Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the correct word that best fits each of the numbered blanks. Earthquakes are the most destructive natural disasters. They usually hit without any (23) ________and result in a great loss of life and an enormous demolition of buildings. Additionally, they may cause devastating landslides or (24) ________ gigantic tidal waves which, in fact, are colossal walls of water smashing into seashores with such force that they are ...

Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the correct word that best fits each of the numbered blanks.

Earthquakes are the most destructive natural disasters. They usually hit without any (23) ________and result in a great loss of life and an enormous demolition of buildings. Additionally, they may cause devastating landslides or (24) ________ gigantic tidal waves which, in fact, are colossal walls of water smashing into seashores with such force that they are capable of destroying coastal cities. (25) ________, the vast majority of fatalities and serious injuries come about when buildings collapse.

Most frequently, the earthquake lasts 30 to 60 seconds, so usually there is no time to escape once the shaking starts. The savage (26) ________ 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 the most (27) ________factors deciding about the survival and collapse of the structure and, consequently, about the life or death of its inhabitants.