题目内容
If Richard hard next time, he the exam.
A. works; would pass B. worked; passed
C. had worked; passed D. worked; would passed
D
The 2012 London Olympics had enough problems to worry about. But one more has just been added - a communications blackout caused by solar storms.
After a period of calm within the Sun, scientists have detected the signs of a flesh cycle of sunspots that could peak in 2012, just in time for the arrival of the Olympic torch in London.
Now scientists believe that this peak could result in vast solar explosions that could throw billions of tons of charged matter towards the Earth, causing strong solar storms that could jam the telecommunications satellites and interact links sending five Olympic broadcast from London.
"The Sun's activity has a strong influence on the Earth. The Olympics could be in the middle of the next solar maximum which could affect the functions of communications satellites," said Professor Richard Harrison, head of space physics at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in Oxfordshire.
At the peak of the cycle, violent outbursts called coronal mass ejections (日冕物质抛射) occur in the Sun's atmosphere, throwing out great quantities of electrically-charged matter. " A coronal mass ejection can carry a billion tons of solar material into space at over a million kilometres per hour. Such events can expose astronauts to a deadly amount, can disable satellites, cause power failures on Earth and disturb communications," Professor Harrison added. The risk is greatest during a solar maximum when there is the greatest number of sunspots.
Next week in America, NASA is scheduled to launch a satellite for monitoring solar activity called the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), which will take images of the Sun that are 10 times clearer than the most advanced televisions available.
The Rutherford Appleton Laboratory helped to make the high-tech cameras that will capture images of the solar flares (太阳耀斑) and explosions as they occur.
Professor Richard Hold away, the lab's director, said that the SDO should be able to provide early warning of a solar flare or explosion big enough to affect satellite communications on Earth "If we have advance warning, we'll be able to reduce the damage. What you don't want is things switching off for a week with no idea of what's caused the problem," he said.
【小题1】The phrase "communications blackout" in paragraph 1 most probably refers to during the 2012 Olympics.
| A.the extinguishing of the Olympic torch |
| B.the collapse of broadcasting systems |
| C.the transportation breakdown in London |
| D.the destruction of weather satellites |
| A.The most fatal matter from the corona falls onto Earth. |
| B.The solar storm peak occurs in the middle of each cycle. |
| C.It takes several seconds for the charged matter to reach Earth. |
| D.The number of sunspots declines(减少) after coronal mass ejections. |
| A.So far scientists still don’t know what caused the Solar Storms. |
| B.When Solar Storm happens, you’d better turn off the electrical appliances. |
| C.The risk is greatest during a solar maximum when there is the greatest number of sunspots. |
| D.Early warming can help minimize the harm of the Solar Storms. |
| A.take images of the solar system |
| B.provide early warning of thunderstorms |
| C.keep track of solar activities |
| D.improve the communications on Earth |
| A.Solar Storms: An Invisible Killer |
| B.Solar Storms: Earth Environment in Danger |
| C.Solar Storms: Threatening the Human Race |
| D.Solar Storms: Human Activities to Be Troubled |
“Luck is a matter of preparation meeting opportunity,” said the American talk show host Oprah Winfrey. I’ve never watched her show, but when a self-made billionaire gives life advice it’s probably worth listening to.
Her point is that blind luck is very rare. You may have to be lucky to find a good job these days but that does not mean you should sit at home waiting for the opportunity to come to you. If you’re a Chinese, you may already be familiar with the tale of a farmer waiting by a tree stump(树桩) for a rabbit to run out and break its neck.
A book by the UK psychologist Richard Wiseman, called The Luck Factor, argues we can all make ourselves luckier. It’s not about going to a temple to burn some incense(香) hopes that the gods will give you good fortune; it’s practical advice you can follow each day.
Wiseman conducted an experiment as part of his studies. First he divided volunteers into two groups; those who said they were lucky in life and those who said they were not. He gave everyone a newspaper and asked them to look through it to count how many photographs it had inside. On average, the unlucky people took about two minutes to count the photographs while the lucky people took just seconds. Why? On the second page of the newspaper, a command, “Stop counting. There are 43 photographs in this newspaper,” was written in big letters. The unlucky people mostly did not spot the message.
It’s easy to compare this situation to a young person looking for jobs in a local paper. They might search so hard for one type of position that they miss an even better opportunity. People who are “lucky”, in fact, keep an open mind and don’t go through the same routine every day.
I first came to China in 2002 when it was considered a rather strange thing to do. Like many foreigners, my plan was to teach English for one year. Seven years later, and still here, I’ve had many great opportunities such as writing for newspapers and magazines. I did not dream these would have been possible. I’ve also never been sick, had an accident, got into a fight or had problems with the police. Coincidence? After reading about Professor Wiseman’s studies I think not.
As Wiseman advises, I usually trust my own judgment. Your friends and parents may give you advice based on rational thinking, but it’s important to consider how you feel about each choice you make. Your feeling acts as a warning for a potential problem.
Finally, try to turn bad luck into good. Even if you do fall down and break a leg, the time spent at home can be used wisely to study English.
【小题1】Which of the following proverbs most agrees with the writer’s point?
| A.Make the best of a bad job. |
| B.Rome was not built in a day. |
| C.All is not gold that glitters. |
| D.A good heart conquers ill fortune. |
| A.She became famous through her family background. |
| B.She was very lucky and seldom suffered setbacks in her life. |
| C.She is a British talk show host. |
| D.She became successful by her own effort. |
| A.luck is in your own hand |
| B.bad luck can turn into good |
| C.you should not sit at home waiting for the opportunity to come to you |
| D.man can conquer nature |