News Item: Earthquakes in Iceland

Read this article and answer the questions. Iceland had 18,000 earthquakes last week. Most were too small to feel. The largest was a magnitude 5.6. This activity suggests that a volcano in the southwest of Iceland may erupt soon. Volcanoes in this area have been dormant for 800 years. Iceland is a volcanic island and is used to tremors. However, the recent quakes have worried people in the capital city Reykjavik. Scientists say despite the large number of quakes, there has been little damage.Iceland sits on top of 100km-thick plates that are deep in the earth. The plates below Iceland are moving apart and pushing North America and Eurasia away from each other. A Reykjavik resident spoke about his anxiety. He said: "I have experienced earthquakes before, but never so many in a row. It is very unusual to feel the Earth shake 24 hours a day for a whole week. It makes you feel very small and powerless against nature." Matching Do this matching exercise. A volcano in the southwest of Iceland It makes you feel powerless Recent quakes are causing anxiety Dormant means inactive Tremors are vibrations Magnitude means size Iceland is a volcanic island Iceland sits on top of 100km- thick plates Look at this information. Wjhat can you say about the earthquake that is mentioned in the article? Write your answer below.Earthquake Magnitude ScaleMagnitudeEarthquake EffectsEstimated NumberEach Year2.5 or lessUsually not felt, but can be recorded by seismograph.900,0002.5 to 5.4Often felt, but only causes minor damage.30,0005.5 to 6.0Slight damage to buildings and other structures.5006.1 to 6.9May cause a lot of damage in very populated areas.1007.0 to 7.9Major earthquake. Serious damage.208.0 or greaterGreat earthquake. Can totally destroy communities near the epicenter.One every 5 to 10 yearsEarthquake Magnitude ClassesEarthquakes are also classified in categories ranging from minor to great, depending on their magnitude.ClassMagnitudeGreat8 or moreMajor7 - 7.9Strong6 - 6.9Moderate5 - 5.9Light4 - 4.9Minor3 -3.9