Earth's Forces at Work in Japan CKLA

What is the main idea of the passage?

• Earthquakes happen because of tectonic plates.

• The Japanese god Kashima protects people from earthquakes.

• Japanese myths explain earthquakes using a giant catfish.

• Kashima causes earthquakes by moving a stone.

What is the purpose of the second paragraph?

• To compare Japan’s earthquakes to those in other countries.

• To tell a story about earthquakes in Japan.

• To describe how Japan prepares for earthquakes.

• To explain the real scientific cause of earthquakes in Japan.

Based on paragraph 3, which earthquake was the strongest in Japan’s recorded history?

• The 1923 earthquake

• The 1995 earthquake

• The 2011 Great Tohoku earthquake

• The Kobe earthquake

What does the word “epicenter” most likely mean in paragraph 3?

• The starting point of an earthquake

• The amount of energy released in an earthquake

• A place where earthquakes never happen

• The largest earthquake ever recorded

According to the passage, how does Japan monitor earthquakes?

• Scientists create artificial earthquakes for research.

• People watch the ocean for signs of earthquakes.

• They have advanced seismographs that detect ground movements.

• Scientists use satellites to track tectonic plates.

What is the author’s main purpose in paragraph 5?

• To describe how Japan prepares for natural disasters

• To explain how earthquakes form

• To describe the damage caused by the 2011 tsunami

• To compare the size of different earthquakes

Which sentence from the passage best supports the idea that Japan experiences many earthquakes?

• "Japan shakes when Namazu wiggles his tail."

• "The Great Tohoku earthquake, as many people call it, measured 9.0 on the Richter scale."

• "Plate movements trigger hundreds, even thousands, of earthquakes in Japan every year."

• "Japan has more than 100 active volcanoes."

How did the Great Tohoku earthquake affect Japan?

• It caused a tsunami that destroyed many homes and buildings.

• It helped scientists learn how to stop earthquakes.

• It was the first earthquake ever recorded in Japan.

• It created a new volcanic island.

What does the phrase “volcanic work in progress” in paragraph 8 mean?

• Scientists are building a new island.

• The island was destroyed by an earthquake.

• The island is still forming due to volcanic eruptions.

• The island is finished growing.

What is the relationship between earthquakes and tsunamis according to the passage?

• Earthquakes can create tsunamis when they happen in the ocean.

• Tsunamis prevent earthquakes from happening.

• They are not related to each other.

• Tsunamis cause earthquakes.