collapse.
Most frequently, the earthquake lasts 30 to 60 seconds, so usually there is no time to (20)__________ once the shaking starts. The savage forces of an earthquake trigger off a complex chain reaction in the building’s structure when it is shaken, lifted, pushed or pulled. A building’s height, its shape and construction materials are (21)__________ factors deciding about the survival and collapse of the structure and, consequently, about the life or death of its (22)__________.
- A. hit B. strike C. fall D. attack
- A. certainty B. honesty C. truth D. fact
- A. go about B. move about C. come about D. run about
- A. escaping B. to escape C. escaped D. escape
- A. most significant B. more significant C. as significant D. the most significant
- A. settlers B. citizens C. natives D. inhabitants
