How can scientists predict earthquakes? Earthquakes are not scattered anywhere but happen in certain areas. They happen in places where pieces of the earth's surface meet. For example, earthquakes often occur on the west-coast of North and South America, around the Mediterranean Sea, and along the Pacific coast of Asia.
Another way to predict earthquakes is to look for changes in the earth's surface, like asudden drop of water level in the ground. Some people say animals can predict earthquakes. Before earthquakes people have seen chickens sitting in trees, fish jumping out of the water, snakes leaving their holes and other animals acting strangely.
After an earthquake happens, people can die from lack of food, water, and medical supplies. The amount of destruction caused by an earthquake depends on where it happens, what time it happens, and how strong it is. It also depends on types of building, soil conditions and population. Of the 6000 earthquakes on the earth each year, only about fifteen cause great damage and many deaths.
1.    Earthquakes happen in certain areas where     .
  A. the population is large                               B. pieces of the earth's surface meet
  C. the soil conditions are stable                     D. many buildings are built
2.    Earthquakes often happen along                     .
  A. the east-coast of North America               B. the east-coast of South America
  C. the Pacific coast of Asia                           D. the coast of Australia
3.    Looking for     can help predict earthquakes.
  A. changes in the earth's surface                    B. water beneath the earth's surface
  C. drops of water                                           D. water currents
4.    After an earthquake, as a result of      people may die.
  A. lack of food                                              B. lack of friendship
  C. lack of information                                   D. lack of knowledge
5.    The passage mainly discusses              .
  A. the damage caused by earthquakes           B. how strong earthquakes are
  C. strange animal behaviors                           D. how to predict earthquakes