阅读理解
The 2012 London Olympics had enough problems to worry about.But one more has just been
added-a communications blackout caused by solar storms.
After a period of calm within the Sun, scientists have detected the signs of a fresh cycle of sunspots
that could peak in 2012, just in time for the arrival of the Olympic torch in London.
Now scientists beli
eve that thi
s peak could result in vast solar explosions that could throw billions
of tons of charged matter towards the Earth, causing strong solar storms that could jam the
telecommunications satellites and Internet links sending live Olympic broadcast from London.
"The Sun's activity has a strong influence on the Earth.The Olympics could be in the middle of the
next solar maximum which could affect the functions of communications satellites," said Professor
Richard Harrison, head of space physics at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in Oxfordshire.
At the peak of the cycle, violent outbursts called coronal mass ejections (日冕物质抛射) occur
in the Sun's atmosphere, throwing out great quantities o
f electric
allycharged matter."A coronal mass
ejection can carry a billion tons of solar material into space at over a million kilometers per hour.Such
events can expose astronauts to a deadly amount, can disable satellites, caus
e power failures on Earth
and disturb communications," Professor Harrison added.The risk is greatest during a solar maximum
when there is the greatest number of sunspots.
Next week in America, NASA is scheduled to launch a sate
llite for monitoring solar activity called
the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), which will take images of the Sun that are 10 times clearer
than the most advanced televisions available.
The Rutherford Applet
on Laboratory helped to make the hightech cameras that will capture images
of the solar flares (太阳耀斑) and explosions as they occur.
Professor Richard Holdaway, the lab's director, said that the SDO should be able to provide early
warning of a solar flare or explosion big enough to affect satellite communications on Earth "If we have
advance warning, we'll be able to reduce the damage.What you don't want is things switching off for a
week with no idea of what's caused the problem," he said.
1. The phrase "communications blackout" in Paragraph 1 most probably refers to________during the
2012 Olympics.
A. the extinguishing of the Olympic torch
B. the collapse of broadcasting systems
C. the transportation breakdown in London
D. the destruction of weather satellites
2. What can be inferred about the solar activity described in the passage?
A. The most fatal matter from the coronal falls onto Earth.
B. The solar storm peak occurs in the middle of each cycle.
C. It takes several seconds for the charged matter to reach Earth.
D. The number of sunspots declines after coronal mass ejections.
3. According to the passage, NASA will launch a satellite to________.
A. take images of the solar system
B. provide early warning of thunderstorms
C. keep track of solar activities
D. improve the communications on Earth
4. Which of the following might be the best title of the passage?
A. Solar Storms: An Invisible Killer
B. Solar Storms: Earth Environment in Danger
C. Solar Storms: Threat
ening the Human Race
D. Solar Storms: Human Activities to Be Troubled
