11．Mother Nature can be fierce and some of the greatest power she uses comes in the form of sandstorms．They can be found across the globe and much like tornadoes （龙卷风），little is known about them．Sand and dust storms can be deadly with their suffocating winds full of sand．
A funny thing about sand and dust storms is that they hardly ever give any warning．They can be detected like a tornado but only after it has formed a dust whirl （回旋）．On a radar screen，they appear to be any other mass of bad weather．However，they are much worse than a thunderstorm．Not only do sandstorms produce tornadoes called sand whirls，but they invade every corner they find．If you can get out of the path，do so．
How to survive a sandstorm when you cannot run away？Sandstorms come quickly，leaving valley like beaches in their way that can cover an entire house．If you have to stay where you are，get ready．Close all windows and doors and then cover them with plastic cloth or curtains which have to be nailed to the walls．That will help keep the millions of tiny bits from entering your throat and lungs．Cover all the holes that lead to the outside．A basement is not necessarily the best place，as the clouds of dust will sink through the floors．Cover your entire face and eyes if possible．Bandannas （头巾） will work in danger．
Hunker （蹲） down in a sealed area，box，container，or room that is in no danger of being ripped away by the fierce winds．If nothing else is available，lay yourself on plastic cloth or something made of an airtight material and then roll yourself up in it．The smallest crack will let in more sand and dust than your lungs can handle for any length of time and these forces of nature usually hang around for hours，covering everything．
Breathing through wet cloth，like in a fire situation，will also help once the clouds of dust are beginning to come in．The wet cloth stops the dust and provides moisture in a difficult situation．
8．The underlined word"suffocating"in Paragraph 1probably means"D"．
A．letting out a strange noise
B．being frightening or dangerous
C．destroying everything on the way
D．causing difficulty in breathing
9．What do we know from the passage？B
A．There are sandstorms only in deserts．
B．Sandstorms often arrive without any sign．
C．Sandstorms are quite different from tornadoes．
D．Thunderstorms are worse than sandstorms．
10．What is best for people to do if a sandstorm comes？A
A．Get out of its way quickly．
B．Cover yourself with wet cloth．
C．Cover your head with a bandanna．
D．Enter a basement if you can．
11．Why should people hunker down in a sealed area，box，or container？C
A．Because they won't be blown away by sandstorms．
B．Because they can't be ripped away by the wind．
C．Because they can stop sand or dust from coming in．
D．Because they can stop the dust and provide moisture．
分析 本文属于说明文阅读，作者通过这篇文章主要向我们描述了沙尘暴的一些信息和如何在沙尘暴发生的时求生的方式．
解答 8．D．词义猜测题．根据第一段Sand and dust storms can be deadly with their suffocating winds full of sand可知很少有人知道，沙尘暴可以致命的窒息的风全是沙子；意为导致呼吸困难；故选D．
9．B．细节理解题．根据第二段A funny thing about sand and dust storms is that they hardly ever give any warning．They can be detected like a tornado but only after it has formed a dust whirl 可知沙尘暴经常没有任何征兆的到来；故选B．
10．A．细节理解题．根据第二段Not only do sandstorms produce tornadoes called sand whirls，but they invade every corner they find．If you can get out of the path，do so可知如果沙尘暴来临，人们最好迅速摆脱困境；故选A
11．C．细节理解题．根据第三段The smallest crack will let in more sand and dust than your lungs can handle for any length of time and these forces of nature usually hang around for hours，covering everything可知人要蹲下来在一个封闭的区域，箱或容器是因为他们可以阻止沙子或灰尘进来；故选C，
点评 考察学生的细节理解和推理判断能力，做细节理解题时一定要找到文章中的原句，和题干进行比较，再做出正确的选择．在做推理判断题不要以个人的主观想象代替文章的事实，要根据文章事实进行合乎逻辑的推理判断．
