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Part Ⅱ
Reading Comprehension(35 minutes)
Directions:There are 4 reading passages in
this part. Each passage is followed by some questions or unfinished statements.
For each of them there are four choices marked A), B), C), and D). You should
decide on the best choice and mark the corresponding letter on the Answer Sheet
with a single line through the center.
Passage One
Questions 21 to 25 are based on the
following passage:
Many of the most damaging and life
threatening types of weather torrential rains, severe thunderstorms, and
tornadoes（龙卷风）- begin quickly, strike suddenly, and disappear
rapidly, destroying small regions while leaving neighbouring areas untouched.
Such event as a tornado struck the northeastern section of Edmonton, Alberta,
in July 1987. Total damages from the tornado exceeded $250 million, the highest
ever for any Canadian storm.
Conventional computer models of the
atmosphere have limited value in predicting short lived local storms like the
Edmonton tornado, because the available weather data are generally not detailed
enough to allow computers to study carefully the subtle（微妙的）atmospheric changes that come before these storms. In most nations, for
example, weather-balloon observations are taken just once every twelve hours at
locations typically separated by hundreds of miles. With such limited data,
conventional forecasting models do a much better job predicting general weather
conditions over large regions than they do forecasting specific local events.
Until recently, the observation intensive
approach needed for accurate, very short-range forecasts, or
"Nowcasts," was not feasible. The cost of equipping and operating
many thousands of conventional weather stations was extremely high, and the
difficulties involved in rapidly collecting and processing the raw weather data
from such a network were hard to overcome. Fortunately, scientific and
technological advances have overcome most of these problems. Radar systems,
automated weather instruments, and satellites are all capable of making
detailed, nearly continuous observation over large regions at a relatively low
cost. Communications satellites can transmit data around the world cheaply and
instantaneously, and modern computers can quickly compile and analyze this
large volume of weather information. Meteorologists（气象学者）and computer scientists now work together to design computer programs
and video equipment capable of transforming raw weather data into words,
symbols, and vivid graphic displays that forecasters can interpret easily and
quickly. As meteorologists have begun using these new technologies in weather
forecasting offices, Nowcasting is becoming a reality.
21.The word "exceeded" in
paragraph 1 most probably means ____.
A) added up to B) were more than
C) were about D) were less than
22.Conventional computer models of the
atmosphere fails to predict such a short-lived tornado because____.
A) the computer is not used to forecast
specific local events
B) the computers are not advanced enough to
predict it
C) the weather data people collect are
often wrong
D) weather conditions in some small regions
are not available
23.According to the passage, the word
"Nowcast" (paragraph 3) means ____.
A) a way of collecting raw weather data
B) a forecast which can predict the weather
conditions in the small area in an accurate way
C) a network to collect instant weather
data
D) a more advanced system of weather
observation
24.According to the passage, ____ is the
key factor to making "Nowcasts" a reality.A) scientific and technological advances
such as radar, or satellites
B) computer scientist
C) meteorologists
D) advanced computer programs
25.According to the author, the passage
mainly deals with ____.
A) a tornado in Edmonton, Alberta
B) what's a "Nowcast"
C) the disadvantage of conventional
computer models of the weather forecast
D) a breakthrough in weather forecast
19. Which type of loneliness is NOT
mentioned in the passage?
A) Severe loneliness.B) Situational
loneliness.
C) Chronic loneliness.D) Temporary
loneliness.
20.Why is a person's social contacts one
important factor in loneliness?
A) We need our friends to share similar
interests and activities.
B) We need our teachers to guide us.
C) We need co-workers to help us.
D) A lonely person's popularity may be increased
with more social contacts.
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