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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.Theirelectricalfuryinflic
2、tsdeathorseriousinjuryonaround500peopleeachyearintheUnitedStatesalone.Asthecloudsrollin,aleisurelyroundofgolfcanbecomeaterrifyingdicewithdeath-outintheopen,alonegolfermaybealightningbolt'smostinvitingtarget.Andthereisdamagetopropertytoo.Lightningdamag
3、ecostsAmericanpowercompaniesmorethan$100millionayear. ButresearchersintheUnitedStatesandJapanareplanningtohitback.Alreadyinlaboratorytrialstheyhavetestedstrategiesforneutralisingthepowerofthunderstorms,andthiswintertheywillbraverealstorms,equippedwit
4、hanarmouryoflasersthattheywillbepointingtowardstheheavenstodischargethundercloudsbeforelightningcanstrike. Theideaofforcingstormcloudstodischargetheirlightningoncommandisnotnew.Intheearly1960s,researcherstriedfiringrocketstrailingwiresintothunderclou
5、dstosetupaneasydischargepathforthehugeelectricchargesthatthesecloudsgenerate.ThetechniquesurvivestothisdayatatestsiteinFloridarunbytheUniversityofFlorida,withsupportfromtheElectricalPowerResearchInstitute(EPRI),basedinCalifornia.EPRI,whichisfundedbypo
6、wercompanies,islookingatwaystoprotecttheUnitedStates'powergridfromlightningstrikes.'Wecancausethelightningtostrikewherewewantittousingrockets,'saysRalphBernstein,manageroflightningprojectsatEPRI.Therocketsiteisprovidingprecisemeasurementsoflightningvo
7、ltagesandallowingengineerstocheckhowelectricalequipmentbearsup. Badbehaviour Butwhilerocketsarefineforresearch,theycannotprovidetheprotectionfromlightningstrikesthateveryoneislookingfor.Therocketscostaround$1,200each,canonlybefiredatalimitedfrequenc
8、yandtheirfailurerateisabout40percent.Andevenwhentheydotriggerlightning,thingsstilldonotalwaysgoaccordingtoplan.'Lightningisnotperfectlywellbehaved,'32saysBernstein.'Occasionally,itwilltakeabranchandgosomeplaceitwasn'tsupposedtogo.' Andanyway,
