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Question

Comprehension:
In the following passage, some words have been deleted. Read the passage carefully and select the most appropriate option to fill in each blank.
Earthquakes represent a highly consequential and perilous category of (1) __________ disasters. These phenomena arise as a result of several variables and result in subsequent consequences. An earthquake refers to the abrupt release of accumulated strain (2) __________ within the Earth's crust, leading to seismic shaking that propagates outward from the (3) __________. In essence, seismic activity refers to the abrupt displacement of the Earth's surface, commonly referred to as an earthquake, tremor or temblor. Earthquakes exhibit a range of magnitudes, encompassing both imperceptible tremors and catastrophic events capable of causing (4) __________ urban devastation. Seismicity refers to the occurrence, magnitude and classification of earthquakes. Earthquakes can also arise as a (5) __________ of volcanic activity. Moreover, these phenomena have diverse impacts that disrupt both individuals' livelihoods and physical assets.

Select the most appropriate option to fill in blank number 3.

This question was previously asked in
PYST : General Awareness - SSC Stenographer 2024 (Tier-I) (10-Dec-2024) (Shift 2)
The correct answer is
epicentre

The correct answer is epicentre.

The passage discusses earthquakes and their characteristics. Blank number 3 is in the sentence: "An earthquake refers to the abrupt release of accumulated strain within the Earth's crust, leading to seismic shaking that propagates outward from the (3) __________." The sentence describes how seismic shaking spreads from a central point. The word "epicentre" accurately describes this central point of an earthquake, from where the seismic waves radiate outwards. The other options are not contextually appropriate. A "middleman" is irrelevant to geology, "paradoxical" describes a contradictory situation, and "opened" doesn't fit the geological description.

Therefore, "epicentre" is the only word that logically completes the sentence and aligns with the scientific context of the passage. The epicenter is the point on the Earth's surface directly above the focus (hypocenter), where the earthquake originates. Seismic waves radiate outwards from this point, causing the ground shaking experienced during an earthquake.

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Important Questions from Cloze Test

  1. What would come in place of 1

  2. What would come in place of 2

  3. What would come in place of 3

  4. What would come in place of 4

  5. What would come in place of 5

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