CNN News: 关于地震你应该知道的5点

Five things you should know about earthquakes.

关于地震你应该知道的5点

Number one, an earthquake occurs when two blocks of the Earth slip fast each other. Now, for most of the time, those blocks are together with friction. But they are building up energy because they are moving in different directions. When one block decides to slip, all of a sudden, that energy is released by seismic waves, kind of like ripples on a pond, creating the earthquake.

第一，地球上两个板块相互滑动就会产生地震。现在，多数时间，这些板块在相互摩擦。但是，因为在向不同的方向移动，所以会积聚能量。当一个板块下沉，千钧一发，这些能量就会以地震波的形式释放，就像池塘中的涟漪，然后引发地震。

Number two, an earthquake can occur very near the surface of the Earth. Those earthquakes are typically very destructive, or as deep as 400 miles down into the crust. Now, where the shaking actually happens, that`s called the hypocenter. But directly above it, on the surface, that`s called the epicenter.

第二，地震可能发生在距离地表很近的位置。但一般而言，这种类型的地震非常具有破坏性，波及距离可深达400英里深。现在，地震发生的位置，被称为震源。但是其垂直向上的地表位置，被称为震中。

Number three, the power of an earthquake is called magnitude. Now, the intensity of he shaking can vary depending on the geography, the typography, or even the depth of the quake. Now, the USGS says there are 500,000 detectable quakes every year. One hundred thousand can be felt and 100 will create damage.

第三，地震的能量级别被称为震级。现在，震动强度可能因地理位置、地形、甚至深度而有所不同。现在，美国地质调查局表示，每年可检测到50万起地震。其中人们可感受到10万起地震，而有100起地震会造成伤害。

Number four, earthquakes themselves actually don`t kill that many people. It`s the natural and manmade structures that fall to the ground during the shaking that injure and kill.

第四，地震本身并没有造成人员伤亡。是由于在地震时的自然结构和人工建筑导致伤亡。

Number five, the majority of all earthquakes and volcanoes happen along plate boundaries. The largest is the Pacific plate and its series of boundaries all along the Pacific Ocean known as the Ring of Fire.

第五，大部分的地震和火山都是沿着板块边界发生。最大的是太平洋板块及其沿太平洋的一边界，被称为“火环”。