每题3分，共45分 1、 　　Hurricane(飓风) Katrina(克特里娜)
　　A hurricane is fiercely powerful, rotating form of tropical storm that can be 124 to 1,240 miles in diameter. The term hurricane is derived from Hurican, the name of a native American storm god. Hurricanes are typical of a calm central region of low pressure between 12 to 60 miles in diameter, known as the eye. They occur in tropical regions. Over its lifetime, one of these storms can release as much energy as 10,000 nuclear bombs.
　　The seed for hurricane formation is a cluster of thunderstorms over warm tropical waters. Hurricanes can only form and be fed when the sea-surface temperature exceeds 27 C and the surrounding atmosphere is calm. These requirements are met between June and November in the northern hemisphere.
　　Under these conditions, large quantities of water evaporate and condense into clouds and rain – releasing heat in the process. It is this heat energy, combined with the rotation of the Earth, that drives a hurricane.
　　When the warm column of air from the sea surface first begins to rise, it causes an area of low pressure. This in turn creates wind as air is drawn into the area. This spinning wind drags up more moisture-laden air from the sea surface in a process that swells the storm. Cold air falls back to the ocean surface through the eye and on the outside of the storm.
　　Initially, when wind speeds reach 23 miles per hour, those mild, wet and grey weather systems are known as depressions. Hurricane Katrina formed in this way over the south-eastern Bahamas on 23 August 2005. Katrina has had a devastating impact on the Gulf Coast of the US, leaving a disaster zone of 90,000 square miles in its wake – almost the size of the UK. Thousands have been killed or injured and more half a million people have been misplaced in a humanitarian crisis of a scale not seen in the US since the great depression. The cost of the damage may top $ 100 billion.

1what is the eye of a hurricane? A.a native American storm godB.a rotating form of tropical storm that can be 124 to 1240 miles in diameter.C.a calm central region of low pressure between 12 to 60 miles in diameterD.a storm that can release as much energy as 10,000 nuclear bombs

2Which of the following is NOT the “requirements”mentioned in the second paragraph? A.the tropical waters are warm and calmB.the sea-surface temperature exceeds 27 CC.there are thunderstorms over warm tropical watersD.the atmosphere surrounding the sea is calm

3which of the following is the best explanation of the word “drive”in the third paragraph? A.to guide, control, or directB.to force to go through or push in/ hammer inC.to supply the motive force or power and cause to functionD.to force to move in a particular direction

4what does the warm air mentioned in the fourth paragraph produce when it is rising from the sea surface? A.high pressureB.low pressureC.windD.cold air

5What is NOT true of Hurricane Katrina according to the last paragraph? A.the area affected is almost the size of the UKB.it left a disaster zone of 90,000 square milesC.half a million people are forced to leave the areaD.The cost of the damage(损失) may top $ 100 billion.

2、 　　Kobe Bryant
　　After 10 seasons wearing the No. 8 on his back, Kobe Bryant will become No 24 next season. The reason for the surprising decision by the Los Angeles Lakers super guard last week has become a hot topic for debate.
　　Bryant wore No at when he was in early high school, but he changed to No 33 in his senior year. He switched to No 8 when he was selected by the Lakers in 1996, and has been not changed since.
　　Bryant has refused to explain the decision until the end of the play-offs. So guessing Bryant''s motive has become a popular game among NBA fans and newspaper columnists.
　　There are all kinds of speculations. Many say that Bryant wants to leave the past behind and have a fresh start. He has often been criticized for playing to benefit himself and not the team as a whole. Others say that he may be trying to compare himself to Michael Jordan. Jordan was famous for his No 23 jersey. Some, such as NBC Sport columnist Michael Ventre, argue that it is “all about money”. Bryant will make more money by selling new jersey to his fans.
　　Some speculations are more about fun. For example, there is an opinion that Kobe is actually just a dihard fan of the popular TV drama “24”.
　 All this talk has turned the number changed into a major issue. It seems that there is a lot of fuss over something that should be pretty simple.
　　Jersey numbers have their own special significance in American sports, especially basketball. Players choose their number when they join a team and they usually stick with that number for the rest of their career. When a great player retires, his team will honor him by retiring his number.
　　To some extent, the jersey is the player, and the player is jersey. Thus, when you see the famous No 23 for the Chicago Bulls, you immediately think about Michael Jordan. A No 32 Miami Heats jersey recalls the image of Shaquille O'' Neal, and the Houston rockets'' No 11 belongs only to Yao Ming.
　　Lots of stories are behind players'' jersey number selections. Jordan said that he choose No 23 because it was roughly half of 45. Jordan''s elder brother wore the No 45 in college. Yao Ming once revealed that the No 11 stands for two people in love – meaning him and his girlfriend Ye Li.

1Which team has Bryant played for? A.the Los Angels LakersB.The Houston rockets.C.The Chicago BullsD.The Miami Heats

2How long has Bryant Wore No 8? A.for two years and a halfB.for ten yearsC.since he entered high schoolD.since he left high school.

3Which of the following is NOT a speculation about Bryant''s motive to change his number? A.he wants to leave his past behind and have a fresh startB.he wants to compare himself to JordanC.he wants to earn more moneyD.he wants to show that he is man of great importance

4Why did Jordan choose No 23? A.because that number would make him famousB.because that number will make you miss himC.because that number was related to the number his brother once woreD.because that number was easy to remember

5What does the number Yao Ming chose stand for? A.two long legsB.two long armsC.two tall people in loveD.tow big countries

3、 　　Too Little for Global Warming
　　Oil and gas will run out too fast for doomsday global warming scenarios to materialize, according to a controversial new analysis presented this week at the University of Uppsala in Sweden. The authors warn that all the fuel will be burnt before there is enough carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to realize predictions of melting ice caps and searing temperatures. Defending their predictions, scientists from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change say they considered a range of estimates of oil and gas reserves, and point out that coal-burning could easily make up the shortfall. But all agree that burning coal would be even worse for the planet.
　　The IPCC''s predictions of global meltdown pushed forward the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, an agreement obliging signatory nations to cut CO2 emissions. The IPCC considered a range of future scenarios, from unlimited burning of fossil-fuels to a fast transition towards greener energy sources. But geologists Anders Sivertsson, Kjell Aleklett and Colin Campbell of Uppsala University say there is not enough oil and gas left even the most conservative of the 40 IPCC scenarios to come to pass.
　　Although estimates of oil and gas reserves vary widely, the researchers are part of a growing group of experts who believe that oil supplies will peak as soon as 2010, and gas soon after. Their analysis suggests that oil and gas reserves combined about to the equivalent of about 3,500 billion barrels of oil considerably less than the 5,000 billion barrels estimated in the most optimistic model envisaged by the IPCC. Even the average forecast of about 8,000 billion barrels is more than twice the Swedish estimate of the world''s remaining reserves.
　　Nebojsa Nakicenovic, an energy economist at the University of Vienna, Austria who headed the 80-strong IPCC team that produced the forecasts, says the panel''s work still stands. He says they factored in a much broader and internationally accepted range of oil and gas estimates than the “conservative” Swedes.
　　Even if oil and gas run out, “there''s a huge amount of coal underground that could be exploited”, he says that burning coal could make the IPCC scenarios come true, but points out that such a switch would be disastrous. Coal is dirtier than oil and gas and produces more CO2 for each unit of energy, as well as releasing large amounts of particulates. He says the latest analysis is a “shot across the bows” for policy makers.

1What do the authors of the new analysis presented at the University of Uppsala intend to say? A.the burning of coal will accelerate the arrival of Earth''s doomsday.B.The oil reserves are big enough to materialize the doomsday scenariosC.Melting ice caps and searing temperatures exist only in science fictionD.Oil and gas will run out so fast that Earth''s doomsday will never materialize.

2Nations that signed the Kyoto Protocol agree to A.pay attention to global meltdownB.cut CO2 emissionsC.use more green energyD.stop using fossil fuels

3What are the estimates of the world''s oil and gas reserves? A.4,000 billion barrels by the average forecastB.8,000 billion barrels estimated by the SwedesC.3,500 barrels envisaged by IPCCD.3,500 billion by a growing number of scientists

4Which of the following about Nebojsa Nakicenovic is true? A.he thinks fossil fuels are as dirty as oil and gasB.he thinks green fuels will replace oil and gas eventuallyC.he thinks IPCC''s view on the world''s reserves is too optimisticD.he thinks that IPCC''s estimates are more optimistic than the Swedes

5Which of the following is the near explanation of Nakicenovic''s assertion that “…… such a switch would be disastrous……? A.The IPCC scenarios would come true because burning coal will emit larger amounts of CO2“B.A switch to burning coal would produce disastrous environmental problemsC.Oil and gas to replace coal as fuel would speed up the process of global warmingD.A switch from the IPCC scenarios to the policymakers'' ones would be disastrous

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