Choose the meaning of the bold word.The epicenter of the 9.0 magnitude quake was under the Indian Ocean near the west coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra . . . (from “The Deadliest Tsunami in History?”)
The meaning of the bold word "epicenter" is the point on the Earth's surface directly above the focus of an earthquake.
The bold word "epicenter" refers to the point on the Earth's surface vertically above the focus (or hypocenter) of an earthquake. It is the location where the seismic waves originate and where the shaking is the most intense. In the given context, it indicates the specific location in the Indian Ocean near the west coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra where the earthquake was centered.
The bold word in the sentence is "epicenter". To determine its meaning, we can start by looking at the context of the sentence. It mentions a 9.0 magnitude quake and its location under the Indian Ocean near the west coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra.
Based on this information, we can deduce that the epicenter refers to the point on the Earth's surface directly above the focus or origin of the earthquake. In other words, it is the location on the surface where the seismic energy is released and originates.
To find the meaning of words, particularly if they are technical or specific to a certain field like seismology in this case, it is often helpful to rely on context clues. In this case, understanding the general concept of an earthquake, including its epicenter, can support our interpretation. Additionally, research or reading about earthquakes and related terms can provide more in-depth knowledge and understanding.