Earthquakes

Copyright (c) 2010 Open English (FoxyP2 Inc.) All rights reserved.
 Earthquakes
Ideas Out of the Box…
• What do you know about earthquakes?

Copyright (c) 2010 Open English (FoxyP2 Inc.) All rights reserved.
 Earthquakes
Useful Vocabulary & Phrases:

Quake
Tremor
Tectonic plates
Seismometer
Magnitude
Richter scale
Epicenter
Fault line
Aftershock
Tsunami / Tidal wave
Devastation
Survivor
Refugee camp
Copyright (c) 2010 Open English (FoxyP2 Inc.) All rights reserved.
 Earthquakes
Reading Exercise…
There are two major forces that can cause earthquakes: volcano eruptions and
movement of the Earth’s tectonic plates. When the tectonic plates are disturbed
they release a tremendous amount of energy in the form of seismic waves.
Upon reaching the surface, these waves cause the ground to shift and crack.

Even though there is no way to prevent earthquakes, we can record their

magnitude with a tool called the “seismograph”. Another tool used to measure
the intensity of an earthquake is called the “Richter scale”.

An earthquake’s magnitude ranges from 3 to over 7 points on the Richter scale.

The higher the number, the more destructive and deadly the earthquake can be.

The starting point of an earthquake is known as the epicenter. If an

earthquake’s epicenter takes place in the ocean it can lead to a Tsunami, which
is a series of large tidal waves. Tsunamis can cause great damage when they
reach land.

Copyright (c) 2010 Open English (FoxyP2 Inc.) All rights reserved.
 Earthquakes
Discussion…
• What is an earthquake?
• How are earthquakes measured?
• At what level of the Richter's scale are earthquakes mostly perceived
or felt?
• What is a tsunami?
• Do earthquakes cause damage over large areas or small areas?

Copyright (c) 2010 Open English (FoxyP2 Inc.) All rights reserved.
 Earthquakes
Discussion: Earthquakes
• Can you explain why and how earthquakes happen?
• What is an aftershock? Can there be more than one?
• What is the epicenter of an earthquake?

Copyright (c) 2010 Open English (FoxyP2 Inc.) All rights reserved.
 Earthquakes
Discussion: Personal Experience
• Have you ever been in an earthquake? If yes, what did it feel like?

Copyright (c) 2010 Open English (FoxyP2 Inc.) All rights reserved.
 Earthquakes
Quick Tips: Recent Earthquakes
An example of a recent earthquake occurred in Haiti near Port au
Prince. It measured as a 7.3 on the Richter scale. It devastated the
capital and outskirts of Haiti, killing thousands of people. It also
destroyed many homes, businesses, streets and the main shipping port.

Copyright (c) 2010 Open English (FoxyP2 Inc.) All rights reserved.
 Earthquakes
Discussion: Recent Earthquakes
• Can you think of another recent earthquake?
• How can we help if a situation like this happens again?

Copyright (c) 2010 Open English (FoxyP2 Inc.) All rights reserved.