The following sentence has a blank that must be filled with the most appropriate verb so that the sentence clearly describes the effect of an earthquake. The quake also ______ mudslides on the outskirts of the city.

Introduction:
This vocabulary and collocation question focuses on choosing the correct verb to describe what an earthquake does in relation to mudslides. Understanding how certain verbs naturally combine with particular nouns is essential for sounding natural and precise in English, especially when describing natural disasters.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- Sentence: "The quake also ______ mudslides on the outskirts of the city."
- Options: tempered, tampered, erupted, triggered.
- The context implies that the earthquake caused mudslides to occur in nearby areas.

Concept / Approach:
The most natural way to express that one event caused another, especially in news reports about disasters, is to use the verb "triggered". Earthquakes are often said to "trigger landslides" or "trigger mudslides". The other verbs do not fit this pattern: "temper" means soften or moderate, "tamper" means interfere improperly, and "erupt" is usually used for volcanoes or sudden outbursts, not for mudslides being caused by something else.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Understand the meaning of the sentence. It describes additional damage caused by the quake besides the shaking itself.Step 2: Consider option D, "triggered". The phrase "triggered mudslides" is a standard collocation in reports on earthquakes.Step 3: Check option A, "tempered". This means to soften or moderate, which is the opposite of what a quake does to mudslides.Step 4: Check option B, "tampered". This refers to interfering or altering something, usually by a person, and does not fit natural disaster description.Step 5: Check option C, "erupted". While mud can erupt from a volcano, "erupted mudslides" is not a natural phrase; instead, we say "mudslides occurred" or were "triggered". Therefore, "triggered" is the best choice.

Verification / Alternative check:
Look at similar headlines: "Quake triggers landslides", "Rainstorm triggers flash floods". In each case, a main event causes a secondary disaster. The verb "trigger" clearly conveys cause and effect. None of the other verbs commonly appear with "mudslides" in this cause based context.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option A, "tempered", would imply that the quake made the mudslides milder or less severe, which is illogical. Option B, "tampered", is used for intentional human interference with objects like evidence or machinery, not for natural processes. Option C, "erupted", is used for volcanoes, anger, or sudden outbursts; it does not combine naturally with "mudslides" in this sentence structure. Only option D, "triggered", correctly expresses that the quake caused mudslides to occur.

Common Pitfalls:
Some candidates may be misled by the idea of volcanoes and choose "erupted", but they forget that the subject here is "The quake", not a volcano. Others might pick "tampered" just because it looks similar to technical words. To avoid such mistakes, always focus on real news style collocations: earthquakes "trigger" landslides and mudslides, heavy rainfall "triggers" floods, and so on.

Final Answer:
The correct verb is triggered, so the sentence reads, "The quake also triggered mudslides on the outskirts of the city."