3.0地震
Section outline
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Earthquakes can come without warning and are not easy to predict.
::地震可能在没有预警的情况下发生，也不容易预测。
Some things happen fast. Some things happen more slowly. Some things are easy to predict. Some things are hard to predict. We know the Sun will be up in the sky tomorrow. We know the ocean’s tides will rise and fall. Earthquakes are not as easy to predict.
::有些事情发生得很快。有些事情发生得比较慢。有些事情很容易预测。有些事情很难预测。我们知道明天太阳会在天空中升起。我们知道海洋的潮汐会涨落。地震不那么容易预测。
Earthquakes make the ground shake. The reasons we have earthquakes are well known. We mostly know where they will occur. Earthquakes can come without warning. Scientists study earthquakes to learn more about them. Engineers study earthquake to find ways to keep us safe.
::地震使地面震动。我们发生地震的原因众所周知。我们大多知道它们会在哪里发生。地震可能毫无预警地来袭。科学家研究地震是为了更多地了解地震。工程师研究地震是为了找到保护我们安全的方法。
Scientists study the Earth. The Earth is not solid. Its crust is broken up into plates. These plates move around. Earthquakes occur along the edges of these plates. Some plates easily slide past each other. In other areas, the plates get hung up. It is these areas where earthquakes occur more often.
::科学家研究地球。地球不是固体的。它的地壳分裂成板块。这些板块会移动。地震沿着这些板块的边缘发生。有些板块很容易滑过彼此。在其他地区，板块会被挂起来。正是这些地区地震发生得更频繁。
Scientists know that earthquakes will occur. They have learned a lot about these areas. If the plates get hung up, they cannot move. The pressure between them can build for many years. It can take a long time before the plates suddenly break free and move. Why is it important to know where earthquakes will occur?
::科学家们知道地震会发生。他们在这些领域学到了很多。如果板块被挂起来，它们就不能移动。他们之间的压力可以持续多年。板块可能需要很长时间才能突然脱离并移动。为什么知道地震发生的地点很重要？
It may be a long time before an earthquake occurs. Scientist know that an earthquake will occur. They know where they will occur. The question is always, when will they occur? Why is it important to know when they will occur?
::地震可能要过很长时间才会发生。科学家们知道地震将要发生。他们知道会在哪里发生。问题总是，它们什么时候会发生？为什么知道它们何时发生很重要？
Engineers use what has been learned about earthquakes. They look for ways to keep us safe. They look for safer ways to build homes. They study how large buildings will react. They design things to be flexible. Why do you think being flexible is better?
::程师们利用对地震的了解。他们会想方设法保护我们的安全。他们寻找更安全的方式来建造房屋。他们研究大型建筑的反应。他们设计的东西是灵活的。为什么你认为灵活一点更好？
The plates of the Earth move very slowly. They only move a couple of centimeters per year. This slow movement causes big changes over time. Scientists learn about these changes to keep us safe. The more they learn, the safer we will be.
::地球板块移动非常缓慢。它们每年只移动几厘米。随着时间的推移，这种缓慢的运动导致了巨大的变化。科学家们了解这些变化是为了保护我们的安全。他们知道的越多，我们就越安全。
