What is the function of the Richter Scale?
(A) To measure the destruction caused by earthquakes
(B) To measure the epicenters of earthquakes
(C) To measure natural disasters initiated by earthquakes
(D) To measure the force of earthquakes

Every year earthquakes are responsible for a large number of deaths and a vast amount of  destruction毀滅，消滅 in various各種不同的；各種各樣 parts of the world.

Most of these damaging earthquakes occur either in a narrow belt which surround環繞，圍繞 the Pacific Ocean or in a line which extends from Burma to the Alps in Europe. Some of the destruction is directly caused by the quake itself.

An example of this is the collapse of buildings as a result of vibration持續振動；輕微抖動.

Other damage results from landslide山崩, tsunamis海嘯 or major fires which are initiated開始 by the quake. 
There are about a million quakes a year. Fortunately, however, not all of them are destructive.

The intensity強烈；劇烈 of an earthquake is measured on the Richter scale黎克特震級，黎氏震級 which goes from 0 upward向上的，朝上.

The highest magnitude巨大；重大 recorded to date is 8.9. 
Major damage generally occurs from quakes ranging upwards from 6.0.

Exception除外的人；例外的事物 to this are those whose epicentres（地震）震央 are located far from inhabited areas.

The actual cause of the quake itself is the rupturing（使）破裂；（使）裂開 or breaking of rocks at or below the earth’s surface.

This is produced by pressure which scientists believe may be due to a number of reasons, two of which are the expansion and contraction收縮；縮小；縮短 of the earth’s crust（某物的）硬皮，外殼 and continental drift大陸漂移.

補充：continental. KK[͵kɑntəˋnɛnt!] DJ[͵kɔntiˋnentl]. 美式. adj. 洲的；大陸