阅读理解 EI Nino is the name given to the mysterious and often unpredictable change in the climate of the world. This strange(47) _________ happens every five to eight years. It starts in the Pacific Ocean and is thought to be caused by a failure in the trade winds(信风) , which affects the ocean currents driven by these winds. As the trade winds lessen in (48) _________ , the ocean temperatures rise, causing the Peru current flowing in from the east to warm up by as much as 5℃. The, warning of the ocean has far-reaching effects. The hot, humid (潮湿的) air over the ocean causes severe (49)_________ thunderstorms. The rainfall is increased across South America, (50) _________ floods to Peru. In the West Pacific, there are droughts affecting Australia and Indonesia. So while some parts of the world prepare for heavy rains and floods, other parts face drought, poor crops and (51) _________. EI Nino usually lasts for about 18 months. The 1982-83 EI Nino brought the most (52) _________ weather in modern history. Its effect was worldwide and it left more than 2,000 people dead and caused over eight billion pounds (53) _________ of damage. The 1990 EI Nino lasted until June 1995. Scientists (54) _________ this to be the longest EI Nino for 2,000 years. Nowadays, weather experts are able to forecast when an EI Nino will (55) _________ , but they are still not (56) _________ sure what leads to it or what affects how strong it will be. Word Bank [A] estimate [F] phenomenon [K] starvation [B] strength [G] stable [L] bringing [C] deliberately [H] attraction [M] exhaustion [D] notify [I] completely [N] worth [E] tropical [J] destructive [O] strike
【正确答案】 F
【答案解析】空格前为一形容词,且指示代词为this,所以所填词应为一单数名词。从前文可知,所填名词指代EI Nino(厄尔尼诺)这种奇怪的气候现象。备选的名词中能指代EI Nino的只有[F]phenomenon(现象)。
【正确答案】 B
【答案解析】从主谓搭配来看,空格处描绘信风在哪方面减弱(the trade winds lessen),备选的名词中只有[B]strength(力量)与这一语境相符。
【正确答案】 E
【答案解析】和hot(闷热的),humidity(潮湿的)空气现象联系的只有[E]tropical(热带的),选项中其他两个形容词destructive(毁灭性的),与severe(严重的)意思相近,而[G]stable(稳定的)不用来修饰thunderstorms。
【正确答案】 B、L
【答案解析】此处逗号起重要提示作用,逗号后面部分为伴随状态,对前句起补充说明作用。选项中只有现在分词形式的[L]bringing符合句意。
【正确答案】 A、K
【答案解析】从转折连词while连接的前后两分句在语义上形成对比,剩下的备选名词中只有[K]starvation(饥荒)能和drought(干旱),poor crops(农作物歉收)构成语义上的顺承关系。强干扰项[M]exhaustion一般表示“(资源、能力等的)耗尽”。
【正确答案】 J
【答案解析】此处填一形容词,修饰weather。从后一句话对这种天气带来影响的描述(2000 people dead)很容易选出答案[J]destructive(毁灭性的)。
【正确答案】 D、N
【答案解析】所填词应能与eight billion pounds形成合理搭配,且修饰damage(损失),备选项中只有[N]worth (价值)符合要求。
【正确答案】 A
【答案解析】此处填一动词。从宾语来看,是“两千年以来持续时间最长的厄尔尼诺现象”为结论性的话,[A]estimate(评估)符合句意。强干扰项[D]notify(通知)常用notify sb. that结构。
【正确答案】 E、O
【答案解析】此处应填一动词,主语为EI Nino,[O]strike“到达,侵袭”,与句意相符。[D]notify的主语通常为人,应排除。
【正确答案】 I
【答案解析】从空格后的形容词sure可知此处填一副词。选项中两个副词completely(完全地)和deliberately (故意地)。由于本空所在段为由but连接的并列句,but使前后分句语义转折,即are able to forecast与are still not sure在语义上形成对比,故只能填[I]completely。