EduFarming
Your list · 0हिं — This page is in English only

Type at least two letters. Press Esc to close.

↑↓ navigate↵ openTAB cycle filter

Factual passages · Question 171 of 435

What causes a tsunami, according to the passage?

Question 171

EasyOriginal question

A tsunami is not one wave but a of waves, and it is caused not by the weather but by movement under the sea: an earthquake beneath the ocean floor, or an undersea volcano erupting.

Out in the deep ocean, a tsunami can be hard to notice. Its waves do not rise much higher than ordinary waves there. The danger comes as they travel towards land. As the water grows , the waves slow down and build up, higher and higher, until they strike the coast with terrible force.

Their speed depends on the depth of the water, not on how far they are from where they began. Over deep water, tsunami waves can travel as fast as a jet plane, slowing down only when they reach the shallows near the shore.

People often call a tsunami a "tidal wave", but scientists who study the ocean the name. , the regular daily rise and fall of the sea, have very little to do with these giant waves. Calling them tidal waves suggests a cause that is not the real one, and understanding the real cause matters to anyone who lives by the sea.

What causes a tsunami, according to the passage?

Options for question 171

Show the answer and explanation
CorrectNot quiteAnswer B

Correct answer: B

Explanation

  1. The first paragraph says it is caused "not by the weather but by violent movement under the sea: an earthquake beneath the ocean floor, or an undersea volcano erupting".

Worth noting

The passage says tides "have very little to do with these giant waves".

Concept
Locating a stated cause
Typical time
35 s
Your time
—
The rule this testsA detail the passage states
Practise this chapter →

Ten questions from Factual passages, at your own pace.

Practise this chapter →

Ten questions from Factual passages, at your own pace.