2011年12月英语六级听力精练第7套：短文理解

　　Passage One
　　26. A）The air becomes still.
　　B）The air pressure is low.
　　C）The clouds block the sun.
　　D）The sky appears brighter.
　　27. A）Ancient people were better at foretelling the weather.
　　B）Sailors’ sayings about the weather are unreliable.
　　C）People knew long ago how to predict the weather.
　　D）It was easier to forecast the weather in the old days.
　　28 A）Weather forecast is getting more accurate today.
　　B）People can predict the weather by their senses
　　C）Who are the real experts in weather forecast.
　　D）Weather changes affect people’s life remarkably
　　答案
　　26. [B] The air pressure is low.
　　27. [C] People knew long ago how to predict the weather.
　　28. [B] People can predict the weather by their senses.
　　原文
　　To find out what the weather is going to be, most people go straight to the radio, television, or newspaper to get an expert weather forecast. But if you know what to look for, you can use your own senses to make weather predictions. There are many signs that can help you. For example, in fair weather the air pressure is generally high, the air is still and often full of dust, and far away objects may look vague. But when the storm is brewing, the pressure drops, and you are often able to see things more clearly. Sailors took note of this long ago, and came up with the saying, “The farther the sight, the nearer the rain.” Your sense of smell can also help you detect the weather changes. Just before it rains, odors become stronger, this is because odors are repressed in a fair high pressure center. When a bad weather low moves in, air pressure lessens and odors are released. You can also hear an approaching storm. Sounds bounce off heavy storm clouds and return to earth with increased force. An old saying describes it this way, “Sounds traveling far and wide a stormy day will be tied”. And don’t laugh at your grandmother if she says she can feel a storm coming. It is commonly known that many people feel pains in their bones or joints while the humidity rises, the pressure drops, and bad weather is on the way.
　　Question 26: Why does the speaker say we can see far away objects more clearly as a storm is approaching?
　　Question 27: What does the speaker want to show by quoting a couple of old sayings?
　　Question 28: What does the passage mainly talk about?