英语听力精选进阶版 6279

Starting with the lines "General weather probable in the next two days," a short piece in The Times newspaper of London in 1861 started forecasting as we know it today.

It was put together by Robert FitzRoy, a captain in the Royal Navy and a pioneer in the field of meteorology, who led the department which later became the Met Office.

In the 150 years since then, the unreliable art has gone through many different styles, but one thing has remained constant: ridicule¹ for weathermen when they get it wrong. Poor FitzRoy became the butt² of jokes when his predictions were incorrect and his daily forecasts soon stopped.

However, by popular demand, they returned a few years later. The first BBC radio weather bulletin was in 1922 but it wasn't until 1949 that forecasts made it onto TV.

Unlike modern weather forecasts with high-tech³ graphics⁴ and chroma key technology, the presenter⁵ used just a map and a pencil to show what the weather would be doing tomorrow.

It goes without saying that weather forecasting is far more important than simply letting people know whether to take waterproofs⁶ and an umbrella out with them. Early-warning systems which predict extreme weather such as hurricanes and cyclones⁷ have saved countless⁸ lives.

Come rain or shine, weather forecasts will probably be here for at least another 150 years. After all, what would the British talk about without them?

Quiz 小测验

1. Was the first forecast put together by a sailor? 

Yes. It was put together by Robert FitzRoy, a captain in the Royal Navy.

2. Were the forecasts a success from the start? 

No. Poor FitzRoy became the butt of jokes when his predictions were incorrect and his daily forecasts soon stopped.

3. Did people want the forecasts to return after they finished? 

Yes. By popular demand they returned a few years later.

4. Was the first TV weather bulletin technologically⁹ advanced? 

No. the presenter used just a map and a pencil to show what the weather would be doing tomorrow.

5. What expression used in the article means 'whatever happens'? 

Come rain or shine.

Glossary 词汇表

forecasting 预报 

meteorology 气象学 

Met Office 气象局 

weathermen 气象预报员 

bulletin 简报 

high-tech graphics 高技术图像 

chroma key technology 色键技术 

waterproofs 防水的 

early-warning systems 早期预告系统 

hurricanes 飓风 

cyclones 旋风/飓风 

come rain or shine 不论下雨还是晴天

1 ridicule   

v.讥讽，挖苦；n.嘲弄

参考例句：

• You mustn't ridicule unfortunate people.你不该嘲笑不幸的人。
• Silly mistakes and queer clothes often arouse ridicule.荒谬的错误和古怪的服装常会引起人们的讪笑。

2 butt   

n.笑柄；烟蒂；枪托；臀部；v.用头撞或顶

参考例句：

• The water butt catches the overflow from this pipe.大水桶盛接管子里流出的东西。
• He was the butt of their jokes.他是他们的笑柄。

3 high-tech   

adj.高科技的

参考例句：

• The economy is in the upswing which makes high-tech services in more demand too.经济在蓬勃发展，这就使对高科技服务的需求量也在加大。
• The quest of a cure for disease with high-tech has never ceased. 人们希望运用高科技治疗疾病的追求从未停止过。

4 graphics   

n.制图法，制图学；图形显示

参考例句：

• You've leveraged your graphics experience into the video area.你们把图形设计业务的经验运用到录像业务中去。
• Improved graphics took computer games into a new era.经改进的制图技术将电脑游戏带进了一个新时代。

5 presenter   

n.（电视、广播的）主持人，赠与者

参考例句：

• Most people think being a television presenter is exciting.很多人认为当电视节目主持人是一件刺激的事情。
• The programme dispensed with its most popular presenter.这个节目最受欢迎的主持人被换掉了。

6 waterproofs   

n.防水衣物，雨衣 usually plural( waterproof的名词复数 )v.使防水，使不透水( waterproof的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Put on your waterproofs. It's going to rain. 穿上你的雨衣。天要下雨了。 来自辞典例句
• Did you pack an umbrella and some waterproofs? 你有没有带雨伞及一些防水衣物？ 来自休闲英语会话

7 cyclones   

n.气旋( cyclone的名词复数 )；旋风；飓风；暴风

参考例句：

• The pricipal objective in designing cyclones is to create a vortex. 设计旋风除尘器的主要目的在于造成涡旋运动。 来自辞典例句
• Middle-latitude cyclones originate at the popar front. 中纬度地区的气旋发源于极锋。 来自辞典例句

8 countless   

adj.无数的，多得不计其数的

参考例句：

• In the war countless innocent people lost their lives.在这场战争中无数无辜的人丧失了性命。
• I've told you countless times.我已经告诉你无数遍了。

9 technologically   

ad.技术上地

参考例句：

• Shanghai is a technologically advanced city. 上海是中国的一个技术先进的城市。
• Many senior managers are technologically illiterate. 许多高级经理都对技术知之甚少。