Question

The shock of the recent earthquake in Pakistan has brought another shock: the rise of a small, mysterious island, coming out from the water.

In the aftershock of the earthquake, people living in Gawadar, near the southwest coast, began to see a strange sight. They looked out into the Arabian Sea and saw a mountain-like shape coming out of the water. “I could see this gray, dome-shaped (穹頂形狀的) body in the distance, like a giant whale,” Bahram Baloch, a local journalist, told the BBC. “Hundreds of people had gathered to watch it in disbelief (懷疑).”

So what happened? The earthquake measured 7.7 in magnitude (地震級(jí)數(shù)). The force was so strong that it moved the sea floor, releasing gas. This gas pushed the seabed, mostly rock and sand, upward and out of the water. This is how mud volcanoes (泥火山) are formed. The island that measures about 20 meters high, 30 meters long and 90 meters wide is actually the tip of the mud volcano.

Is it safe? Although people have visited this new island, scientists have found dangerous gas coming from the newly formed island. “Our team found bubbles rising from the surface of the island, which caught fire when a match was lit,” said Mohammad Danish, a scientist, to Universe Today.

These mud volcanoes are not rare. But it’s striking because this one has popped up in a populated (有人居住的) area, and not far out in the sea. However, it’s not expected to last very long. Most of these mud volcanoes are swept back under the sea within one year.

1.After the earthquake, what did people see in the sea?

A. a strange light B. a blue whale

C. a mysterious island D. a mountain

2.Which of the following can be filled in the box to show how mud volcanoes are formed?

A. Dangerous gas was released.

B. Rock and sand were mixed.

C. The storm blew up the sea.

D. Huge waves appeared.

3.According to Mohammad Danish, _______.

A. it is safe to visit mud volcanoes

B. it is a bad time to do research

C. gas from the newly formed island was dangerous

D. some places on the island were on fire

4.From the last paragraph, we learn that mud volcanoes _________.

A. are good places to visit

B. often appear far out in the sea

C. exist for years

D. will not be swept away by waves

Answer 1