Every year earthquakes are responsible for a large number of deaths and a (36) amount of destruction in various parts of the world. Most of these damaging earthquakes occur either in a narrow belt which (37) the Pacific Ocean or in a line which (38) from Burma to the Alps in Europe. Some of the destruction is directly caused by the quake itself. An example of this is the (39) of buildings as a result of the quake itself. Other damage results from landslides or major fires which are (40) by the quake.
There are about a million quakes a year. (41) , however, not all of them are destructive. The (42) of an earthquake is measured on the Richter Scale, which goes from 0 upward. The highest scale recorded to date is 8.9. Major damage generally occurs from quakes (43) upwards from 6.0.
The actual cause of the quake itself is the breaking of rocks at or below the earth’s suce. This is produced by pressure (44) of the earth’s crust (地壳) and continental drift.
In order to limit the damage and (45) . Special instruments are used to help people record, for example, shaking of the earth. Scientists are trying (46) .