Why Do Earthquakes Happen? | A2 ESL Science Reading Passage

Use this A2-B1 ESL science reading passage to learn why earthquakes happen. It includes key vocabulary, reading comprehension questions, and answers for English learners.

Earthquakes happen when rocks in Earth's crust move and release energy.

Reading Level

A2-B1

Word Count

237 words

Reading Passage

An earthquake happens when the ground shakes. Some earthquakes are small and hard to feel. Others are strong and can damage roads, buildings, and bridges.

Earth's outside layer is called the crust. The crust is not one smooth piece. It is broken into huge pieces called plates. A plate moves very slowly over time.

Most earthquakes happen near the edges of plates. Plates can push together, pull apart, or slide past each other. Sometimes rocks near a plate edge get stuck. The plates keep pushing, but the rocks do not move right away.

Pressure builds up in the rocks. When the rocks suddenly move, they release energy. This energy travels through the ground as waves. The waves make the ground shake.

A fault is a place where rocks can break and move. Many earthquakes happen along faults.

Scientists study earthquakes with special tools. They cannot always know exactly when an earthquake will happen. But they can learn where earthquakes are more likely.

Earthquakes happen because Earth is always slowly moving. When rocks in the crust suddenly move and release energy, the ground shakes.

Earth's plates can get stuck, then move suddenly and shake the ground.

Key Vocabulary

Word	Meaning	Example
earthquake	a shaking of the ground	The earthquake shook the town.
crust	the hard outer layer of Earth	Earth's crust is broken into plates.
plate	a huge piece of Earth's crust	A plate moves very slowly.
energy	the power to make things move or change	Energy travels through the ground.
fault	a crack in Earth's crust where rocks can move	Earthquakes can happen along a fault.

Reading Comprehension Questions

1. What is an earthquake?
2. What is Earth's outside layer called?
3. Where do most earthquakes happen?
4. What happens when rocks suddenly move?
5. What is a fault?

Answers

1. An earthquake is a shaking of the ground.
2. Earth's outside layer is called the crust.
3. Most earthquakes happen near the edges of plates.
4. They release energy that travels through the ground.
5. A fault is a crack in Earth's crust where rocks can move.

Short Summary

Earthquakes happen when rocks in Earth's crust suddenly move and release energy. This energy travels as waves and shakes the ground.

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