Question

【题目】D

A new satellite is travelling 1.5 million kilometers over a 110-day period to enter an orbit of the sun. It is called DSCOVR--the Deep Space Climate Observatory. It will replace a satellite that has been observing space weather.

DSCOVR will begin its work during the worst of the 11-year-long solar cycle. This is a time when extreme weather on the sun can have the greatest effect on planet Earth.

DSCOVR will gather information about a continuing flow of particles from the sun. We are protected from these particles by the Earth's magnetic field and atmosphere. But we are not fully protected from what scientists call Coronal Mass Ejections. These are strong storms that can happen on the sun's surface.

Thomas Berger is the director of the Space Weather Prediction Center at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA. He says these ejections are much more dangerous than solar particles. He says the Coronal Mass Ejections are extremely large magnetic clouds that are expelled from the sun at extremely high speeds. He says when they impact Earth, it is like a hurricane impacting Earth in terms of space weather.

Violent space weather can make electric systems stop working. It can block satellite signals to Earth. It can interfere with radio signals and air travel.

Mr. Berger says we cannot stop the ejections from affecting us, but we can prepare for them if we know when they will happen. When the DSCOVR satellite records an ejection, it will release a warning. Mr. Berger says the warning will provide NOAA about 15 to 60 minutes to let people know that a very strong storm is coming in to the Earth. He says that is enough time for power grid operators to take protective action. He says it is also enough time for workers to place satellites on a safe operating method if necessary.

Mr. Berger says scientists would like even more time, of course. He says researchers are developing instruments that will give an earlier warning.

The warnings from DSCOVR will be for the whole planet. But Mr. Berger says a new system may be able to give more-targeted warnings. He says future models will be able to tell exactly what part of the world will be more at risk from a solar storm.

That means that, for the first time, humans will get both a warning that a magnetic storm is heading towards Earth and information about where it is likely to hit.

【1】The new satellite is used to ________?

A. replace the satellite in use

B. observe space weather

C. study the sun

D. take pictures of space

【2】When will DSCOVR begin its work___________?

A. before the worst of the 11-year-long solar cycle

B. during the worst of the 11-year-long solar cycle

C. after the worst of the 11-year-long solar cycle

D. as soon as it enter the robit of the sun

【3】According to Thomas Berger, __________?

A. the Coronal Mass Ejections are expelled from the sun at extremely low speeds

B. the ejections can be stopped from affecting us

C. ejections are far more dangerous than solar particles

D. 15 to 60 minutes is not enough for power grid operators

【4】How much time do people have to make preparations for the ejections__________?

A. more than 60 minutes

B. less than 60 minutes

C. about half an hour

D. between 15 and 60 minutes

【5】What do know from the passage__________?

A. The warnings from DSCOVR will be for just some part of Earth

B. future models will be able to tell what part will be more likely to be hit

C. there is nothing we can do in the face of the solar storm

D. humans have received the warning sent from the satellite

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】B

【2】B

【3】C

【4】D

【5】B

【解析】

【文章大意】文章主要讲的是卫星监测太阳风暴并向地球发送警报。一颗被称为“深空气候观测台”的新卫星将用110天时间行程150万公里进入太阳的某个轨道，它将取代一颗一直在监测太空气象的卫星。

【1】B 推理判断题。根据第一段“It will replace a satellite that has been observing space weather.”可知，名为“深空气候观测台”的新卫星将会取代一颗正在工作的卫星来监测太空气象。

【2】B 细节理解题。根据第二段“DSCOVR will begin its work during the worst of the 11-year-long solar cycle. This is a time when extreme weather on the sun can have the greatest effect on planet Earth.”可知，DSCOVR将会在太阳11年活动周期的最高峰期间开始其工作。

【3】C 细节理解题。根据第四段“He says these ejections are much more dangerous than solar particles”可知，伯格先生认为日冕物质抛射比太阳粒子更危险。

【4】D 推理判断题。根据第六段“the warning will provide NOAA about 15 to 60 minutes to let people know...”可知，在日冕物质抛射到来之前的15到60分钟之内，人们可以采取应急措施。

【5】B 推理判断题。根据倒数第二段“He says future models will be able to tell exactly what part of the world will be more at risk from a solar storm”可知，未来的模型将能够精确地辨别受到太阳风暴影响的地区。