雅思托福相關IELTS雅思學術閱讀練習

Pilkingtonbuiltapilotplantin1953andby1955hehadconvincedhiscompanytobuildafull-scaleplantHowever；ittook14monthsofnonstopproduction,costingthecompany￡100,000amonth,beforetheplantproducedanyusableglass.Furthermoreyoncetheysucceededinmakingmarketableflatglass,themachinewasturnedoffforaservicetoprepareitforyearsofcontinuousproduction.Whenitstartedupagainittookanotherfourmonthstogettheprocessrightagain.Theyfinallysucceededin1959andtherearenowfloatplantsallovertheworld,witheachabletoproducearound1000tonsofglasseveryday,non-stopforaround15years.Floatplantstodaymakeglassofnearopticalquality.Severalprocesses-melting,refining,,homogenising-takeplacesimultaneouslyinthe2000tonnesofmoltenglassinthefurnace.Theyoccurinseparatezonesinacomplexglassflowdrivenbyhightemperatures.Itaddsuptoacontinuousmeltingprocess,lastingaslongas50hours,thatdeliversglasssmoothlyandcontinuouslytothefloatbath,andfromtheretoacoatingzoneandfinallyaheattreatmentzone,wherestressesformedduringcoolingarerelieved.Theprincipleoffloatglassisunchangedsincethe1950s.However,theproducthaschangeddramatically/fromasinglethicknessof6,8mmtoarangefromsub-millimetreto25mm,fromaribbonfrequentlymarredbyinclusionsandbubblestoalmostopticalperfection.Toensurethehighestquality,inspectiontakesplaceateverystage.Occasionally,abubbleisnotremovedduringrefining,asandgrainrefusestomeltzatremorinthetinputsripplesintotheglassribbon.Automatedon-lineinspectiondoestwothings.Firstly,itrevealsprocessfaultsupstreamthatcanbecorrected.Inspectiontechnologyallowsmorethan100millionmeasurementsasecondtobemadeacrosstheribbon,locatingflawstheunaidedeyewouldbeunabletosee.Secondly,itenablescomputersdownstreamtosteercuttersaroundflaws.Floatglassissoldbythesquaremetre,andatthefinalstagecomputerstranslatecustomerrequirementsintopatternsofcutsdesignedtominimisewaste.Questions1-8Completethetableanddiagrambelow.ChooseNOMORETHANTWOWORDSfromthepassageforeachanswer.Writeyouranswersinboxes1-8onyouranswersheet.Earlymethodsofproducingflatglass：＞：.-：=：：,，￡酒/三:二?%:爭寸.黃:M二嶗針恩蟲一:尖沔第游正再微港皆號言矮輜程:S：源械獺熱鑫翳輜號祥冷岸燃茨步漆萼涔遮黛1 ?Glassremained2 *Slow?3 Ribbon*Couldproduceglasssheetsofvarying4 ?Non-stopprocessGlasswas5 20%ofglassrubbedawayMachineswereexpensiveQuestions9-13DothefollowingstatementsagreewiththeinformationgiveninReadingPassage1?Inboxes9-13onyouranswersheet,writeTRUE ifthestatementagreeswiththeinformationFALSE ifthestatementcontradictstheinformationNOTGIVEN ifthereisnoinformationonthisThemetalusedinthefloatprocesshadtohavespecificproperties.Pilkingtoninvestedsomeofhisownmoneyinhisfloatplant.Pilkington'sfirstfull-scaleplantwasaninstantcommercialsuccess.TheprocessinventedbyPilkingtonhasnowbeenimproved,Computersarebetterthanhumansatdetectingfaultsinglass.THELITTLEICEAGE..、 -j:.???rAThisbookwillprovideadetailedexaminationoftheLittleIceAgeandotherclimaticshifts,but,beforeIembarkonthat,letmeprovideahistoricalcontext.Wetendtothinkofclimate-asopposedtoweather-assomethingunchanging：yethumanityhasbeenatthemercyofclimatechangeforitsentireexistence,withatleasteightglacialepisodesinthepast730.000years.OurancestorsadaptedtotheuniversalbutirregularglobalwarmingsincetheendofthelastgreatIceAge,around10,000yearsago,withdazzlingopportunism.Theydevelopedstrategiesforsurvivingharshdroughtcycles,decadesofheavyrainfallorunaccustomedcold;adoptedagricultureandstock-raising,whichrevolutionisedhumanlife;andfoundedtheworld'sfirstpre-industrialcivilisationsinEgypt,MesopotamiaandtheAmericas.Butthepriceofsuddenclimatechange,infamine,diseaseandsuffering,wasoftenhigh.BTheLittleIceAgelastedfromroughly1300untilthemiddleofthenineteenthcentury.Onlytwocenturiesago.Europeexperiencedacycleofbitterlycoldwinters;mountainglaciersintheSwissAlpswerethelowestinrecordedmemory,andpackicesurroundedIcelandformuchoftheyear.TheclimaticeventsoftheLittleIceAgedidmorethanhelpshapethemodernworld.Theyarethedeeplyimportantcontextforthecurrentunprecedentedglobalwarming.TheLittleIceAgewasfarfromadeepfreeze,however；ratheranirregularseesawofrapidclimaticshifts,fewlastingmorethanaquarter-century,drivenbycomplexandstilllittleunderstoodinteractionsbetweentheatmosphereandtheocean.Theseesawbroughtcyclesofintenselycoldwintersandeasterlywinds,thenswitchedabruptlytoyearsofheavyspringandearlysummerrains,mildwinters,andfrequentAtlanticstorms,ortoperiodsofdroughts,lightnortheasterlywinds,andsummerheatwaves.CReconstructingtheclimatechangesofthepastisextremelydifficult,becausesystematicweatherobservationsbeganonlyafewcenturiesago,inEuropeandNorthAmerica.RecordsfromIndiaandtropicalAfricaareevenmorerecent.Forthetimebefore「ecordsbegan,wehaveonly1proxyrecords'reconstructedlargelyfromtreeringsandicecores,supplementedbyafewincompletewrittenaccountsWenowhavehundredsofIree-ringrecordsfromthroughoutthenorthernhemisphere,andmanyfromsouthoftheequator,too,amplifiedwithagrowingbodyoftemperaturedatafromicecoresdrilledinAntarctica.Greenland,thePeruvianAndes,andotherlocations.Weareclosetoaknowledgeofannualsummerandwintertemperaturevariationsovermuchofthenorthernhemispheregoingback600years.DThisbookisanarrativehistoryofclimaticshiftsduringthepasttencenturies,andsomeofthewaysinwhichpeopleinEuropeadaptedtothem.PartOnedescribestheMedievalWarmPeriod,roughly900to1200.Duringthesethreecenturies,NorsevoyagersfromNorthernEuropeexplorednorthernseas,settledGreenland,andvisitedNorthAmerica.Itwasnotatimeofuniformwarmth,forthen,asalwayssincetheGreatIceAge.therewereconstantshiftsinrainfallandtemperature.MeanEuropeantemperatureswereaboutthesameastoday,perhapsshghtlycooler.EItisknownthattheLittleIceAgecoolingbeganinGreenlandandtheArcticinabout1200.AstheArcticicepackspreadsouthward,NorsevoyagestothewestwerereroutedintotheopenAtlantic,thenendedaltogether.StorminessincreasedintheNorthAtlanticandNorthSea.Colder,muchwetterweatherdescendedonEuropebetween1315and1319,whenthousandsperishedinacontinenbwidefamine.By1400,theweatherhadbecomedecidedlymoreunpredictableandstormier,withsuddenshiftsandlowertemperaturesthatculminatedinthecolddecadesofthelatesixteenthcentury.Fishwereavitaicommodityingrowingtownsandcities,wherefoodsupplieswereaconstantconcern.DriedcodandherringwerealreadythestaplesoftheEuropeanfishtrade,butchangesinwatertemperaturesforcedfishingfleetstoworkfurtheroffshore.TheBasques,Dutch,andEnglishdevelopedthefirstoffshorefishingboatsadaptedtoacolderandstormierAtlantic.AgradualagriculturalrevolutioninnorthernEuropestemmedfromconcernsoverfoodsuppliesatatimeofrisingpopulations.Therevolutioninvolvedintensivecommercialfarmingandthegrowingofanimalfodderonlandnotpreviouslyusedforcrops.Theincreasedproductivityfromfarmlandmadesomecountriesself-sufficientingrainandlivestockandofferedeffectiveprotectionagainstfamine.FGlobaltemperaturesbegantoriseslowlyafter1850,withthebeginningoftheModernWarmPeriod.TherewasavastmigrationfromEuropebyland-hungryfarmersandothers,towhichthefaminecausedbytheIrishpotatoblightcontributed,toNorthAmerica,Australia,NewZealand,andsouthernAfrica.Millionsofhectaresofforestandwoodlandfellbeforethenewcomers5axesbetween1850and1890,asintensiveEuropeanfarmingmethodsexpandedacrosstheworld.Theunprecedentedlandclearancereleasedvastquantitiesofcarbondioxideintotheatmosphere,triggeringforthefirsttimehumanlycausedglobalwarming.Temperaturesclimbedmorerapidlyinthetwentiethcenturyastheuseoffossilfuelsproliferatedandgreenhousegaslevelscontinuedtosoar.Therisehasbeenevensteepersincetheearly1980s、TheLittleIceAgehasgivenwaytoanewclimaticregime,markedbyprolongedandsteadywarming.Atthesametime,extremeweathereventslikeCategory5hurricanesarebecomingmorefrequent

Questions18-22Completethesummaryusingthelistofwords,ATbelow.Writethecorrectletter,A」，inboxes18-22onyouranswersheet.WeatherduringtheLittleIceAgeDocumentationofpastweatherconditionsislimited:ourmainsourcesofknowledgeofconditionsinthedistantpastare18 and 19 WecandeducethattheLittleIceAgewasatimeof20 rather thanofconsistentfreezing.Withinitthereweresomeperiodsofverycoldwinterstothersof21 and heavyrain,andyetothersthatsaw22 with norainatall.A climaticshifts B icecores C treeringsD glaciers E interactions F weatherobservationsG heatwaves H storms I writtenaccountsQuestions23-26ClassifythefollowingeventsasoccurringduringtheAMedievalWarmPeriodBLittleIceAgeCModemWarmPeriodWritethecorrectletter,A,BorCTinboxes23-26onyouranswersheet.232423242526Thecuttingdownoftreesbegantoaffecttheclimate.Europeansdiscoveredotherlands.Changestookplaceinfishingpatterns.READINGPASSAGE3Youshouldspendabout20minutesonQuestions27-40,whicharebasedonReadingPassage3onthefollowingpages.Questions27-32ReadingPassage3hassixparagraphs,A-F,Choosethecorrectheadingforeachparagraphfromthelistofheadingsbelow.Writethecorrectnumber,i-viii,inboxes27-32onyouranswersheet.ListofHeadingsiThedifficultiesoftalkingaboutsmellsiiTheroieofsmellinpersonalrelationshipsiiiFuturestudiesintosmellivTherelationshipbetweenthebrainandthenosevTheinterpretationofsmellsasafactorindefininggroupsviWhyoursenseofsmellisnotappreciatedviiSmellisoursuperiorsenseviiiTherelationshipbetweensmeilandfeelings27ParagraphAParagraphBParagraphCParagraphDParagraphEParagraphFThemeaningandpowerofsmellThesenseofsmell,orolfaction,ispowerful.Odoursaffectusonaphysical,psychologicalandsociallevel.Forthemostpart,however,webreatheinthearomaswhichsurrounduswithoutbeingconsciouslyawareoftheirimportancetous.Itisonlywhenthefacultyofsmellisimpairedforsomereasonthatwebegintorealisetheessentialrolethesenseofsmellplaysinoursenseofwell-beingAAsurveyconductedbyAnthonySynottatMontreal'sConcordiaUniversityasked'participantstocommentonhowimportantsmellwastothemintheirlives.Itbecameapparentthatsmellcanevokestrongemotionalresponses.Ascentassociatedwithagoodexperiencecanbringarushofjoy,whiteafoulodouroroneassociatedwithabadmemorymaymakeusgrimacewithdisgust.Respondents-tothesurveynotedthatmanyoftheirolfactorylikesanddisiikeswerebasedonemotionalassociations.Suchassociationscanbepowerfulenoughsothatodoursthatwewouldgenerallylabelunpleasantbecomeagreeable,andthosethatwewouldgenerallyconsiderfragrantbecomedisagreeableforparticularindividuals.Theperceptionofsmell,therefore,consistsnotonlyofthesensationoftheodoursthemselves,butoftheexperiencesandemotionsassociatedwiththem.BOdoursarealsoessentialcuesinsocialbonding.Onerespondenttothesurveybelievedthatthereisnotrueemotionalbondingwithouttouchingandsmellingalovedone.Infact,infantsrecognisetheodoursoftheirmotherssoonafterbirthandadultscanoftenidentifytheirchildrenorspousesbyscent.Inonewell-knowntest,womenandmenwereabletodistinguishbysmellaloneclothingwornbytheirmarriagepartnersfromsimilarclothingwornbyotherpeople.Mostofthesubjectswouldprobablyneverhavegivenmuchthoughttoodourasacueforidentifyingfamilymembersbeforebeinginvolvedinthetest,butastheexperimentrevealed,evenwhennotconsciouslyconsidered,smellsregister.CInspiteofitsimportancetoouremotionalandsensorylives,smellisprobablythemostundervaluedsenseinmanycultures.Thereasonoftengivenforthelowregardinwhichsmellisheldisthat,tncomparisonwithitsimportanceamonganimals,thehumansenseofsmellisfeebleandundevelopedWhileitistruethattheolfactorypowersofhumansarenothinglikeasfineasthosepossessedbycertainanimals,theyarestillremarkablyacute.Ournosesareabletorecognisethousandsofsmells,andtoperceiveodourswhicharepresentonyinextremelysmallquantities.DSmell,however,isahighlyelusivephenomenon.Odours,unlikecolours,forinstance,cannotbenamedinmanylanguagesbecausethespecificvocabularysimplydoesn:texist.'Itsmellslike...wehavetosaywhendescribinganodour,strugglingtoexpressourolfactoryexperience.Norcanodoursberecorded：thereisnoeffectivewaytoeithercaptureorstorethemovertime.Intherealmofolfaction,wemustmakedowithdescriptionsandrecollections.Thishasimplicationsforolfactoryresearch.EMostoftheresearchonsmellundertakentodatehasbeenofaphysicalscientificnature.Significantadvanceshavebeenmadeintheunderstandingofthebiologicalandchemicalnatureofolfaction,butmanyfundamentalquestionshaveyettobeanswered.ResearchershavestHItodecidewhethersmehisonesenseortwoonerespondingtoodoursproperandtheotherregisteringodourlesschemicalsintheair.Otherunansweredquestionsarewhetherthenoseistheonlypartofthebodyaffectedbyodours,andhowsmellscanbemeasuredobjectivelygiventhenonphysicalcomponents.Questionslikethesemeanthatinterestinthepsychologyofsmelfisinevitablysettoplayanincreasinglyimportantroleforresearchers.FHowever,smellisnotsimplyabiologicalandpsychologicalphenomenon.Smel!iscuSturai,henceitisasocialandhistoricalphenomenon.Odoursareinvestedwithculturalvalues:smellsthatareconsideredtobeoffensiveinsomeculturesmaybeperfectlyacceptableinothers.Therefore,oursenseofsmellisameansof,andmodelfor,interactingwiththeworld.DifferentsmellscanprovideuswithintimateandemotionallychargedexperiencesandthevalueIhatweattachtotheseexperiencesisinteriorisedbythemembersofsocietyinadeeplypersonalway.Importantly,ourcommonlyheldfeelingsaboutsmellscanhelpdistinguishusfromothercultures.Thestudyoftheculturalhistoryofsmellisrtherefore,inaveryrealsense,aninvestigationintotheessenceofhumanculture.Questions33-36Choosethecorrectletter,AfB,CorD,Writethecorrectletterinboxes33-36onyouranswersheet.Accordingtotheintroduction,webecomeawareoftheimportanceofsmellwhenAwediscoveranewsmell.BweexperienceapowerfulsmelL .Courabiiitytosmellisdamaged.Dwearesurroundedbyodours,TheexperimentdescribedinparagraphBAshowshowwemakeuseofsmellwithoutrealisingit.Bdemonstratesthatfamilymembershaveasimilarsmell,Cprovesthatasenseofsmellislearnt.Dcomparesthesenseofsmellinmalesandfemales.WhatisthewriterdoinginparagraphC?AsupportingotherresearchBmakingaproposalCrejectingacommonbeliefDdescribingIimitationsWhatdoesthewritersuggestaboutthestudyofsmellintheatmosphereinparagraphE?AThemeasurementofsmellisbecomingmoreaccurate.BResearchersbelievesmellisapurelyphysicalreaction.CMostsmellsareinoffensive.DSmellisyettobedefined、Questions37-40Completethesentencesbelow.ChooseONEWORDONLYfromthepassageforeachanswer.Writeyouranswersinboxes37-40onyouranswersheetTestshaveshownthatodourscanhelppeoplerecognisethe belongingtotheirhusbandsandwives.Certainlinguisticgroupsmayhavedifficultydescribingsmellbecausetheylacktheappropriate Thesenseofsmellmayinvolveresponseto whichdonotsmell,inadditiontoobviousodours.Odoursregardedasunpleasantincertain are notregardedasunpleasantinothers.READINGPASSAGE1Youshouldspendabout20minutesonQuestions1-13whicharebasedonReadingPassage1below.StrikingBackatLightning

WithLasersSeldomistheweathermoredramaticthanwhenthunderstormsstrike.Theirelectricalfuryinflictsdeathorseriousinjuryonaround500peopleeachyearintheUnitedStatesalone.Asthecloudsrollin，aleisurelyroundofgolfcanbecomeaterrifyingdicewithdeath-outintheopen,alonegolfermaybealightningbolt'smostinvitingtarget.Andthereisdamagetopropertytoo.LightningdamagecostsAtnericanpowercompaniesmorethan$100millionayear.ButresearchersintheUnitedStatesandJapanareplanningtohitback.Alreadyinlaboratorytrialstheyhavetestedstrategiesforneutralisingthepowerofthunderstorms,andthiswintertheywillbraverealstorms,equippedwithanarmouryoflasersthattheywillbepointingtowardstheheavenstodischargethundercloudsbeforelightningcanstrike.Theideaofforcingstormcloudstodischargetheirlightningoncommandisnotnew.Intheearly1960s.researcherstriedfiringrocketstrailingwiresintothundercloudstosetupaneasydischargepathforthehugeelectricchargesthatthesecloudsgenerate.ThetechniquesurvivestothisdayatatestsiteinFloridarunbytheUniversityofFlorida,withsupportfromtheElectricalPowerResearchInstitute(EPRI),basedinCalifornia.EPRI,whichisfundedbypowercompanies,islookingatwaystoprotecttheUnitedStates'powergridfromlightningstrikes.’Wecancausethelightningtostrikewherewewantittousingrockets/saysRalphBernstein,manageroflightningprojectsatEPRJ.Therocketsiteisprovidingprecisemeasurementsoflightningvoltagesandallowingengineerstocheckhowelectricalequipmentbearsup.BadbehaviourButwhilerocketsarefineforresearch,theycannotprovidetheprotectionfromlightningstrikesthateveryoneislookingfor.TherocketscostaroundSi,200each,canonlybefiredatalimitedfrequencyandtheirfailurerateisabout40percent.Andevenwhentheydotriggerlightning,thingsstilldonotalwaysgoaccordingtoplan,'Lightningisnotperfectlywellbehaved/saysBernstein,"Occasionally?itwillhikeabranchandgosomeplaceitwasn'tsupposedtogo/Andanyway,whowouldwanttofirestreamsofrocketsinapopulatedarea?*Whatgoesupmustcomedown/pointsoutJean-ClaudeDielsoftheUniversityofNewMexico.Dielsisleadingaproject,whichisbackedbyEPRI,totrytouselaserstodischargelightningsafely-andsafetyisabasicrequirementsincenoonewantstoputthemselvesortheirexpensiveequipmentatrisk.Witharound$500,000investedsofar,apromisingsystemisjustemergingfromthelaboratory.Theideabegansome20yearsago,whenhigh-poweredlaserswererevealingtheirabilitytoextractelectronsoutofatomsandcreateions.Ifalasercouldgeneratealineofionisationintheairallthewayuptoastormcloud,thisconductingpathcouldbeusedtoguidelightningtoEarth,beforetheelectricfieldbecomesstrongenoughtobreakdowntheairinanuncontrollablesurge.Tostopthelaseritselfbeingstruck,itwouldnotbepointedstraightattheclouds.Insteaditwouldbedirectedatamirror,andfromthereintothesky.Themirrorwouldbeprotectedbyplacinglightningconductorscloseby.Ideally^thecloud-zapper(gun)wouldbecheapenoughtobeinstalledaroundallkeypowerinstallations,andportableenoughtobetakentointernationalsportingeventstobeamupatbrewingstormclouds.AstumblingblockHowever,thereisstillabigstumblingblock.Thelaserisnoniftyportable:it'samonsterthattakesupawholeroom.Dielsistryingtocutdownthesizeandsaysthatalaseraroundthesizeofasmalltableisinrheoffing.Hephnstotestthismoremanageablesystemonlivethundercloudsnextsummer.BernsteinsaysthatDiels'ssystemisattractinglotsofinterestfromthepowercompanies.Buttheyhavenotyetcomeupwiththe$5millionthatEPRIsayswillbeneededtodevelopacommercialsystem,bymakingthelasersyetsmallerandcheaper,1cannotsayIhavemoneyyet,butPmworkingonit/saysBernstein.Hereckonsthattheforthcomingfieldtestswillbetheturningpoint-andhe'shopingforgoodnews.Bernsteinpredicts'anavalancheofinterestandsupport'ifallgoeswell.Heexpectstoseecloud-zapperseventuallycosting$50,000to$100,000each.Otherscientistscouldalsobenefit.Withalightning'switch'a【theirfingertips.materialsscientistscouldfindoutwhathappenswhenmightycurrentsmeetmatter.Dielsalsohopestoseethebirthof'interactivemeteorology5~notjustforecastingtheweatherbutcontrollingit.Ifwecoulddischargedouds,wemightaffecttheweather/hesays.Andperhaps,saysDiels,wellbeabletoconfrontsomeothermeteorologicalmenaces,'Wethinkwecouldpreventhailbyinducinglightning/hesays.Thunder,theshockwavethatcomesfromalightningflash,isthoughttobethetriggerforthetorrentialrainthatistypicalofstorms.Alaserthunderfactorycouldshakethemoistureoutofclouds,perhapspreventingtheformationofrhegianthailstonesthatthreatencrops.-Withluck,asthestormcloudsgatherthiswinter,laser-totingresearcherscould,forthefirsttime,strikeback.Questions1-3Choosethecorrectletter,A,B,CorD.Writethecorrectletterinboxes1-3onyouranswersheetThemaintopicdiscussedinthetextisAthedamagecausedtoUSgolfcoursesandgolfplayersbylightningstrikes.BtheeffectoflightningonpowersuppliesintheUSandinJapan.Cavarietyofmethodsusedintryingtocontrollightningstrikes.Dalasertechniqueusedintryingtocontrollightningstrikes.Accordingtothetext,everyyearlightningAdoesconsiderabledamagetobuildingsduringthunderstorms.BkillsorinjuresmainlygolfersintheUnitedStates.Ckillsorinjuresaround500peoplethroughouttheworid.Ddamagesmorethan100Americanpowercompanies.ResearchersattheUniversityofFloridaandattheUniversityofNewMexicoAreceivefundsfromthesamesource.Bareusingthesametechniques.Careemployedbycommercialcompanies.Dareinoppositiontoeachother.Questions4-6Completethesentencesbelow.ChooseNOMORETHANTWOWORDSfromthepassageforeachanswer.Writeyouranswersinboxes4-6onyouranswersheet.EPRIreceivesfinancialsupportfrom TheadvantageofthetechniquebeingdevelopedbyDielsisthatitcanbeused Themaindifficultyassociatedwithusingthelaserequipmentisrelatedtoits Questions7~10Completethesummaryusingthelistofwords,A-l,below.Writethecorrectletter,A-l,inboxes7-10onyouranswersheet.Inthismethod,alaserisusedtocreatealineofionisationbyremovingelectronsfrom7 This laseristhendirectedat8 in ordertocontrolelecfricalcharges,amethodwhichislessdangerousthanusingAs aprotectionforthelasers,thebeamsareaimedfirstlyat Acloud-zappersBatomscstormcloudsDmirrorsEtechniqueFionsGrocketsHconductors1thunderQuestions11-13DothefollowingstatementsagreewiththeinformationgiveninReadingPassage1?Inboxes11-13onyouranswersheetwriteYES ifthestatementagreeswiththeclaimsofthewriterNO ifthestatementcontradictstheclaimsofthewriterNOTGIVEN ifitisimpossibletosaywhatthewriterthinksaboutthisPowercompanieshavegivenDielsenoughmoneytodevelophislaser.Obtainingmoneytoimprovethelaserswilldependontestsinrealstorms.WeatherforecastersareintenselyinterestedinDiels'ssystem.READINGPASSAGE2Youshouldspendabout20minutesonQuestions14-26,whicharebasedonReadingPassage2below.TheNatureofGeniusTherehasalwaysbeenaninterestingeniusesandprodigies.Theword'genius',fromtheLatingens(=family)andtheterm'genius',meaning'begetter：comesfromtheearlyRomancultofadivinityastheheadofthefamily.Initsearliestform,geniuswasconcernedwiththeabilityoftheheadofthefamily,thepaterfamilias,toperpetuatehimself.Gradually,geniuscametorepresentaperson'scharacteristicsandthenceanindividual'shighestattributesderivedfromhis'genius'orguidingspirit.Today,peoplestilllooktostarsorgenes,astrologyorgenetics,inthehopeoffindingthesourceofexceptionalabilitiesorpersonalcharacteristics.Theconceptofgeniusandofgiftshasbecomepartofourfolkculture,andattitudesareambivalenttowardsthem.Weenvythegiftedandmistrustthem.Inthemythologyofgiftedness,itispopularlybelievedthatifpeoplearetalentedinonearea,theymustbedefectiveinanother,thatintellectualsareimpractical,thatprodigiesburntoobrightlytoosoonandburnout,thatgiftedpeopleareeccentric,thattheyarephysicalweaklings,thatthere'sathinlinebetweengeniusandmadness,thatgeniusrunsinfamilies,thatthegiftedaresoclevertheydon'tneedspecialhelp,thatgiftednessisthesameashavingahighIQ,thatsomeracesaremoreintelligentormusicalormathematicalthanothers,thatgeniusgoesunrecognisedandunrewarded,thatadversitymakesmenwiseorthatpeoplewithgiftshavearesponsibilityto,usethem.Languagehasbeenenrichedwithsuchtermsas'highbrow','egghead：'blue-stocking','wiseacre','know-all','boffin'and,formany,'inlellectuarisatermofdenigration.Thenineteenthcenturysawconsiderableinterestinthenatureofgenius,andproducednotafewstudiesoffamousprodigies.Perhapsforustoday,twoofthemostsignificantaspectsofmostofthesestudiesofgeniusarethefrequencywithwhichearlyencouragementandteachingbyparentsandtutorshadbeneficialeffectsontheintellectual,artisticormusicaldevelopmentofthechildrenbutcausedgreatdifficultiesofadjustmentlaterintheirlives,andthefrequencywithwhichabilitieswentunrecognisedbyteachersandschools.However,thedifficultywiththeevidenceproducedbythesestudies,fascinatingastheyareincollectingtogetheranecdotesandapparentsimilaritiesandexceptions,isthattheyarenotwhatwewouldtodaycallnorm-referenced.Inotherwords,wh