No man can change the weather. Nobody can control the weather. But if we read correctly the signs around us we can tell what the more important changes in the weather will be. This way of telling what the weather will be like on the following day or two is called weather forecasting（天气预报）.

For many centuries and in all countries people have studied the weather and tried to make weather forecasting.

Sometimes distant objects such as hills and tall trees seem to be very clear and near. This is a sign of much water vapour（水蒸气）in the air, and therefore rain will probably come.

Rings round the sun are a sign of coming rain. Many people feel in their bones the coming of wet weather. Their joints aches. Some birds fly high if fine weather is coming but they fly near the ground if rainy or stormy weather is on the way. It is probably because of the insects (昆虫) which they are hunting that they fly low.

If you see a rainbow during rainy weather, this is a sign that the weather will become clear and fine. Such rainbows always come in the evenings. If the stars twinkle clearly at night, then fair weather will continue. If a fog appears in the morning, just about sunrise, then the day will be warm. Instead, if a fog appears in the evening the next day will be wet weather.

If sunset is mostly red in color, then the following day will be fine. If a rainbow appears in the morning, rainy weather will probably come.

Most of the above sayings have been made by people who have used their eyes and brains to make weather forecasting.

1. When birds fly near the ground, wet weather or a _____ will come.

A. storm          B. rainbow     C. dry weather      D. fog

2. If you see a rainbow during rainy weather, the weather will ________.

A. continue to be rainy              B. clear up

C. be cloudy                           D. get dark soon

3. Many people have tried their best to ________ the weather.

A. control      B. change           C. forecast            D. affect

4. When distant hills and tall trees seem to be very clear ________.

A. people will shout

B. birds will sing

C. there are rings round the sun

D. rain will probably come

5. A lot of people have pains in their joints before ________.

A. fair weather comes                         B. it rains

C. it becomes windy                       D. it gets warm