A tornado（龙卷风）is a kind of strong storm with air which moves in a circle quickly. They can move over 200 miles per hour and cause a lot of damage（损坏）. As they move across the land, they can easily pick up cars, trucks, and even houses, and then throw them very far. It is important to find a safe place if a tornado gets close.
A safe place could be a basement（地下室）or the lowest floor. If you are in a home without a basement, try to find a first-floor bathroom or a small room without windows in the middle of your house. You should curl up（蜷缩）into a ball and cover your head and neck with your hands.
But there are some people who actually want to get close to tornadoes. They are scientists who want to learn more about tornadoes. One of the best ways to do this is to get as close as possible to the tornado. They use special tools to measure （测量） what is happening in and around a tornado.
One special tool is called a tornado probe（探测仪）. Inside the tornado probe, there are sensors（传感器）to measure wind speed, temperature, pressure, and direction. Some probes even have cameras, so the scientists can see and understand what it’s like to be in a tornado.
To be able to get these measurements, the scientists have to get a tornado probe near or into a tornado. Scientists will try to guess where a tornado will go next. Then they drive to that location and put down the probe. If they do not guess correctly, they pick up their probe and try another place. If they are right, the tornado will go near or even right over the probe. Then they take all of the measurements from the probe and use them to predict where future tornadoes may form（形成）and travel. And they can give people some warning to keep away from a dangerous tornado.
36. If a tornado gets close, what should people do to keep safe?
A. Go to a basement. B. Find a small room.
C. Stay in a bathroom. D. Curl the legs up.
37. What can the sensor in a probe NOT do?
A. Measure wind speed and temperature. B. Take photos and videos.
C. Measure wind temperature and pressure. D. Measure wind speed and direction.
38. Which statement about the scientists is TRUE?
A. They risk their lives studying tornadoes.
B. They can easily put the probe in the right place.
C. They get close to a tornado to admire it.
D. With the help of the measurements, they can prevent the tornado forming.
39. The passage mainly tells us ________.
A. what a tornado is
B. how dangerous a tornado is
C. where a tornado may form and travel
D. how scientists do research work on tornadoes
40. You may find this passage in ________.
A. a novel B. a storybook C. a guidebook D. a science magazine
本文主要介绍了科学家如何探测及研究龙卷风。
36.A【解析】细节理解题。根据It is important to find a safe place if a tornado gets close. A safe place could be a basement（地下室）or the lowest floor，可知，当龙卷风靠近时，要找一个最低层或地下室这样的安全地方。故选A。
37.B【解析】细节理解题。根据Inside the tornado probe, there are sensors（传感器）to measure wind speed, temperature, pressure, and direction，可知，传感器可以测量风速，温度，压力及方向。结合所给选项，只有B不符合。故选B。
38.A【解析】推理判断题。根据To be able to get these measurements, the scientists have to get a tornado probe near or into a tornado，可知，为了得到这些测量数据，科学家必须冒着生命危险把探测器靠近龙卷风或进入龙卷风里，所以A选项正确。根据Scientists will try to guess where a tornado will go next. Then they drive to that location and put down the probe. If they do not guess correctly, they pick up their probe and try another place，可知，科学家要尝试猜测龙卷风下一步会去哪里，然后把探测器放在这个位置，如果猜错了，还要去尝试另外一个地方，说明把探测器放在合适的位置并不是那么容易，所以B选项错误。根据They are scientists who want to learn more about tornadoes，可知，科学家靠近龙卷风是为了更多地了解它，所以C选项错误。根据Then they take all of the measurements from the probe and use them to predict where future tornadoes may form（形成）and travel. And they can give people some warning to keep away from a dangerous tornado，可知，在测量数据的帮助下，科学家可以预测未来龙卷风在哪里形成，这样可以给到人们一些警示来远离危险的龙卷风，所以D选项错误。故选A。
39.D【解析】主旨大意题。根据本文第二段到最后一段，可知，本文主要讲述了科学家如何研究龙卷风。故选D。
40.D【解析】推理判断题。通读全文，可知，本文主要讲述了科学家如何研究龙卷风，这篇文章最有可能在科学杂志上看到。故选D。