Summary No. of words given in the original passage: 326 No. of words to be written in the summary: 326/3 = 108 ± 5

Rough Draft There is an enemy beneath our feet – an enemy more deadly for his complete neutrality. He recognizes no national frontiers, no political parties. Everyone in the world is endangered by him. The enemy is the earth itself. When an earthquake strikes, the world trembles. The power of a quake is greater than anything man himself can produce.

But today scientists are directing a great deal of their effort into finding some way of battling earthquakes, and it is possible that at some time in the near future mankind will discover a means of protecting itself from earthquakes. An earthquake strikes without warning.

When it does, its power is immense. If it strikes a modem city, the damage is very immense. When gas cylinders burst, explosions are caused and fires start. Underground railways are wrecked. Buildings collapse, bridges fall, dams burst, and gaping crevices appear in busy streets. If the quake strikes at sea, huge tidal waves sweep inland. If it strikes in mountain regions, avalanches roar down into the valley.

Consider the terrifying statistics from the past 1755: Lisbon, capital of Portugal – the city destroyed entirely and 450 were killed. 1970: Peru: 50,000 were killed. In 1968 an earthquake struck Alaska. As this is a relatively depopulated part, only a few people were killed. But it is likely that this was one of the most powerful quakes ever to have hit the world. 

Geologists estimate that during the tremors, the whole of the state moved over 80 feet farther west into the Pacific Ocean. Imagine the power of something that can move an entire subcontinent!

This is the problem that the scientists face. They are dealing with forces so immense that man cannot hope to resist them. All that can be done is to try to pinpoint just where the earthquake will strike and work from there. At least some protective measures can then be taken to save lives and some of the property.

No. of words in the summary: 110

Notes Title : Earthquake – the deadly enemy of mankind. Deadly Enemy of Mankind

• trikes all without a distn. – national boundary/political affiliation
• Power greater than man-made weap.
• Scientists finding means to combat eq.; they will find ways to protect themselves from eq.

Damage Cause by an Earthquake in General

• Strikes without warning. 
• Modem city when struck red. to a primitive village.

Damage Caused by an Earthquake in Particular

• strikes plains, seas, mnts. – all round destm.
• In 1755, Lisbon destyd, 450 killed.
• In 1970, Peru struck, 50,000 killed.
• In 1968, Alaska hit, subcontinent moved 80 feet into the Pacific Ocean.

Problems Scientists Face

• cannot resist powerful eq.
• can predict the place of origin
• precaution can be taken to save man & property.

Abbreviations used: eq. – earthquakes; distn. – distinction; weap. – weapon; red. – reduced; mnts. -mountains; destm. -destruction; destyd.-destroyed;