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Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On!



Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On!

A Short Reader

Reading Level
     edHelper's suggested reading level:   grades 4 to 6
     Flesch-Kincaid grade level:   5.4

Vocabulary
     challenging words:    rough, often, cause, layer, against, edge, common, structure, though, large, also, different, part, being, another, happen
     content words:    Pacific Ocean, North America, Atlantic Ocean, Pacific Plate


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Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On!
By Brandi Waters
  

1     Why is it that earthquakes always happen in California? Why don't they happen in Florida? To answer these questions, you will have to learn a little about the structure of the Earth. Our planet is made up of rock and metal. The Earth has many different layers. The top layer of the Earth is not one solid piece of rock. Instead, it is made up of many pieces that fit together. These pieces are called plates. The plates do not fit together like a puzzle, though. They are always moving. Sometimes they bump into each other. Other times they slide against each other or scrape together as they move. The plates are not smooth. They have rough edges and sometimes the plates get stuck together. The plates keep pushing harder and harder against each other until, finally, they move. This causes an earthquake. The ground shakes because of all of the energy that was released when the plates finally moved.
 
2     Most earthquakes happen where two plates push against each other. In these places, earthquakes can happen often. This is why there are so many earthquakes in California. There is one large plate that makes up most of the floor of the Pacific Ocean. There is another plate that makes up .....
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