Earthquakes occur when stress along a fault line exceeds the strength of the rocks holding it together, releasing built-up energy as seismic waves. Although small tremors can sometimes presage larger ones, scientists still cannot reliably predict when, where, or how strongly major earthquakes will strike. Building practices and preparedness, not prediction, remain the primary tools for limiting damage.
Which choice best states the main idea of the text?
- A
Most earthquakes are small.
- Bcheck_circle
Because earthquakes remain unpredictable, mitigation depends on building and preparedness, not prediction.
- C
Scientists can predict earthquakes accurately.
- D
Fault lines are the only source of seismic activity.
Explanation
The passage's central point is that limited predictability shifts the burden to mitigation — B. A contradicts; C and D are unsupported.