单选题 At present groups of scientific workers, often (26) by their governments, spend their time in (27) the (28) of earthquakes. It is very (29) that they will be able to (30) earthquakes or influence the direction of their movements, which are determined by events far below the surface of the earth. But the facts they report and the theories (31) by those facts may enable scientists to (32) the centers of future earthquakes and even (33) the time of their (34) . It is only when the (35) of events that we call an earthquake can be seen as a pattern that predictions can be made. Part of this pattern is external and (36) or capable of being recorded by (37) instruments above the earth's surface. Scientists and engineers studied the (38) of the San Francisco earthquake. The city was re built, and new features were (39) to strengthen buildings and maintain a (40) water supply in the event of another earthquake. The water mains (=main pipes) were fitted with control valves which would enable water to travel by different routes round broken places. Large underground tanks were constructed to supply water if (41) supplies could not be tapped. Special measures were (42) to prevent fires, which often do more damage than earthquakes themselves. The San Francisco earthquake (43) scientists with important information. Since the effects of the break were visible at the surface, scientists could (44) what actually happened, and reports of the incident were an important (45) to the world's store of knowledge about earthquakes.

单选题 A. provided B. supplied C. supplemented D. supported

单选题 A. searching B. researching C. studying D. on working

【正确答案】 C

【答案解析】解析：spend some time (in) doing sth．“在某方面花费时间”，为固定搭配，故排除D项；search“寻找”，常用搭配为search sb./some place “搜查某人/某处”，search for sth．“搜寻某物”，search into sth．“探究，调查”；research“研究”，research into a problem“研究问题”；study“研究，学习”，其后可直接跟宾语。

单选题 A. observation B. information C. behaviour D. appearance

单选题 A. probably B. likely C. unlikely D. like

单选题 A. prevent B. protect C. warn D. cause

单选题 A. provided B. offered C. suggested D. discovered

单选题 A. locate B. place C. fix D. took

【正确答案】 A

【答案解析】解析：此处意为“使科学家们找到震中”。locate“确定…地点(方位)”；fix“固定”，地震的发生是自然行为，不可能人为设定，故排除该项；D项用词不符语法结构；place“放置，安放”，不合题意，故排除。

单选题 A. foretell B. warn C. prevent D. predict

单选题 A. appearance B. incident C. occurrence D. coming

单选题 A. consequence B. seriousness C. sequence D. result

【正确答案】 A

【答案解析】解析：本句意为：只有当地震活动的影响能够被当做一种模式观测到时，(科学家们)才能做出正确的推测。seriousness“严重性，重要性”；sequence“次序”；result“结果”；consequence“重要性，影响力”。