Accurately forecasting the weather is a very hard thing to do. There are many parts of weather dynamics — the study of how water and air in motion cause weather patterns — to consider. Even the best forecast can be changed by a small weather disturbance halfway around the world. Today’s forecast use complex computer models, weather instruments, and detailed analyses of daily observations to predict the weather. However, it hasn’t always been that way. People, like your grandparents, use folklore and proverbs to help forecast the weather. They remembered what conditions caused changes and observed the factors associated with weather atmospheric and cloud conditions, temperature, winds, and reactions of plants and animals. Many people believe that this way of forecasting weather is accurate more often than modem forecasting.
Grandma’s aching joints might indicate the arrival of a low-pressure system. She might also observe the geese flying lower than usual, confirming the low-pressure system. Finally, she might feel dampness on her skin, a sign of high humidity (湿度). Based on these three observations, grandma might warn that a storm is brewing.
Joints and nerves can indicate dropping air pressure, dissolved gases in the blood form bubbles under low air pressure. This causes pain in joints and nerve endings. Geese and other birds respond to changes in air pressure by adjusting how high they fly. In the fair, calm weather of a high-pressure system, the birds fly higher than in the stormy weather associated with a low-pressure system.
Nature provides other clues to changing weather. A decrease in air pressure causes deer and elk to come down from the mountains to look for shelter. Some animals feed more than usual. The higher humidity before a storm causes some insects to leave the trees and gather near the ground. Some flowers close so rain doesn’t get inside them. In winter, rhododendron plants curl up to protect themselves as the temperature drops.
Several of the sayings apply in particular areas of the world. Here are some of them.
■Early thunder, early spring.
■Rainbow in the morning gives you fair warning.
■When teeth and bones ache, expect the clouds to fill the lake.
■When high clouds and low clouds do not match together, prepare for a blow and a change in the weather.
60. It is true that ___________.
A. using folklore and proverbs to forecast weather is more accurate than modem forecasting
B. complex computer models and weather instruments can always forecast weather accurately
C. modern forecasting cannot always guarantee accurate weather forecasting for some reason
D. modem forecasting along with other observations is sure to give accurate weather forecast
61. In a low-pressure system, you may notice the following EXCEPT that ___________.
A. some birds will be seen flying near the surface of the earth
B. some flowers close so rain doesn’t get inside
C. some animals come down from mountains
D. some insects disappear from ground
62. It is a fact that the behavior of plants and animals is _________.
A. likely to reflect long-term weather forecasting
B. likely to reflect short-term weather forecasting
C. unlikely to reflect any kind of weather forecasting
D. more likely to reflect both short-term and long term weather forecasting
63. What does the passage mainly tell us?
A. People can forecast weather with no modern equipment.
B. How to use proverbs to forecast weather forecasting.
C. Hard as it is, weather forecasting has a scientific base.
D. The importance of weather forecasting.