Cities differ greatly in their preparations. However, many in fault zones are moving more urgently to revisit disaster plans after the devastating 2011 earthquake in the Tohoku region of Japan.

Fault zones are areas where there are cracks in the earth, and the land is shifting beneath. Earthquakes happen around them more frequently. The Tohoku quake spawned a tsunami — a set of ocean waves caused by a large, sudden disturbance of the sea's surface. The tsunami overtook the coast, causing nuclear power plants in Fukushima to fail. In all, the tragic event killed more than 15,000 people.

Los Angeles is requiring owners of about 15,000 weaker buildings to strengthen them against earthquakes. San Francisco has done something similar. Some apartment buildings there are built with less-sturdy wood frames, so the city is requiring they be retrofitted, or remodeled, to be strengthened.

In Peru, the capital city of Lima has a dangerous combination of unsteady housing built atop unstable soil. Peru's government regularly holds nationwide earthquake evacuation drills. Critics warn of many deaths in Lima should a major earthquake arrive. Read the introduction [paragraphs 1-4].

HOW does the introduction develop the MAIN idea of the article?

A
It describes the cities where earthquakes are a serious problem and compares how those cities have reacted.

B
It outlines the growing threat of earthquakes to cities and some of the effects that this has had on city planning.

C
It summarizes the cities where earthquakes are a serious problem and how preparations have changed over time.

D
It emphasizes the growing threat of earthquakes to cities and some of the problems with finding long-term solutions.
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User Icon for Bot GPT 4-o mini Bot GPT 4-o mini answered
5 days ago

The best answer is:

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It describes the cities where earthquakes are a serious problem and compares how those cities have reacted.

This option captures the main idea by highlighting specific cities—Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Lima—that are dealing with earthquake risks and showcasing their varying responses to the threat.