简答题(共3小题;每小题1.5分,满分4.5分)

Tsunamis (海啸) are a series of huge waves created by an underground movement such as an earthquake or a volcanic eruption (火山喷发) . A tsunami can travel hundreds of miles per hour in the open ocean and hit the land with huge waves.

From the area where the tsunamis come, waves travel in all directions. Once the waves approach the coast, they will become more than 100 feet in height. The topography (地形) of the coastline and the ocean floor will influence the size of the wave. There may be more than one wave and the latter one may be larger than the one before. That is why a small tsunami at one beach can be a huge wave a few miles away.

All tsunamis are dangerous, even if they may not damage every coastline they strike. A tsunami can strike anywhere along most of the US coastline. Many harmful tsunamis have occurred along the coasts of California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska and Hawaii.

A movement of the ocean floor, caused by earthquakes, most often causes tsunamis. If a tsunami occurs close to a coast, the first wave could reach the beach in a few minutes, even before a warning is given. Areas are at greater risk if they are less than 25 feet above sea level and within a mile of the coastline. Drowning is the most common cause of death during a tsunami. Tsunami waves are very harmful to buildings. Other dangers include floods, pollution of drinking water, and fires from gas lines.

An accurate prediction (预报) system will allow authorities (官方) to issue timely warnings and save lives in the event of a shore-bound tsunami. But forecasting tsunamis accurately is very difficult because the ocean is usually calm before they strike land.

65. What can cause tsunamis according to the passage? ( 回答词数不超过6个 )

66. What harm can a tsunami bring besides killing people and damaging buildings? ( 回答词数不超过15个 )

67. Why is it very difficult to forecast tsunami accurately ? ( 回答词数不超过9个 )


In the second half of each year, many powerful storms are born in the tropical(热带的)Atlantic and Caribbean seas. Of these, only about half a dozen becomes the strong, circling winds of 75 miles per hour or more that are called hurricanes, and several usually make their way to the coast. There they cause millions of dollars of damage, and bring death to large numbers of people.
The great storms that hit the coast start as soft circling wind hundreds — even thousands — of miles out to sea. As they travel aimlessly over water warmed by the summer sun, they are carried westward by the southeast winds. When conditions are just right, warm, moist(潮湿) air flows in at the bottom of such a wind, moves upward through it and comes out at the top. In the process(过程), the moisture in this warm air produces rain, and with it the heat is changed to energy in the form of strong winds. As the heat increases, the young hurricane begins to move in a counter-clockwise motion(逆时针运动).
The life of a hurricane is only about nine days, but it contains almost more power than we can imagine. The energy in the heat released(释放) by a hurricane’s rainfall in a single day would satisfy the entire electrical needs of the United States for more than six months. Water, not wind, is the main source of death and destruction(毁灭) in a hurricane. A typical hurricane brings 6 to 12 inch downpours, causing sudden floods. Worst of all is the powerful movement of the sea — the mountains of water moving toward the hurricane center. The water level rises as much as 15 feet above normal as it moves toward shore.
【小题1】When is an ordinary tropical storm called a hurricane?

A.When it begins in the Atlantic and Caribbean seas.
B.When it hits the coastline.
C.When it is more than 75 miles wide.
D.When its winds reach 75 miles per hour.
【小题2】What is the worst thing about hurricanes?
A.The terrible effects of water. B.The heat they give off.
C.That they last about nine days. D.Their strong winds.
【小题3】Here the word “downpour” means ______.
A.heavy rainfall
B.dangerous waves
C.the progress of water to the hurricane center
D.the increasing heat
【小题4】Which statement about a hurricane is wrong?
A.It travels more than 75 miles per hour.
B.It usually stays about 9 days.
C.It usually causes 6 to 12 inch downpours.
D.It sometimes brings the sea water level to the height of 15 feet.

There has been a dramatic increase in the number of natural disasters over the past few years, and it is assumed that global warming and climate change could cause even more disasters in the future. Some of the world’s leading cities are facing disasters like floods and heat waves.

    London

    London’s flood defences are getting older. Since 1982, the Thames Barrier(水闸)has protected the city from the threat of flooding, but it was only designed to last until 2030 and close once every two or three years. About 26 years later the barrier now closes five or six times a year and according to Environment Agency predictions, by 2050 the barrier will be closed on almost every tide if the problem is not addressed.

    There are 26 underground stations, 400 schools, 16 hospitals, an airport and 80 billion worth of property in London’s flood risk area, so large scale flooding would be disastrous.

    Paris

    Over a six week period in July and August 2003, more than 1 1,400—mainly elderly people—died in France from dehydration(脱水)and extremely high body temperature in a deadly heat wave. Heat waves of similar intensity(强度)are expected every seven years by 2050, so what can be done to make sure such a disaster does not happen again?

    One solution is to have air-conditioners installed in elderly care homes. But this is considered a short-term solution, as the increase in demand for electricity also increases carbon emissions(排放).

 In Paris the local authorities are encouraging architects to design new types of buildings such as the building “Flower Tower,” which uses a covering of bamboo to act as a natural air-conditioner.

Shanghai

    Shanghai is the fastest growing city on Earth. It has a population of 18 million and is only 4 meters above sea level. Sea levels are predicted to rise by 20 cm within the next century.

    An estimated 250,000 people move to Shanghai every year in search of work, placing extra demands on energy consumption. China relies heavily on coal—fired power stations, but these emissions increase temperatures and, in turn, warmer seas increase the risk of typhoons.

1.What problem should be settled now in London?

A.How to protect the city’s property

B.Where to build its flood defences

C.How to use the Thames Barrier to protect the city

D.How to improve the function of the old flood defences

2.Which of the following measures can’t solve the heat wave disaster in Paris?

A.Putting up new types of buildings with a covering of bamboo

B.Having air-conditioners installed in elderly care homes

C.Forbidding the city to build“Flower Tower”

D.Encouraging architects to design new types of buildings

3.The major threats to Shanghai are          

A.increasing population and coal-fired power stations

B.rising sea levels and typhoons

C.extremely high temperature and rising sea levels

D.extra demands on energy consumption and typhoons

4.The purpose of the passage is      

A.to tell us how to protect the big cities

B.to give advice on how to defend natural disasters

C.to explain what causes flood and heat waves

D.to warn us of the increasing natural disasters in big cities

5.Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?

A.Big Cities Facing Big Disasters

B.Big Disasters in the Future

C.The Increase of Natural Disasters

D.Solutions to Natural Disasters

 

违法和不良信息举报电话:027-86699610 举报邮箱:58377363@163.com

精英家教网