Indonesia is a dangerous country to call home.It lies above several active plates(板块)with many fire-breathing volcanoes around.The eruption of a volcano and the shaking of an earthquake this week is just one reminder of Indonesia’s burning base.
Indonesia, consisting of 17,500 islands, sits between the world’s most active region, the Pacific Ring of Fire, and the world’s second most active region, the Alpide belt.Being situated between them means the islands experience some of the strongest earthquakes and most powerful volcanic eruptions known on Earth.
The Pacific Ring of Fire is the world’s greatest earthquake belt according to U.S.Geological Survey(USGS), because of its series of fault(断层)lines covering about 25,000 miles from Chile through Japan and Southeast Asia.
Earthquakes usually occur along faults, which are breaks in the rocky plates.About 90 percent of all the world’s earthquakes, and 80 percent of the world’s largest earthquakes, strike along the Pacific Ring of Fire.About 17 percent of the world’s largest earthquakes and 5-6 percent of all quakes occur alone the Alpide belt.In 2009 alone Indonesia had 10 earthquakes greater than magnitude(震级)6.0, according to the USGS.
Monday’s 7.7-magnitude earthquake that caused a 3-meter-high tsunami, killing at least 113 people, occurred when the Australian and Sunda plates struck into each other.One rocky plate took a dive below the other, resulting in an earthquake
The 9.1-mangitdue 2004 quake and Indian Ocean tsunami killed about 230,000 people in quite a few countries.Below Indonesia, the Eurasian Plate, Australian Plate, Sunda Plate and Pacific Plate meet together.
(1)
Which of the following is TRUE of Indonesia?
[ ]
A.
It covers 17,500 islands
B.
It’s about 25,000 miles long
C.
It’s in the center of the Alpide
D.
It’s far from the Pacific Ring of Fire
(2)
How many of the world’s earthquakes occur along the Pacific Ring of Fire and the Alpide belt?
[ ]
A.
About 90 percent
B.
About 17 percent
C.
About 80 percent
D.
About 95 percent
(3)
It can be inferred that Indonesia has many earthquakes because _______.
[ ]
A.
there are many volcanoes
B.
many plates met there
C.
the environment is polluted
D.
the plates there are very thin
(4)
Which of the following is TRUE?
[ ]
A.
The Pacific Ring of Fire is the world’s second most active region
B.
There were ten earthquakes in Indonesia in 2009
C.
Australian and Sunda plates’ striking caused Indonesia Monday’s 7.7-magnitude earthquake
D.
The 9.1-magnitude 2004 quake killed 230,000 Indians