Reading comprehensionQuestion 272 of 550

An earthquake happens when huge blocks of the Earth's crust move and rub against each other. A great amount of energy builds up between them, and then it is suddenly set free as shaking. Most large earthquakes happen near the borders where these blocks meet. The place under the ground where the movement starts is called the focus of the earthquake. The point on the surface above it is called the epicenter. The size of an earthquake is measured on the Richter scale. The higher the number, the more energy is released. Today people cannot forecast the time of earthquakes exactly. So engineers build flexible buildings that can bear the shaking, and people practice how to take cover when it happens.

Question: What is the place under the ground where the movement starts called?

  1. The epicenter
  2. The Richter scale
  3. The focus of the earthquake
  4. The Earth's crust
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Correct answer: The focus of the earthquake

The text calls this place the focus of the earthquake.

Test structure: ETEC guide to the GAT

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Questions last reviewed: 21 October 2026