Question:easy

Modern methods of ________ earthquakes recognize that quakes, far from being geologic anomalies, are part of the periodic accumulation and discharge of ________ energy.

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Think about the correct scientific term for the type of energy released by an earthquake, and the goal of studying its build-up pattern.
Updated On: Jul 20, 2026
  • Identifying ..... iconic
  • Locating ..... cosmic
  • Predicting ..... seismic
  • Watching ..... heavenly
  • Prevailing ..... acerbic
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The Correct Option is C

Solution and Explanation

This sentence hinges on basic subject knowledge about earthquakes combined with attention to word meaning. The passage explains that quakes are not random anomalies but the result of energy building up underground and then being released periodically, so the first blank should name the scientific activity built around this pattern, which is forecasting or predicting when a quake is likely to strike, hence "predicting earthquakes". The second blank needs the correct technical term for the energy involved, and the energy released in an earthquake is specifically called seismic energy, the term seismologists use for stress that accumulates in rock and is suddenly released as ground motion. None of the other energy words fit the geology of the situation, cosmic and heavenly both point toward energy from space, iconic describes symbolic recognition rather than any kind of energy, and acerbic describes a sharp or bitter quality, not a physical force at all. Once the mismatched energy words are ruled out, predicting and seismic remain as the only pair that is scientifically accurate. Restated answer: option (c) Predicting ..... seismic.
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