Section A (15 points)
Directions: There are 15 blanks in the following passage. Read the
passage carefully and fill in each of the blanks by choosing the right word or phrase from the list given below. Write your answer on the Answer Sheet II. Capitalize the word when it is necessary. The words and phrases listed are twice as many as the blanks. Once a word or phrase is chosen, it must be used only once.
adversely, accompanying, as, balanced, challenged, continue, continuous, destroyed, discern, estimated, ever, exceeded, feasible, following, fortunately, in case, instantaneously, like, once, overcome, precede, regrettably, separated, simultaneously, than, that, therefore, transforming, when, while
Many of the most damaging and life-threatening types of weather—torrential rains, severe thunderstorm, and tornadoes—began quickly, strike suddenly, and dissipate rapidly, devastating small regions 21 leaving neighboring areas untouched. One such event, a tornado, struck the northeastern section of Edmonton, Alberta, in July 1987. Total damages from the tornado 22 $ 250 million, the highest 23 for any Canadian storm. Conventional computer models of the atmosphere have limited value in predicting short-lived local storms 24 the Edmonton tornado, because the available weather data are generally not detailed enough to allow computers to discern the subtle atmospheric changes that 25 these storms. In most nations, for
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example, weather-balloon observations are taken just 26 every twelve hours at locations typically 27 by hundreds of miles. With such limited data, conventional forecasting models do a much better job predicting general weather conditions over large regions 28 they do forecasting specific local events.
Until recently, the observation—intensive approach needed for accurate, very short-range forecasts, or “Nowcast”, was not 29 . The cost of equipping and operating many thousands of conventional weather stations was prohibitively high, and the difficulties involved in rapidly collecting and processing the raw weather data from such a network were insurmountable. 30 , scientific and technological advances have 31 most of these problems. Radar systems, automated weather instruments, and satellites are all capable of making detailed, nearly 32 observations over large regions at a relatively low cost. Communications satellites can transmit data around the world cheaply and 33 , and modern computers can quickly compile and analyze this large volume of weather information. Meteorologists and computer scientists now work together to design computer programs and video equipment capable of 34 raw weather data into words, symbols, and vivid graphic displays that forecasters can interpret easily and quickly. 35 meteorologists have begun using these new technologies in weather forecasting offices, nowcasting is becoming a reality.
Section B (20 questions×1.5 points= 30 points)
Directions: Read the following passages carefully and then select the
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best answer from the four choices given to answer each of the questions or complete each of the statements that follow each passage. Mark the letter of your choice on your Answer Sheet I.
Passage 1
For centuries, the gravel and sand of Georges Bank and the great
canyons, muddy basins, and shallow ledges of the Gulf of Maine have supported one of the world’s most productive fishing regions. But big boulders have historically protected a 1050-square-kilometer region at the bank’s northeastern tip from dredging boats in search of scallops and trawlers hunting down groundfish. However, those boulders are becoming less of a deterrent against improved and sturdier gear. So when geologist Page Valentine of the U.S. Geological Survey in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, stood before his colleagues last month and defended his proposal to safeguard this rare, undisturbed gravel bed, he knew that he was also standing at the crossroads of science and politics. Valentine’s presentation was part of a 2-day workshop held at the New England Aquarium here to build support for Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), a controversial concept aimed at preserving biodiversity in coastal waters. The meeting, organized by Elliott Norse, founder of the Marine Conservation Biology Institute in Redmond, Washington, featured talks by 21 experts across a range of marine habitats and species and represented the marine community’s biggest push for MPAs.
The discussion generated a map that nominated 29% of the ocean floor off the coast of New England and Canada’s Maritime Province for
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protection, as well as 25% of pelagic (open-ocean) waters. The next step will come in the fall, when the scientists discuss the plan with government officials, commercial stakeholders, and environmental activists—meetings that are likely to be contentious. “The conservation groups will want to see if various species are covered. And various fishermen will be convinced that their livelihood is threatened,” says Mike Pentony, an analyst for the New England Fishery Management Council, who was an observer at last month’s workshop. The areas could be established by the National Marine Fisheries Service or under existing U.S. and Canadian laws to protect endangered species and habitats.
36. Which of the following can be the best title of the passage? A. Fishery Industry in New England.
B. Plan to Protect Coastal waters of New England. C. Restoration of Marine Life in the Gulf of Maine. D. Problems Critical to Ecological Balance in Georges Bank.
37. The abundance of fish in the area has been a result of ________. A. the perpetual fishery closure B. the stringent ban on overfishing C. the effective fishery management D. its unique geographic features
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38. Boulders used to be a deterrent to ________. A. scallop B. groundfish C. fishing boats D. improved gear
39. At the two-day workshop, the scientists reached an agreement on ______.
A. the marine areas to be preserved B. how to rescue the endangered species C. the guarantee of the fishermen’s livelihood D. what to discuss with the government officials
40. Which of the following CANNOT be concluded from the last paragraph?
A. The fishermen will be worried about their livelihood. B. A decision is soon to be made on the protected areas. C. Commercial stakeholders may be at odds with scientists. D. Conflicting interests will arise between fishermen and scientists. Passage 2
Some people are accustomed to thinking that facts must either be believed or they must be disbelieved—as if beliefs were like a light
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