earthquakes can be forecast. In Japan, scientists have wired the Earth and sea to detect movements. The Chinese have traditionally watched animals and plants for warning signs of earthquakes. For example, the Chinese have noted that before an earthquake, hens' behavior changes — they refuse to enter their cages at night. They have also noticed that snakes come out of the ground to freeze to death and that dogs bark a lot, even normally quiet dogs.
Before the Hanshin earthquake in Japan, there were reports of large schools of fish swimming near the surface of the water. Certain birds, like pigeons, also seemed to be especially noisy, and were reported to be flying in unusual patterns before the earthquake. Perhaps most interesting, and most easily measured, is a chemical change in ground water before a quake. Experimental data seem to indicate that the amount of radon (Rn) in the water under the surface of the Earth waxes before an earthquake.
People would also like to be able to prevent the great destruction of property caused by earthquakes.After all, most of the people who die in earthquakes are killed by falling buildings. Therefore, building structures that can withstand the power of earthquakes is a major concern. Steel seems to be the best material, but not if it is welded to form a rigid structure. Many new structures are built with a new type of steel joint, an I-joint, which appears to be the most durable type of joint.
These joints of steel can move without breaking. Also, to prevent property damage, architects now design buildings so that the building's columns and horizontal beams are of equal strength, and vertical support columns are inserted deep into solid soil. In addition, many new houses have relatively light roofs and strong walls.
Concrete pillars for highway bridges that previously only had steel rods inside are now enclosed in steel.Besides working to improve building structures, people in areas where earthquakes are common need to prepare for the possibility of a great earthquake. They should regularly check and reinforce their homes, place heavy objects in low positions, attach cupboards and cabinets to walls, and fasten doors so that they will not open accidentally during an earthquake.
In addition to preparing their houses, people in these regions need to prepare themselves. They should have supplies of water and food at home and at work. It is best to store several gallons of water per person. It is also important to have something that can clean water and kill bacteria, so water from other sources can be made safe to drink.
Store one week's food for each person. Earthquake survival supplies include a radio receiver, a torch, extra batteries, first-aid supplies, a spade, a tent, some rope,and warm clothing. Experts also suggest the following:Keep a fire extinguisher handy. You should have one at home, at work, and in your car (if you have one). The fire extinguisher should be able to put out any type of fire.
Have the proper tools to turn off gas and water lines if necessary. Arrange an auxiliary cooking and heating source that can be used outside. One alternative is a portable camp stove with small cans of gas. Keep a pair of
heavy,comfortable shoes or boots in your home, at work, and in your vehicle. If there is an earthquake, there will be lots of fragments of broken glass. Light shoes will not protect your feet as well as heavy shoes will.
Every family needs to have earthquake emergency plans. How will family members leave the area during the chaos following an earthquake? Everyone should agree on a meeting point outside of the area — perhaps in a town several miles away. Also important is an arrangement for family members to
communicate if there is an earthquake. If an earthquake happens in a large city, many of the telephone lines within the city are likely to be down. The few remaining working lines will be busy with the calls that naturally occur after a disaster and it will be difficult to call from one part of the city to another.
It might, however, be possible to call outside the city. A sensible arrangement is to have all of the members of the family call to check in with a friend or relative who lives more than a hundred miles away.
Although scientists still cannot predict earthquakes, they are learning a great deal about how the large plates in the earth's crust move, the stresses between plates, how earthquakes work, and the general probability that a given place will have an earthquake. Someday soon it may actually become possible to
predict earthquakes with accuracy. However, even if prediction becomes possible, people who live in areas where earthquakes are a common occurrence will still have to do their best to prevent disasters by building structures that are resistant to ground movement and by being personally prepared.These precautions can make a great difference in saving lives and preventing the loss of homes. Education concerning how to survive an earthquake should be a major emphasis for all government programs and earthquake-related research projects.
如何做好防震准本
从理想上说，人们希望知道地震什么时候发生，破坏程度会如何。 在日本和中国，人们长期以来一直相信地震是可以预测的。
在日本，科学家在陆地上和海洋中铺设电线，以监测它们的运动。 而中国人的传统做法是观察动植物以获取地震的警示信号。
例如，中国人注意到，地震之前母鸡的行为会有所异常：它们夜晚不肯进笼。
他们还注意到，蛇会爬出地穴而冻死，狗会狂吠不已，甚至那些平常很安静的狗也会叫个不停。
日本的阪神地震发生之前，有报告说大批鱼群游到了水面。
有些鸟，如鸽子，也显得特别聒噪，据说地震前它们飞行的方式也与往常不同。 也许最有趣、也最容易测量的，是地震前地下水发生的化学变化。 实验数据似乎表明，地震前地下水中氡的含量会增高。
人们还希望能够预防地震会造成的重大财产损失。
要知道，多数在地震中丧生的人都是被倒塌的建筑物砸死的。 所以，具有抗震能力的房屋结构是关注的重点。
钢似乎是最佳的建材，但一旦被焊接成僵硬的结构就不行了。
许多新式结构都采用了一种新型的钢接合方法，即I形接合，它看来是最耐用的一种接合。 这种钢接合在移动时不会断裂。
同样，为了预防财产损失，建筑师如今设计楼房时会使房屋的支柱和横梁力度相等，而垂直支柱则深深插入坚实的地基中。
此外，许多新型房屋都采用了较轻的屋顶和坚实的墙壁。
高架桥的水泥柱先前只是在内部有钢筋，如今外面也包上了钢板。
除了设法改善建筑结构外，地震频发区的人们也需要为可能发生的大地震做好防备工作。 他们应当定期检查和加固房屋，将重物放在低处，将橱柜和柜子贴墙放置，加固房门以防地震时意外脱开。
除做好房屋的防震外，这些地区的人们还需要为自身做些防备。 他们应该在家里和工作地储备些水和食物。 最好每人储备几加仑水。
储备一些可以净化水和消灭病菌的东西也很重要，这样就可以安全地饮用其他来源的水了。 每人准备一周的食物。
地震救生储备还包括无线电接收器、手电、备用电池、急救用品、铁锹、帐篷、绳子和保暖衣物。
此外，专家们还提出了以下建议：
手边备有灭火器。
应该在住处、工作场所和汽车里(如果你有车的话)都存放一个。 灭火器应该是可以扑灭任何火灾的那种。
有必要的话，准备一些能关闭煤气和自来水管道的特制工具。
准备一个备用的户外烹调和取暖用具，可以准备一个便携式露营灶和几小罐煤气。 在住处、工作场所和汽车里放一双厚重、舒适的鞋或靴子。 发生地震时会有大量的玻璃碎片。
轻便的鞋子不能像厚重的鞋子那样保护好你的双脚。
每个家庭都需要制定地震应急计划。
如何让一家人在地震的混乱中安全离开？
大家应该商定一个地震区外的会合点──可能是在几英里外的某个市镇。 同样，协商好地震时家人的联络方式也很重要。
地震若发生在大城市，市里的许多电话线路很可能中断， 剩下的为数不多的可用线路会很忙，因为灾难之后自然会有许多电话，要从市里的一个地方打到另一个地方会很困难。 但可能通向市外的电话是通的。 明智的安排是，让所有的家人都给一个住在一百多英里之外的朋友或亲戚打个电话，以报平安。
尽管科学家们仍无法预测地震，但对地壳中的大板块如何移动，板块间的压力如何，地震如何发生，某地区发生地震的一般概率为多少，他们了解得越来越多。 在不久的将来，精确预测地震将成为可能。
然而，即使可以预测，居住在地震频发区的人们还是应尽力预防灾难，办法是建造能够抵抗地表运动的房屋，同时做好个人准备。
在挽救生命和防止家庭损失方面，这些预防措施会发挥很大的作用。
教育人们如何在地震中求生，应该是所有政府规划和地震研究项目的重点所在。 U7
Bill Gates 比尔盖茨
\I turned out to have been right.\—Bill Gates
“我19岁看到了未来，并将我的所见当作我事业的基点，结果证明我是对的。”──比尔·盖
茨
He's the most famous businessman and the richest man in the world—worth an estimated $40 billion in 1997. Without a doubt, Bill Gates belongs in the same class as Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, and other great minds who changed the world. The self-described \has dominated the personal computing revolution and modernized the whole world in the process. Indeed, his classification into any other rank than this would seriously understate his impact on the world.
他是当今世上最著名的商人、最有钱的富豪──1997年他的资产预计为400亿美元。毫无疑问，他与托马斯·爱迪生、亚历山大·格雷厄姆·贝尔以及其他改变世界的伟人属于同一行列。这个自称为“黑客”的人主导着个人计算机革命，并在这一过程中使整个世界现代化。的确，将他划入任何其他行列，都可能大大淡化他对世界的影响。
Gates' success stems from his personality: an unbelievable and at times frightening blend of high-voltage brilliance, drive and competitiveness. When the chairman and CEO walks through the corridors of Microsoft, it is like a switch being turned on; everything and everyone around him is charged with 10,000 volts of electricity. Gates sets the example and Microsoft employees follow. The schedule he keeps is one hint as to what he expects from his employees. It's not unusual for the \盖茨的成功源自他的人格：他才华横溢、冲劲十足、争强好胜，这些加在一起令人难以置信，有时甚至令人畏惧。当这位董事长兼首席执行官走过微软大楼的走廊时，他身边的人和物就像被打开了电源，充了一万伏电。盖茨树立了榜样，微软的员工紧随其后。他的工作安排暗示着他对员工的期待。这位“微软校园”的“校长”经常每天工作16小时。
Indeed, if there's one thing that distinguishes the Gates style, it is his time management skills. Conservation of time, energy, and focus are his hallmarks. He moves between playing the role of international spokesman for the age of technology and planning business strategy back at headquarters, getting the
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