“They're the kind of earthquake that made the big Japan earthquake in 2011 and the Sumatra earthquake and tsunami (海啸) in 2004.So they can be the real killers.So what we think these slow－slip events are telling us is，they're letting off steam，so to speak，in areas of the fault.And if they let off enough steam，that part of the fault won't rupture．”

　　The more of the fault that ruptures，he says，the more powerful the earthquake is.

　　The scientists set up a number of GPS receivers 15 years ago in Costa Rica to measure the “slow－slip” events，which take place only every year or two.

　　People

　　always

　　want

　　to

　　know

　　when

　　an earthquake is going to happen.This technology cannot predict that.But Timothy Dixon says knowing how strong the quake might give officials time to improve building codes and make other preparations.

　　“You know the earthquake is more－or－less unavoidable.Even if you don't know exactly when it's going to happen，since you know it's going to happen，and you know how big it' s going to be，you can prepare accordingly.”

　　【语篇解读】　通过一般的方法只能了解到可能会在哪些地方发生地震，如果用GPS则能预测地震的强度。

　　5．When will an earthquake happen according to the passage?

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