Many people like the feeling of the gentle wind in spring．Many like to see the falling leaves  dancing in the wind in autumn．But sometimes，when the wind becomes a storm，it can be very destructive．

    A series of such storms struck the us last month and caused very serious damage and human  pain．

    Every year，major storms cause many problems around the world．There is nothing people can．do to stop these powerful forces of nature．But new techniques are helping scientists to predict how，when ,and where big storms will happen．The more exact scientists’ warnings are，the better people can prepare for the storms．

   Predictions are improving．“We’ve gotten better over the years，especially the last few years，”says Phil Klotzback，a scientist at an American university．How is a storm formed ? Even if scientists know where a storm will happen，winds can suddenly change，carrying the storm to a new direction．“For a hurricane to happen，conditions have to be just right，”Klotzback says．

    First, the ocean water needs to be warm enough so that it evaporates and rises into the air．As it rises．the vapor cools and turns back into liquid．This process gives off heat．This produces energy like an engine that causes winds to increase．It drives the formation of a hurricane．

    If wind speeds reach 40 miles per hour，the system is called a“tropical storm”（热带风暴），and it gets a name．At 75 miles per hour，it becomes a hurricane．

    Hurricanes that hit the US start when a thunderstorm forms off the coast of Africa．Storms also develop over tropical waters in other parts of the world．

    On average，60 or 70 storms form off Africa every year．About l0 of them get names．There are usually about six hurricanes．Two tend to be very big，with winds of 115 miles per hour of higher．

    The hurricane season lasts from June to November．Ninety percent of all hurricanes hit in Au

gust，September，and October．

1．According to the text，hurricanes usually ________

    A．form off the coast of Africa and America

    B．travel at 40 miles per hour and get its name

    C．cause sea winds to rise and blow over the sea

    D．hit parts of the world in summer and autumn

2．If _______，people can prepare for the storms better．

    A．people fully realize the destroy of storms

    B．scientists give predi6tions or warnings of storms more exactly

    C．scientists know where a storm will happen

    D．conditions of the storms are just to be right．

3．The underlined word“evaporates”（in Paragraph 5）probably means“________”．

    A．begins to move    B．gets lost

    C．becomes hot           D．changes into a gas

4．Which of the following about the information of a hurricane is the correct order

    a．The ocean water evaporates and goes into the air．

    b．Heat creates energy and causes winds to increase．

    c．ne vapor cools．

    d．The ocean water is warm enough．

    e．The vapor changes back into liquid．

    f．This course gives out heat．

    A．a，d，e，b，c，f             B．a，b，c，f，d，e

    C．d，a，c，e，f，b               D．d，a，b，c，e，f

5．Which of the following statements is NOT true?

    A．The speed of the biggest two hurricanes reaches 115miles per hour．

    B．About one third of the hurricanes tend to be very big．

    C．One out of six or seven storms get names．

    D．Every year at least 60 storms form off Africa．

After a week-long vacation, U.S. President Barack Obama will focus on proposals to strengthen the still-recovering American economy. The agenda includes the reform of the nation’s health care system.

The Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare as some call it, expands federal health care programs for the needy and encourages Americans of all income groups to purchase private health care insurance.

“If you do not have insurance, beginning on October 1st, private plans will actually compete for your business. You can comparison--shop in an online marketplace, just like you would for cell phone plans or plane tickets. You may be eligible for new tax credits to help you afford the plan that’s right for you. And if you are in the up to half of all Americans who have been sick or have a preexisting condition, this law means that beginning January 1st, insurance companies have to cover you," Obama said.

Health-care spending accounts for one-seventh of U.S. economic activity, and is projected to increase to one-fifth in coming years. The cost has a direct bearing on America’s economic and financial well--being. Drawn up in 2010, the Affordable Care Act aims to control costs and expand access to health care. The effort is a big failure, according to Republican law makers like Tim Griffin and Todd Young.

“Republicans will continue to do everything we can to protect all Americans from the president's top-down, one-size-fits-all, Washington-knows-best approach to health care that is driving up costs and hurting our economy," said Griffin. “The sooner we can delay, oppose and cancel the president's health-care law, the sooner we can get people back to work and focus on expanding opportunity for everyone.”

The president accuses Republicans of putting partisanship(党派偏见) ahead of Americans’ health-care needs. “A lot of Republicans seem to believe that if they can gum up the works and make this law fail, they will somehow be sticking it to me. But they would just be sticking it to you. Your health insurance is not something to play politics with. Our economy is not something to play politics with," he said.

As a matter of fact，the success or failure of Obamacare could shape the president’s legacy long after he leaves office.

1.It is implied in Obama’s words in Paragraph 3 that       .

A. health care insurance will be of great benefit to Americans

B. health care insurance will help recover American economy

C. insurance companies don’t expect him to carry out the law

D. insurance companies will cover Americans in all aspects

2.According to Tim Griffin，Obama’s health-care law       .

A. will be strongly opposed to by the Republicans

B. will cause fewer economic problems in America

C. will be cancelled sooner or later by the government

D. will never work without the help of the Republicans.

3.What does Obama accuse Republicans of according to the passage?

A. They don’t know what Americans are in need of.

B. They tend to put their own benefit ahead of Americans’.

C. They know nothing about health insurance and economy.

D. They like to play politics with economy and health insurance

4.What is the author’s tone in this passage?

A.Subjective                        B.Critical            C.Unconcerned                   D.Objective