國營事業◆英文題庫下載題庫

   Mount Mayon, which is the most active volcano in the Philippines, is known for its steep-sloped cone shape, which is often compared to Mount Fuji in Japan. Like other volcanoes around the Pacific Ocean, Mayon is a part of the Pacific Ring of Fire. The Smithsonian reports that the volcano’s picturesque symmetry makes it something of a tourist attraction, with visitors trying to get to its rim. However, it is also the perfect cone shape that actually indicates how frequently the volcano erupts and how dangerous the volcano can be. Its geology and location could soon combine in explosive, and deadly, fashion.

   Since Mayon’s first recorded eruption in 1616, it has erupted about 58 times, the latest one in  this January, ranging from sputters to calamities. Many of Mayon’s eruptions have involved spraying out lava that collects at the rim. As it sputters over the top, it builds up over time, causing the steep slopes that have made it famous. 

   For comparison, the Italian volcano Mount Vesuvius of Pompeii has also erupted over 50 times in recorded history. In the past, Mount Vesuvius has had a roughly 20-year eruption cycle, the last serious eruption in 1944. The best known eruption was in AD 79 that led to the burying and destruction of the city of Pompeii for hundreds of years under many tons of volcanic ash unfolded in much the same way -- explosions, ash raining down, air so thick that it’s hard to breathe, and then finally a pyroclastic flow -- an explosive blast that sends ash, lava, and volcanic gas raining down fast onto the sides of the volcano. It is the most devastating part of an eruption. It’s what buried Pompeii, and Mayon may erupt in a similar fashion.