B
(2019·南京三模)Humanity has begun wrestling with the dangers of global threats such as climate change. But few authorities are planning for catastrophic solar storms — huge eruptions of mass and energy from the sun that destroy the Earth's magnetic field. In a recent paper, two Harvard University scientists estimate the potential economic damage from such an event will increase in the future and could equal the current US GDP — about ＄20 trillion — 150 years from now.
This kind of storm has happened before. The socalled Carrington Event of 1859, the most intense magnetic storm ever recorded on the Earth, caused auroras (极光) in the atmosphere and even delivered electric shocks to telegraph operators. But a Carringtonscale storm today would cause far more harm because society now depends so heavily on electrical power grids, communications satellites and GPS.
In an effort to quantify that threat, astrophysicists Abraham Loeb and Manasvi Lingam of the HarvardSmithsonian Center for Astrophysics developed a mathematical model that assumes society's vulnerability (脆弱性) to solar storms will grow with technological advances. Under this model, during the next 50 years the potential for economic damage will depend primarily on the rising odds of a strong solar storm over time. Beyond 50 years our vulnerability will increase dramatically with technological progress until the latter levels off.
Some scientists question the model's predictions.“Estimating the economic impact is challenging now, let alone in over a century，” says Edward Oughton, a research associate at the University of Cambridge's Center for Risk Studies. Yet he warns that uncertainty should not stop us from practical preparations, such as making power grids stronger and improving earlywarning systems.
Loeb and Lingam think up a much wilder strategy: a ＄100billion magnetic deflector shield (导流板), positioned between the Earth and the Sun. This idea seems “pretty preposterous”， however, given that solar particles arrive at the Earth from all directions, says Daniel Baker, director of the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado Boulder.
A better understanding of “space weather” — the changing conditions in the Earth's outer space environment, including solar radiation and particles — could help find the best strategies for confronting a dangerous solar storm, says Stacey Worman, a senior analyst at consulting firm Abt Associates. “This is a challenging but important question，” Worman says, “that we need more eyes on.”
3．According to Edward Oughton, which of the following about solar storms is RIGHT?
A．They will become much stronger in 150 years.
B．Technology makes their potential damage grow.
C．It's difficult to predict their possible economic damage.
D．Space weather forecast can effectively help deal with them.
解析：选C 细节理解题。根据第四段中的“Estimating the economic impact is challenging now”可知，现在估计经济影响是有挑战性的，故选C项。
4．The underlined word “preposterous” in Paragraph 5 means“________”.
A．unreasonable B．practical
C．innovative D．inflexible
解析：选A 词义猜测题。由however可知该句与上句在意义上发生了转折。上文中说道“他们两个提出了一个更加大胆的想法”；接下来是“但是，这个观点似乎相当的不合理”。所以这个词的意思与A项词义接近。
5．The author writes the passage mainly to ________.
A．report the damage of solar storms
B．remind people to guard against solar storms
C．introduce the characteristics of solar storms
D．analyze the possible cause of solar storms
解析：选B 写作意图题。由第一段中“But few authorities are planning for catastrophic solar storms”以及最后一段第一句可知，该文的写作目的是提醒人们应对太阳风暴的危害。
(2019·南京三模)Humanity has begun wrestling with the dangers of global threats such as climate change. But few authorities are planning for catastrophic solar storms — huge eruptions of mass and energy from the sun that destroy the Earth's magnetic field. In a recent paper, two Harvard University scientists estimate the potential economic damage from such an event will increase in the future and could equal the current US GDP — about ＄20 trillion — 150 years from now.
This kind of storm has happened before. The socalled Carrington Event of 1859, the most intense magnetic storm ever recorded on the Earth, caused auroras (极光) in the atmosphere and even delivered electric shocks to telegraph operators. But a Carringtonscale storm today would cause far more harm because society now depends so heavily on electrical power grids, communications satellites and GPS.
In an effort to quantify that threat, astrophysicists Abraham Loeb and Manasvi Lingam of the HarvardSmithsonian Center for Astrophysics developed a mathematical model that assumes society's vulnerability (脆弱性) to solar storms will grow with technological advances. Under this model, during the next 50 years the potential for economic damage will depend primarily on the rising odds of a strong solar storm over time. Beyond 50 years our vulnerability will increase dramatically with technological progress until the latter levels off.
Some scientists question the model's predictions.“Estimating the economic impact is challenging now, let alone in over a century，” says Edward Oughton, a research associate at the University of Cambridge's Center for Risk Studies. Yet he warns that uncertainty should not stop us from practical preparations, such as making power grids stronger and improving earlywarning systems.
Loeb and Lingam think up a much wilder strategy: a ＄100billion magnetic deflector shield (导流板), positioned between the Earth and the Sun. This idea seems “pretty preposterous”， however, given that solar particles arrive at the Earth from all directions, says Daniel Baker, director of the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado Boulder.
A better understanding of “space weather” — the changing conditions in the Earth's outer space environment, including solar radiation and particles — could help find the best strategies for confronting a dangerous solar storm, says Stacey Worman, a senior analyst at consulting firm Abt Associates. “This is a challenging but important question，” Worman says, “that we need more eyes on.”
3．According to Edward Oughton, which of the following about solar storms is RIGHT?
A．They will become much stronger in 150 years.
B．Technology makes their potential damage grow.
C．It's difficult to predict their possible economic damage.
D．Space weather forecast can effectively help deal with them.
解析：选C 细节理解题。根据第四段中的“Estimating the economic impact is challenging now”可知，现在估计经济影响是有挑战性的，故选C项。
4．The underlined word “preposterous” in Paragraph 5 means“________”.
A．unreasonable B．practical
C．innovative D．inflexible
解析：选A 词义猜测题。由however可知该句与上句在意义上发生了转折。上文中说道“他们两个提出了一个更加大胆的想法”；接下来是“但是，这个观点似乎相当的不合理”。所以这个词的意思与A项词义接近。
5．The author writes the passage mainly to ________.
A．report the damage of solar storms
B．remind people to guard against solar storms
C．introduce the characteristics of solar storms
D．analyze the possible cause of solar storms
解析：选B 写作意图题。由第一段中“But few authorities are planning for catastrophic solar storms”以及最后一段第一句可知，该文的写作目的是提醒人们应对太阳风暴的危害。
