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1、剑桥雅思8-第三套试题-阅读部分-PASSAGE1-阅读真题原文部分: READINGPASSAGE1 Youshouldspendabout20minutesonQuestions1-13whicharebasedonReadingPassage1below. StrikingBackatLightningWithLasers Seldomistheweathermoredramaticthanwhenthunderstormsstrike.Theirelectricalfuryi
2、nflictsdeathorseriousinjuryonaround500peopleeachyearintheUnitedStatesalone.Asthecloudsrollin,aleisurelyroundofgolfcanbecomeaterrifyingdicewithdeath-outintheopen,alonegolfermaybealightningbolt'smostinvitingtarget.Andthereisdamagetopropertytoo.Lightnin
3、gdamagecostsAmericanpowercompaniesmorethan$100millionayear. ButresearchersintheUnitedStatesandJapanareplanningtohitback.Alreadyinlaboratorytrialstheyhavetestedstrategiesforneutralisingthepowerofthunderstorms,andthiswintertheywillbraverealstorms,equi
4、ppedwithanarmouryoflasersthattheywillbepointingtowardstheheavenstodischargethundercloudsbeforelightningcanstrike. Theideaofforcingstormcloudstodischargetheirlightningoncommandisnotnew.Intheearly1960s,researcherstriedfiringrocketstrailingwiresintothu
5、ndercloudstosetupaneasydischargepathforthehugeelectricchargesthatthesecloudsgenerate.ThetechniquesurvivestothisdayatatestsiteinFloridarunbytheUniversityofFlorida,withsupportfromtheElectricalPowerResearchInstitute(EPRI),basedinCalifornia.EPRI,whichisf
6、undedbypowercompanies,islookingatwaystoprotecttheUnitedStates'powergridfromlightningstrikes.'Wecancausethelightningtostrikewherewewantittousingrockets,'saysRalphBernstein,manageroflightningprojectsatEPRI.Therocketsiteisprovidingprecisemeasurementsofl
7、ightningvoltagesandallowingengineerstocheckhowelectricalequipmentbearsup. Badbehaviour Butwhilerocketsarefineforresearch,theycannotprovidetheprotectionfromlightningstrikesthateveryoneislookingfor.Therocketscostaround$1,200each,canonlybefiredatalimi
8、tedfrequencyandtheirfailurerateisabout40percent.Andevenwhentheydotriggerlightning,thingsstilldonotalwaysgoaccordingtoplan.'Lightningisnotperfectlywellbehaved,'saysBernstein.'Occasionally,itwilltakeabranchandgosomeplaceitwasn'tsupposedtogo.' Andanywa
