A device that provides early warning of landslide by monitoring vibrations in soil is being tested by UK researchers. The device could save thousands of lives each year by warning when an area should be evacuated, the scientists say. Such natural disasters are common in countries that experience sudden, heavy rainfall, and can also be triggered by earthquakes and even water erosion.
Landslides start when a few particles of soil or rock within a slope start to move, but the early stages can be hard to spot. Following this initial movement, “Slopes can become unstable in a matter of hours of minutes,” says Nell Dixon at Loughborough University, UK. He says a warning system that monitors this movement might be enough to evacuate a block of flats or clear a road, and save lives.
The most common way to monitor a slope for signs of an imminent landslide is to watch for changes in its shape. Surveyors can do this by monitoring a site directly, or sensors sunk into boreholes or fixed above ground can be sued to monitor the shape of a slope. Slopes can, however, change shape without triggering a landslide, so either method is prone to causing false alarms. Now Nixon’s team has developed a device that listens for the vibrations caused when particles begin moving within a slope.
The device takes the form of steel pipe dropped into a slope. The borehole is filled in with gravel around the pipe to help transmit high-frequency vibrations generated by particles within the slope. These vibrations pass up the tube and are picked up by a sensor on the surface. Software analyses the vibration signal to determine whether a landslide may be imminent.
The device is currently being tested in a 6-metre-tall artificial clay embankment in Newcastle, UK. Early results suggest it should provide fewer false positives than existing systems. Once it has been carefully and thoroughly tested, the device could be used to create a complete early-warning system for dangerous slopes.
“Locations with a significant risk of landslides could definitely benefit from a machine like this, ” says Adam Poulter, an expert at the British Red Cross. “As long as it doesn’t cost too much.” But, Poulter adds that an early-warning system may not be enough on it own. “You need to have the human communication,” he says. “Making systems that get warnings to those who need them can be difficult.”
1. What does “Such natural disasters” in the first paragraph refer to?
A. Sudden, heavy rainfall.
B. Earthquakes
C. Water erosion
D. Landslides
2. Which of the following statements is true of landslides?
A. The initial movement is hard to spot
B. They start with a movement of a few particles of soil or rock
C. They can be destructive in a matter of hours or minutes
D. All of the above
3. Why do researchers develop a new device to monitor signs of landslides?
A. because the new device can measure the site directly
B. because the new device can be sunk into boreholes or fixed above ground
C. because the common methods can cause false alarms
D. because the common methods are useless
4. Which of the following statements is NOT true of the device, according to Paragraph 4?
A. it is filled in with gravel
B. it consists of a steel pipe.
C. It is dropped into a borehole filled with gravel
D. It is connected to a sensor on the surface
5. According to the context, what does the word “positives” in the fifth paragraph mean?
A. positive electric charges
B. evidences
C. warnings
D. predictions
答案与解析：
1.分析文章标题：Listening(收听的) device(装置) provides(提供) landslide(山崩)’s early warning(预警)
分析：文章讲对提供山崩预警的一种收听装置进行介绍。
2.直接解题：
1. What does “Such(这样的， 这样的人(物)/代词) natural disasters(自然灾害) ” in the first paragraph(段落) refer to(指，查阅， 谈到)?
A. Sudden(突然的), heavy(重的，繁重的， (流量)大的) rainfall(降雨量).
B. Earthquakes(地震)
C. Water erosion(腐蚀， 侵蚀)
D. Landslides(山崩)
1. D。 细节题。该题可以借助文章主题直接判断答案，也可以利用文章中的相关内容判断答案。首先查找到引号中的结构出现的句子，同时关注被选项中的细节词(细节结构)是否出现在该句中及该句周边语句中：
A device that provides early warning of landslide by monitoring vibrations in soil is being tested by UK researchers. The device could save thousands of lives each year by warning when an area should be evacuated, the scientists say. Such natural disasters(自然灾害)are common(常见的，公共的) in countries(国家)that experience(经历， 经验) sudden(突然的), heavy rainfall, and can also be triggered by (被...引发)earthquakes and even water erosion(水的侵蚀).
答案相关句(第1段最后1句)中的“such natural disasters”指代前文中提到的某种自然灾害， 前文中只提到了“山崩”这种自然灾害， 因此D是答案，
2. Which of the following (下列哪个)statements(陈述，声明) is true of (关于...是正确的)landslides(山崩)?
A. The initial(最初的， 字首的) movement(运动) is hard(困难的，坚固的，努力地， 猛烈地) to spot(发现，污点, 地点)
B. They start with (以...开始)a movement of a few particles(粒子) of soil(土壤) or rock(岩石)
C. They can be destructive(破坏性的) in a matter of (大约)hours or minutes(分钟)
D All of the above(上述内容)
2.D. 细节题。利用被选项中的细节信息结构/词语作为答案线索(A：initial movement; B: particles of soil or rock)共同作为答案线索，在文章中查找答案相关句：
(第1题答案相关句)A device that provides early warning of landslide by monitoring vibrations in soil is being tested by UK researchers. The device could save thousands of lives each year by warning when an area should be evacuated, the scientists say. (第1题答案相关句) Such natural disasters are common in countries that experience sudden, heavy rainfall, and can also be triggered by earthquakes and even water erosion.
Landslides(山崩) start(开始) when a few particles(粒子) of soil (土壤)or rock within(在...之中) a slope(斜坡) start to move(移动， 运动), but the early stages(阶段) can be hard to spot(该句内容与选项B的内容一致，因此B都是答案。). Following(在...之后) this initial movement(最初的运动)(根据该结构意义的提示， 结合前句内容判断A正确), “Slopes(斜坡) can become unstable(不稳定的) in a matter of(大约) hours of minutes” says Nell Dixon at Loughborough University, UK(该句内容与选项B的内容一致， B中的destructive应理解为“毁坏的/被毁坏的”). He says a warning system that monitors this movement might be enough to evacuate a block of flats or clear a road, and save lives.
答案相关句(第2段前两句)说：当同一个山坡上的一些土壤或石块开始移动时，山崩就开始了。 但早期很难发现。然后紧接着山坡在数分钟或数小时内变得不稳定，由此判断A， B和C这三个选项的内容都在文章中被提到了， 因此D是答案。
3. Why do researchers(研究者) develop(研制，发展， 患病) a new device (设备)to monitor (监控， 监控器)signs(迹象， 记号， 签名于) of landslides(山崩)?
A because the new device(设备) can measure(测量，尺寸，措施) the site(地点， 遗址) directly(直接地)
B because the new device can be sunk (能够被沉到)into boreholes(井眼) or fixed(被固定) above(在...之上) ground(地面， 土地)
C because the common(普通的， 共有的) methods(方法) can cause(造成) false (错误的， 虚伪的)alarms(警报， 警告)
D because the common普通的 methods are useless(无用的，无效的)
3. C。 细节题。利用问题句中的细节信息词(signs, device)及被选项中的细节信息词(A：site; B：boreholes, C：false alarms)共同作为答案线索， 在文章中查找答案相关句：
A device that provides early warning of landslide by monitoring vibrations in soil is being tested by UK researchers. The device could save thousands of lives each year by warning when an area should be evacuated, the scientists say. Such natural disasters are common in countries that experience sudden, heavy rainfall, and can also be triggered by earthquakes and even water erosion.
(第2题答案相关句)Landslides start when a few particles of soil or rock within a slope start to move, but the early stages can be hard to spot. Following this initial movement, “Slopes can become unstable in a matter of hours of minutes,” says Nell Dixon at Loughborough University, UK. He says a warning system that monitors this movement might be enough to evacuate a block of flats or clear a road, and save lives.
(第3段)The most common(普通的， 共有的) way to monitor(监控) a slope(斜坡) for signs of an imminent(即将到来的) landslide(山崩) is to watch for(注意) changes in (在...方面的变化)its shape(形状). Surveyors(检测员， 测量员) can do this by monitoring a site (场所， 遗址)directly(直接地), or sensors sunk into boreholes (井眼)or fixed(被固定) above ground can be used to monitor the shape(形状) of a slope. Slopes(斜坡) can, however(然而), change shape(形状， 使成形) without(不，没有) triggering(引发) a landslide(山崩), so(因此， 如此) either(两者之一的)) method (方法)is prone to (易于)causing(造成) false alarms. Now Nixon’s team has developed a device that listens for the vibrations caused when particles begin moving within a slope.
答案相关句(第3段第3句)说“斜坡改变形状也未必会导致山崩， 所以任何一种方法都可能造成错误的警报”， 而该句中提到的“任意一种方法” 是指前文中提到的最常用的两种监控斜坡的方法。因此判断C的说法正确。
4. Which of the following (下列哪个)statements(陈述，声明) is NOT true of (关于...是正确的)the device, according to (根据)Paragraph(段落) 4?
A. it is filled in with (被用...填满) gravel(沙砾)
B. it consists of (由...组成)a steel(钢) pipe(管).
C. It is dropped into (被落入)a borehole(地上凿洞)filled with gravel(沙砾)
D. It is connected to (被连接到)a sensor(传感器) on the surface(表面)
4.A. 利用被选项中的细节信息词(A：gravel, B：steel pipe, C: borehole, D：sensor)共同作为答案线索， 在文章中查找答案相关句：
A device that provides early warning of landslide by monitoring vibrations in soil is being tested by UK researchers. The device could save thousands of lives each year by warning when an area should be evacuated, the scientists say. Such natural disasters are common in countries that experience sudden, heavy rainfall, and can also be triggered by earthquakes and even water erosion.
Landslides start when a few particles of soil or rock within a slope start to move, but the early stages can be hard to spot. Following this initial movement, “Slopes can become unstable in a matter of hours of minutes,” says Nell Dixon at Loughborough University, UK. He says a warning system that monitors this movement might be enough to evacuate a block of flats or clear a road, and save lives.
The most common way to monitor a slope for signs of an imminent landslide is to watch for changes in its shape. Surveyors can do this by monitoring a site directly, or sensors sunk into boreholes or fixed above ground can be sued to monitor the shape of a slope.(第3题答案相关句) Slopes can, however, change shape without triggering a landslide, so either method is prone to causing false alarms. Now Nixon’s team has developed a device that listens for the vibrations caused when particles begin moving within a slope.
(第4段)The device takes the form of (采取...的形状)steel pipe(and it is) dropped into a slope. The borehole is filled in with gravel(沙砾) around(在...周围) the pipe(这个设备)to help transmit(传输) high-frequency(高频率) vibrations(震动) generated(产生) by particles(粒子) within the slope. These vibrations(震动信号)pass(传递，通过， 通行证) up(沿着) the tube (官子)(指这个设备)and are picked up by (被...接收/捡起/加快/很快学会)a sensor (传感器)on the surface. Software analyses the vibration signal to determine whether a landslide may be imminent.
该段落中的第2句说“井眼里被填满沙砾”，而不是the pipe(管装的设备)中被填满沙砾， 因此选项A没有提供正确信息。
5. According to (根据)the context(上下文), what does the word “positives” in the fifth paragraph(段落) mean(意味)?
A. Positive(正极的， 肯定的， 积极的) electric charges(正电荷)
B. Evidences(证据)
C. Warnings(警告)
D. Predictions(预报)
5. B。 首先找到该词在文章中的语句：
(第5段) The device is currently being tested in a 6-metre-tall artificial clay embankment in Newcastle, UK. Early (早的， 早期的，早期)results(结果) suggest(建议， 显示) it should provide(提供) fewer(更少的) false(错误的， 虚假的) positives than existing(现有的) systems(系统， 体系). Once it has been carefully and thoroughly tested, the device could be used to create a complete early-warning system for dangerous slopes.
Positive在句子中用作名词， 而positive用作名词时其基本词义为“(形容词、副词的)原级;〈摄〉正片;正数;确凿的证据”，根据positives所在句子的句意判断“确凿的证据”是答案。
