Many of the most damaging and life-threatening types of weather torrential rains, severe thunderstorms, and tornadoes begin quickly, strike suddenly, and disappear rapidly, destroying small regions while leaving neighboring 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 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 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.
1. The word “exceeded” in paragraph 1 most probably means ______.
2. Conventional computer models of the atmosphere fail to predict such a short-lived tornado because ______.
3. According to the passage, the word “Nowcast” (paragraph 3) means ______.
4. According to the passage, ______ is the key factor to making “Nowcasts” a reality.
5. According to the author, the passage mainly deals with ______.
问题1选项
A.added up to
B.were more than
C.were about
D.were less than
问题2选项
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
问题3选项
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
问题4选项
A.scientific and technological advances such as radar, or satellites
B.computer scientist
C.meteorologists
D.advanced computer programs
问题5选项
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
第1题:B
第2题:D
第3题:B
第4题:A
第5题:D
第1题:
【选项释义】
The word “exceeded” in paragraph 1 most probably means ______. 第一段中的“exceeded”一词很可能是指______。
A. added up to A. 加起来
B. were more than B. 超过
C. were about C. 大约
D. were less than D. 少于
【考查点】词义推测题。
【解题思路】根据题干关键词exceeded（超过）可以定位到文章第一段第三句“Total damages from the tornado exceeded $250 million, the highest ever for any Canadian storm.（龙卷风造成的总损失超过2.5亿美元，这是加拿大有史以来造成损失最高的风暴。）”，由此可知，这场风暴是加拿大造成损失最多的风暴，结合语境，这里应该是指损失超过了2.5亿美元，“exceeded”在文中是指“超过”的意思。因此B选项“超过”正确。
【干扰项排除】
A选项“加起来”、C选项“大约”和D选项“少于”，均不是该词所代表的含义，属于无中生有。
第2题:
【选项释义】
Conventional computer models of the atmosphere fail to predict such a short-lived tornado because ______. 传统的大气计算机模型无法预测如此短暂的龙卷风，因为______。
A. the computer is not used to forecast specific local events A. 计算机不用于预测特定的本地事件
B. the computers are not advanced enough to predict it B. 计算机还不够先进，无法预测
C. the weather data people collect are often wrong C. 人们收集的天气数据往往是错误的
D. weather conditions in some small regions are not available D. 一些小地区的天气情况无法获得
【考查点】推理判断题。
【解题思路】根据题干可以定位到文章第二段第一句“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 atmospheric changes that come before these storms.（传统的大气计算机模型在预测像埃德蒙顿龙卷风这样的短期局部风暴方面价值有限，因为现有的天气数据通常不够详细，无法让计算机仔细研究这些风暴之前微妙的大气变化。）”，结合第二段第三句“conventional forecasting models do a much better job predicting general weather conditions over large regions than they do forecasting specific local events.（传统的预报模型在预测大区域的整体天气状况方面比预测特定的局部事件要好得多。）”可知，传统的大气计算机模型不能很好地预测龙卷风是因为一些小区域的数据采集不到。因此D选项“一些小地区的天气情况无法获得”正确。
【干扰项排除】
A选项“计算机不用于预测特定的局部事件”、B选项“计算机还不够先进，无法预测”和C选项“人们收集的天气数据往往是错误的”，文中均没有提及，属于无中生有。
第3题:
【选项释义】
According to the passage, the word “Nowcast” (paragraph 3) means ______. 根据文章，“Nowcast”（第3段）一词的意思是______。
A. a way of collecting raw weather data A. 一种收集原始天气数据的方法
B. a forecast which can predict the weather conditions in the small area in an accurate way B. 一种能准确预测小范围内天气状况的天气预报
C. a network to collect instant weather data C. 一个收集即时天气数据的网络
D. a more advanced system of weather observation D. 一个更先进的天气观测系统
【考查点】词义推测题。
【解题思路】根据题干关键词Nowcast（临近预报）可以定位到文章第三段第一句“Until recently, the observation intensive approach needed for accurate, very short-range forecasts, or ‘Nowcasts’, was not feasible.（直到最近，精确的、非常短期的预报或‘临近预报’所需的密集观测方法还不可行。）”，由前面的“accurate, very short-range forecasts”可以推断出，“Nowcast”在文中是指“准确、短期的天气预报”的意思。因此B选项“一种能准确预测小范围内天气状况的天气预报”正确。
【干扰项排除】
A选项“一种收集原始天气数据的方法”、C选项“一个收集即时天气数据的网络”和D选项“一个更先进的天气观测系统”，均不是该词所代表的含义，属于无中生有。
第4题:
【选项释义】
According to the passage, ______ is the key factor to making “Nowcasts” a reality. 根据文章，______是使“临近预报”成为现实的关键因素。
A. scientific and technological advances such as radar, or satellites A. 科技进步，如雷达或卫星
B. computer scientist B. 计算机科学家
C. meteorologists C. 气象学家
D. advanced computer programs D. 高级计算机程序
【考查点】事实细节题。
【解题思路】根据第三段第三、四句“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.（幸运的是，科学技术的进步已经克服了大部分这些问题。雷达系统、自动气象仪器和卫星都能够以相对较低的成本在大范围内进行详细的、几乎连续的观测。）”可知，解决准确、短期预报困难的关键因素是科技的发展进步。因此A选项“科技进步，如雷达或卫星”正确。
【干扰项排除】
B选项“计算机科学家”、C选项“气象学家”和D选项“高级计算机程序”，根据第三段倒数第二句“Meteorologists 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.（气象学家和计算机科学家现在共同设计计算机程序和视频设备，能够将原始天气数据转换为文字、符号和生动的图形显示，预报员可以轻松快速地解释这些数据。）”可知，气象学家和计算机科学家在共同设计计算机程序，但其目的是转化天气数据从而使预报员可以轻松地解释这些数据，并非是使“临近预报”成为现实的关键因素，属于曲解原文。
第5题:
【选项释义】
According to the author, the passage mainly deals with ______. 根据作者的观点，这篇文章主要讨论的是______。
A. a tornado in Edmonton, Alberta A. 艾伯塔省埃德蒙顿的龙卷风
B. what’s a “Nowcast” B. 什么是“临近预报”
C. the disadvantage of conventional computer models of the weather forecast C. 传统计算机天气预报模型的缺点
D. a breakthrough in weather forecast D. 天气预报方面的突破
【考查点】主旨大意题。
【解题思路】文章第一段介绍了某次龙卷风造成的损失，指出传统的计算机天气预测模式由于没有详细的天气情况数据而不能对类似于龙卷风的暴风雨做出及时的预报。接着提出直到最近，由于高科技的发展解决了人们收集天气数据时的种种问题，才使得“临近预报”这种准确、及时的天气预报成为现实，可知文章主要讲述了天气预报方面的突破性进展。因此D选项“天气预报方面的突破”最符合文章主旨，符合题意。
【干扰项排除】
A选项“艾伯塔省埃德蒙顿的龙卷风”、B选项“什么是‘临近预报’”和C选项“传统计算机天气预报模型的缺点”，都只是文章的部分内容，不足以概括全文，属于以偏概全。
