# PTE Re-order #24: The 1906 San Francisco...

Re-order Paragraphs #24 - Level 2 - Feeds Reading

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- At 5:12 a.m. on April 18, 1906, the people of San Francisco were awakened by an earthquake that would devastate the city.
- The main temblor, having a 7.7-7.9 magnitude, lasted about one minute and was the result of the rupturing of the northernmost 296 miles of the 800-mile San Andreas fault.
- But when calculating destruction, the earthquake took second place to the great fire that followed.
- The fire, lasting four days, most likely started with broken gas lines (and, in some cases, was helped along by people hoping to collect insurance for their property they were covered for fire, but not earthquake damage).

## Answer

1. At 5:12 a.m. on April 18, 1906, the people of San Francisco were awakened by an earthquake that would devastate the city.
2. The main temblor, having a 7.7-7.9 magnitude, lasted about one minute and was the result of the rupturing of the northernmost 296 miles of the 800-mile San Andreas fault.
3. But when calculating destruction, the earthquake took second place to the great fire that followed.
4. The fire, lasting four days, most likely started with broken gas lines (and, in some cases, was helped along by people hoping to collect insurance for their property they were covered for fire, but not earthquake damage).

## Explanation

The sequence begins with the specific time of the initial event, followed by the technical details of the geological rupture. The narrative then shifts to the comparative impact of the subsequent fire, concluding with the specific causes of that fire.

(Sentence 1): It begins by introducing the catastrophic earthquake that struck San Francisco at 5:12 a.m. on April 18, 1906, setting the context for the devastating event. (Sentence 2): The second sentence elaborates on the specifics of the earthquake, mentioning its magnitude of 7.7-7.9, its one-minute duration, and that it resulted from the rupturing of the northernmost 296 miles of the San Andreas fault. (Sentence 3): It then highlights that, in terms of destruction, the earthquake was less devastating compared to the great fire that followed. (Sentence 4): Finally, it provides details about the fire, noting that it lasted four days, was likely caused by broken gas lines, and was exacerbated by property owners hoping to claim insurance for fire damage since their policies did not cover earthquake damage.

## Hints

- Start by finding the sentence that introduces the specific date and time of the event.
- Look for transition words like 'but' or 'followed' to link the earthquake's impact to the fire.

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