Final answer:
False. Tsunamis slow down when they reach the shoreline due to the change in water depth and the shoaling effect.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement is False. Tsunamis do not pick up speed when they reach the shoreline. In deep water, tsunamis can travel at speeds up to 700 km/hr, but as they approach shallow water near the coast, they slow down. The top of the wave moves faster than the bottom, causing the sea to rise dramatically. This decrease in speed is due to the change in water depth and the shoaling effect which compresses the energy of the wave into a smaller volume, resulting in higher waves.