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Example 'Actually, volcanoes have played a long and constructive role'

1,000 Most Common Characters
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For example, consider the following Chinese text (the characters belonging to the list of 1,000 most commonly used Chinese characters are highlighted in yellow -
for the list of the most frequently used Chinese characters click here):

事实上，长久以来，火山在地球的发展史上一直担任着有建设性的角色。一所大学的网页说，多达“百分之90的大陆和海洋盆地都是因火山爆发而形成的”。可是，为什么有些火山爆发异常猛烈呢？火山爆发，始于岩浆从地球炽热的内部涌出。有的火山，熔岩以缓慢的速度溢出，不会令人措手不及。但有的火山，爆发时释出的能量比核子弹释出的还要多！为什么呢？火山爆发是否猛烈，取决于火山中岩浆的成分和黏性、岩浆里的过热水蒸气和气体有多少。当岩浆上升到地面时，其中的水蒸气和气体急剧膨胀。如果岩浆的各种成分达到某个比例，火山就会产生猛烈爆炸，就像开启罐装汽水时，汽水从罐内喷出来那样。幸好，火山爆发前往往会有些先兆。培雷火山就是其中一个例子。1902年，这个位于加勒比海马提尼克岛上的火山爆发了。爆发前，火山灰被吹到附近的圣皮埃尔市，人们深感不适，惶恐不安，大部分商店一连多天都关门不做生意。虽然如此，由于当地快要举行选举，政治家仍促请居民留下。在耶稣升天节，即5月8日那天，许多人都上天主教堂，祈求天主救他们脱离火山爆发的灾害。当日早上不到8时，培雷火山就爆发了，喷出巨量炽热的火成碎屑物，包括火山灰、火山渣、黑曜岩、浮石和高温气体，温度由摄氏200度至500度不等。致命的黑烟冲向山下，掩埋了整个圣皮埃尔市，夺去了差不多3万人的性命。教堂的吊钟熔掉了，海港的船只也烧毁了。这是20世纪的火山爆发中死亡人数最多的一次。然而，如果人们留意火山爆发的先兆，并及时采取行动，那么遇难的人就不会那么多了。

The text above is composed by a total of 553 characters. 474 of them (85%), highlighted in yellow, belong to the list of 1,000 most commonly used Chinese characters -
for the list of the most frequently used Chinese characters click here.

English translation:

Actually, volcanoes have played a long and constructive role in earth’s history. According to a university Web site, as much as "90% of all the continents and ocean basins are the product of volcanism." But what causes some eruptions to be extremely violent? Eruptions begin with an upwelling of magma from earth’s hot interior. Some volcanoes simply ooze lava, which seldom moves fast enough to catch people by surprise. But others explode with more energy than a nuclear bomb! The underlying factors include the composition and viscosity of the molten material that feeds the volcano and the amount of gases and superheated water dissolved in that material. As the magma nears the surface, captured water and gas rapidly expand. With the right magma composition, the effect is much like soda that blasts from an opened beverage can. Fortunately, volcanoes often give advance warning of an eruption. Such was the case with Mount Pelée on the Caribbean island of Martinique in 1902. An election was imminent in nearby St. Pierre, however, and politicians encouraged the people to stay, despite the ash, sickness, and fear that pervaded the city. In fact, most shops had been shut for days! May 8 was Ascension Day, and many people went to the Catholic cathedral to pray for deliverance from the volcano. That morning, shortly before 8:00 a.m., Mount Pelée erupted, venting a searing mass of pyroclasts—ash, cinders, obsidian, pumice, and superheated gas—that ranged from 400 to 900 degrees Fahrenheit [200-500°C]. Hugging the ground, the resulting dark cloud of death rushed down the mountain, overwhelmed the city, killed almost 30,000 people, melted the church bell, and set fire to the ships in the harbor. It was the deadliest eruption of the 20th century. Yet, it would not have been so deadly if the people had heeded the warning signs.

List of different Chinese characters contained in the text above:

事实上长久以来火山在地球的发展史一直担任着有建设性角色所大学网页说多达百分之陆和海洋盆都是因爆而形成可为什么些异常猛烈呢始于岩浆从炽热内部涌出熔缓慢速度溢不会令人措手及但时释能量比核子弹还要否取决中黏里过水蒸气体少当升到面其急剧膨胀如果各种某个例就产生炸像开启罐装汽喷那样幸好前往先兆培雷年这位加勒马提尼克岛了灰被吹附近圣皮埃尔市们深感适惶恐安商店连天关门做意虽然此由快举行选政治家仍促请居民留下耶稣节即月日许主教堂祈求救他脱离灾害早巨碎屑物包括渣黑曜浮石高温摄氏至等致命烟冲向掩埋整夺去差万吊钟掉港船只也烧毁世纪死亡数最次并采动遇难

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