单选题 Questions 13 to 15 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
单选题
  • A. Now researchers have found small raindrops falling faster than some bigger drops.
  • B. Now researchers have found small raindrops falling faster than some bigger drops, and faster than what their terminal velocity should be.
  • C. Now researchers have found small raindrops falling faster than what their terminal velocity should be.
  • D. None of the above.
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】[解析] 13-15 M: Could it be that our understanding of rain was all wet? W: I might assume this before. But a new study says that some drops of rain are failing faster than they should be, which ultimately means that it may be raining less than we think. M: That's really interesting. So the previous assumption that large raindrops fall faster than smaller ones is not correct? W: Yea, previously it is thought that a big drop's size and heft give it a faster terminal velocity. Because it overcomes air resistance better than a small drop. M: What's the new finding nowadays? W: {{U}}Now researchers have found small raindrops falling faster than some bigger drops, and faster than what their terminal velocity should be. (13){{/U}} M: What? It completely reverse the previous idea. Where have you seen the newest research? I want to see it in my own eyes. W: The finding appears in the journal Geophysical Research Letters. M: How did the researchers do their research? W: Researchers used sophisticated optical equipment to study about 64,000 individual raindrops, and found the expeditious outliers, which came in clusters. {{U}}These superfast droplets probably come from the breakup of fast-moving large drops. (14){{/U}} Standard techniques to measure rain assume that fast drops are larger, and therefore overestimate the total precipitation. M: Did they have other findings? W: {{U}}The scientists note that a third of the economy is influenced by weather forecasting, so even a small improvement in our understanding of rain would be more than a drop in the bucket. (15){{/U}} M: That's a wonderful idea! The drops of rain are closely related with money in out pocket. W: This is not entirely. Ever since humanization, weather and climate are paid high attention to. M: Yeah, every aspect of life is closely involved with weather. There is no doubt of it. W: Surely, no one denies that point. 13. What's the new finding of raindrop speed? 问，雨滴研究的新发现是什么?对话中指出新发现与人们以前的观点相悖，小雨滴的速度快些，并且比它们的终端速度要快，所以答案为B。
单选题
  • A. The breakup of fast-moving small drops.
  • B. The breakup of fast-moving large drops.
  • C. The merge of fast-moving large drops.
  • D. The merge of fast-moving small drops.
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】[解析] Where does the superfast droplets probably come from? 问，超快的雨滴可能是从什么形成的?对话中提到是大雨滴的分裂，所以此题答案为B。
单选题
  • A. The scientists note that a half of the economy is influenced by weather forecasting.
  • B. The scientists note that a third of the economy is influenced by weather forecasting.
  • C. The scientists note that two thirds of the economy is influenced by weather forecasting.
  • D. The scientists note that a fourth of the economy is influenced by weather forecasting.
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】[解析] Why is the improvement of understanding of rain important? 问，为什么提高对雨水的认识很重要?对话中指出科学家们发现三分之一的经济运行受天气预报影响，所以答案为B。