8.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.
72.The phrase"communications blackout"in paragraph 1 most probably refers toB 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
73.What can be inferred about the solar activity described in the passage?D
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 after coronal mass ejections.
74.According to the passage,NASA will launch a satellite toC
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
75.Which of the following might be the best title of the passage?D
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.
分析 本文是一篇说明文,文章谈论的正是太阳粒子的变化可能会影响奥运会.科学家已经发现迹象,太阳黑子运动周期的高峰在2012,也就是伦敦奥运会到来之际,科学家认为这可能导致大量的太阳爆发峰值可以将数十亿吨带电物质投向地面,造成强烈的太阳风暴可能堵塞通信卫星和互动链接发送广播从而影响伦敦奥运会.
解答 72.B.词义推测 明确提问是paragraph 1中"communications blackout"的意思,根据第三段中"causingstrong solar storms that could jam the telecommunications satellites the collapse of broadcasting systems andinternet links sending live Olympic broadcast from London"可知,communications blackout就是指由于太阳粒子的变化会引起奥运会广播系统的崩溃.故选B.
73.D 推理判断.根据第四段"At the peak of the cycle,violent outbursts called coronalmass ejections (日冕物质抛射)occur in the Sun'satmosphere"可知,是在最高峰的时候出现coronal mass ejections,那么最高峰以后,太阳粒子的数量会有所减少.故选D.
74.C 细节理解.由第五段"NASA is scheduled to launch a satellite for monitoring solar activity called the Solar Dynamics Observatory"可知,NASA将发射一颗卫星监视太阳的活动.注意选项"keep track of"与原文"monitor"是同义替代.故选C.
75.D 标题判断.纵观全文及第四段"disable satellites,cause power failures on Earth and disturb communications"可知,文章介绍的是太阳运动给我们带来的麻烦,故选D.
点评 解答细节理解题时,一个常用的方法就是运用定位法,即根据题干和选项中的关键词从原文中找到相关的句子,与选项进行比较从而确定答案;推理判断题既要求学生透过文章表面文字信息推测文章隐含意思,又要求学生对作者的态度、意图及文章细节的发展作正确的推理判断,力求从作者的角度去考虑,不要固守自己的看法或观点.