When a storm is coming, most people leave the area as quickly as possible and head for safety. But there are a few people who will get into their cars and go straight for the center of the storm. These people are willing to risk(冒…危险)being killed by floods or 100-kilometer-an-hour winds for the excitement of watching the storm close up.
“Storm chasing(追逐)” is becoming an increasingly popular hobby(喜好), especially in the Midwest of the United States, where there are frequent storms between March and July. A storm chaser begins the day by checking the Internet for the latest weather reports, and then drives up to 1,000 kilometers to where the storm will be and waits for it to develop.
Although anyone can do it , storm chasing is extremely dangerous. The power of a big storm can throw a cow into the air or destroy a whole house in seconds. Storm chasers are also often hurt in accidents caused by driving in a heavy rain. If you are a beginner, it is much safer to join a group for storm-chasing vacations during the storm season.
Even then, storm chasing is not all adventure and excitement. “Storm chasing is 95% driving,” says Daniel Lynch, who spends most of his summer storm-chasing. “Sometimes you can sit around for hours waiting for something to happen, and all you get is blue sky and a few light showers.”
However, for storm chasers, it is all worth it. “When you get close to a storm, it is the most exciting sight you will ever see in your life,” says Jasper Morley. “Every storm is an example of the power of nature, It is the greatest show on Earth.”
1.For storm chasing, the first thing storm chasers do is to .
A head straight for the center of the storm B. get into the car for safety
C. wait patiently for the storm to develop. D. collect information about a coming storm
2. Beginners of storm chasing are advised .
A. not to drive in a heavy rain B. to do it in an organized way
C. not to get too close to a storm D. to spend more time on it in summer
3. By saying “it is all worth it” in the last paragraph, the author means that .
A. storm chasing costs a lot of money B. storm chasing is worth hours of waiting
C. efforts in storm chasing are well paid D. a storm presents the greatest show on Earth
4. What can we learn from the text?
A. Sometimes storm chasers get nothing but disappointment
B. Many storm chasers get killed in the storms.
C. Storm chasing is becoming popular around the world.
D. Storm chasing is only fit for young people.
阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
Some years ago when I was in my first year in college, I heard Salome Bey sing for the first time. The moment was exciting. Salome’s __36__ filled the room and brought the theater to life. I was so __37__ that I decided to write an article about her.
I __38__ Salome Bey, telling her I was from Essence magazine, and that I wanted to meet her to talk about her career. She __39__ and told me to come to her studio next Tuesday. When I hung up, I was scared out of my mind. I __40__ I was lying. I was not a writer at all and hadn’t even written a grocery list.
I interviewed Salome Bey the next Tuesday. I sat there __41__, taking notes and asking questions that all began with, “Can you tell me…” I soon realized that __42__ Salome Bey was one thing, but writing a story for a national magazine was just impossible. The __43__ was almost unbearable. I struggled for days __44__ draft after draft. Finally I put my manuscript (手稿) into a large envelope and dropped it into a mailbox.
It didn’t take long. My manuscript __45__. How stupid of me! I thought. How could I __46__ in a world of professional writers? Knowing I couldn’t __47__ the rejection letter, I threw the unopened envelope into a drawer.
Five years later, I was moving to California. While __48__ my apartment, I came across the unopened envelope. This time I opened it and read the editor’s letter in __49__:
Dear Ms Profit,
Your story on Salome Bey is fantastic. Yet we need some __50__ materials. Please add those and return the article immediately. We would like to __51__ your story soon.
Shocked, it took me a long time to __52__. Fear of rejection cost me dearly. I lost at least five hundred dollars and having my article appear in a major magazine. More importantly, I lost years of __53__ writing. Today, I have become a full-time writer. Looking back on this __54__, I learned a very important lesson: You can’t __55__ to doubt yourself.
1.A. joy B. voice C. speech D. smile
2.A. proud B. active C. satisfied D. moved
3.A. visited B. emailed C. phoned D. interviewed
4.A. agreed B. refused C. hesitated D. paused
5.A. admitted B. discovered C. explained D. knew
6.A. seriously B. patiently C. nervously D. quietly
7.A. blaming B. fooling C. inviting D. urging
8.A. hardship B. failure C. comment D. pressure
9. A. with B. by C. on D. in
10.A. disappeared B. returned C. spread D. improved
11.A. compare B. struggle C. survive D. compete
12.A. ignore B. deliver C. face D. receive
13.A. decorating B. repairing C. cleaning D. leaving
14.A. disbelief B. anxiety C. horror D. panic
15.A. subjective B. relevant C. private D. reliable
16.A. broadcast B. create C. publish D. assess
17.A. recover B. prepare C. escape D. concentrate
18.A. constant B. endless C. typical D. enjoyable
19.A. experience B. success C. benefit D. accident
20.A. attempt B. afford C. expect D. pretend
I’m delighted _______ as chairman of the students’ union last winter.
A. to appoint B. to be appointed
C. to have appointed D. to have been appointed
Only under special circumstances ________ not to wear their school uniforms.
A. are students allowed B. allowed are students.
C. students are allowed D. are allowed students
There is no ______ in trying to talk him into joining us. He enjoys being alone.
A. doubt B. wonder C. hope D. point
---But for your timely warning, we into great trouble.
---Well, you know we’re friends.
A．would get B．must have got C．would have got D．can’t have got
