单选题 In the second half of each year, many powerful storms are born in the tropical Atlantic and Caribbean seas. Of these, only about a half a dozen generate the strong, circling winds of 75 miles per hour or more that give them hurricane status, and several usually make their way to the coast. There they cause millions of dollars of damage, and bring death to large numbers of people. The great storms that hit the coast start as innocent circling disturbances hundreds — even thousands — of miles out to sea. As they travel aimlessly over water warmed by the summer sun, they are carried westward by the trade winds. When conditions are just right, warm, moist air flows in at the bottom of such a disturbance, moves upward through it and comes out at the top. In the process, the moisture in this warm air produces rain, and with it the heat that is converted to energy in the form of strong winds. As the heat increases, the young hurricane begins to swirl in a counter-clockwise motion. Water, not wind, is the main source of death and destruction in a hurricane. A typical hurricane brings 6- to 12-inch downpours resulting in sudden floods. Worst of all is the powerful movement of the sea — the mountains of water moving toward the low-pressure hurricane center. The water level rises as much as 15 feet above normal as it moves toward shore.

单选题 When is an ordinary tropical storm called a hurricane?

【正确答案】 D

【答案解析】细节信息。题干：一种普通的热带风暴在何时被称为飓风?根据原文“…circling winds of 75 miles per hour or more that give them hurricane status”，译文为：风速为每小时75英里或超过75英里的盘旋的风暴获得了飓风的地位。所以选d。

单选题 What is the worst thing about hurricanes?

【正确答案】 A

【答案解析】理解推断。题干：飓风发生时最糟糕的是什么?根据原文“Water，not wind，is the main source of death and destruction in a hurricane．A typical hurricane brings 6- to 12-inch downpours resulting in sudden floods．Worst of all is the powerful movement of the sea—the mountains of water moving toward…”，译文为：在飓风发生时导致死亡和破坏的主要原因是水，而不是风。典型的一场飓风会带来6到12英寸的倾盆大雨，这会引起洪水的发生。最糟糕的是强大的海水运动……山峰似的水流向……。所以应选a，最糟糕的是水带来的破坏性后果。

单选题 What brings about the counter-clockwise swirling of the hurricane?

【正确答案】 D

【答案解析】细节信息。题干：什么导致了飓风的逆时针旋风?根据原文“As the heat increases，the young hurricane begins to swirl in a counter-clockwise motion．”，译文为：随着热度的增加，早期的飓风开始沿逆时针方向打漩。所以选d。

单选题 When do hurricanes occur?

【正确答案】 B

【答案解析】时间信息。题干：飓风何时发生?根据文章第一句“In the second half of each year，many powerful storms are born in the tropical Atlantic and Caribbean seas．．．，circling winds of 75 miles per hour or more that give them hurricane status”，译文为：每年下半年，许多强大的风暴在热带大西洋和加勒比海地区孕育而成……风速为每小时75英里或超过75英里的盘旋的风暴获得了飓风的地位。所以选b。

单选题 How much rainfall does a typical hurricane bring?

【正确答案】 C

【答案解析】数字信息。题干：一场典型的飓风可以带来多少降雨?根据原文“A typical hurricane brings 6- to 12-inch downpours…”，译文为：典型的一场飓风会带来6到12英寸的倾盆大雨。所以选c。