Stormy weather can cause people to cancel their plans．It can cause major events to be postponed．And severe stormy weather can be dangerous to people，fortune and anima1．

　　　If you weather the storm，or ride out the storm，you survive and move on without harm or injury．For example，1et's talk about Tornado Alley，the name for part of the central United States．During springtime，this area often has a large number of powerful tornadoes．People who live there are taught to shelter in the safest place they can find and wait for the storm to pass．People who live in Tornado Alley are used to weathering many storms!

　　　You can also weather a storm，but it doesn't involve actual weather．"To weather the storm"can also mean to make it through a difficult experience or trying times．So，if the stock market(股市)crashes，you might have to weather a financial storm．

　　　Often before a big storm，conditions are calm．The calm before the storm can happen anytime．It is the time before something bad happens．For example，at the beginning of a family reunion．the adults were all talking happily．But the older children knew it was just the calm before the storm．They've seen it happen before．The adults talk happily for about an hour．Then they start arguing about events from the past-things that should really stay buried!

　　　But after the storm begins and you find yourself in the middle of it，you are in the eye of the storm．In the world of weather，the eye of the storm is the calmest part，in the center of a hurricane，for example．However，in the English language，if you are in the eye of the storm，you are in the most intense part of a conflict．For example，she had no idea that walking into the meeting would put her in the eye of the storm．

　　　However，a brainstorm does not exist in the world of weather．To brainstorm means to try to solve a problem by talking with other people．And don't worry．If we have trouble thinking of an idea for the next program，we can always brainstorm with you !

　　　12．What's mainly discussed in the 3rd and 4th paragraphs?

　　　A．What the meanings of weathering the storm are．

　　　B．How we can weather the storm．

　　　C．Weathering a storm doesn't involve actual weather．

　　　D．People in Tornado Alley can survive the storm．

　　　13．Why does the author mention a family reunion in the fifth paragraph?

　　　A．To stress the importance of weather forecast．

　　　B．To develop the awareness of family．

　　　C．To explain the meaning of an expression．

　　　D．To praise the older children for being clever．

　　　14．What can be inferred from the last paragraph?

　　　A．A problem ear't be solved if you worry too much．

　　　B．A brainstorm often appears in the world of weather．

　　　C．Difficulties can be dealt with by teamwork．

　　　D．To brainstorm can cause troubles in the program．

　　　15．What's the author's purpose in writing the text?

　　　A．To tell us stormy weather can cause destruction．

　　　B．To tell us some expressions about storm．

　　　C．To tell us a storm can cause conflicts．

　　　D．To tell us we should be ready for a storm．

二、七选五

　　　Every animal sleeps, but the reason for this has remained foggy. When lab rats are not allowed to sleep, they die within a month.16．

　　　One idea is that sleep helps us strengthen new memories. 17． We know that, while awake, fresh memories are recorded by reinforcing (加强) connections between brain cells, but the memory processes that take place while we sleep have been unclear.

　　　Support is growing for a theory that sleep evolved so that connections between neurons (神经元) in the brain can be weakened overnight, making room for fresh memories to form the next day.18．

　　　Now we have the most direct evidence yet that he is right.19． The synapses in the mice taken at the end of a period of sleep were 18 per cent smaller than those taken before sleep, showing that the connections between neurons weaken while sleeping.

　　　If Tononi's theory is right, it would explain why, when we miss a night's, we find it harder the next day to concentrate and learn new information - our brains may have smaller room for new experiences.

　　　Their research also suggests how we may build lasting memories over time even though the synapses become thinner. The team discovered that some synapses seem to be protected and stayed the same size. 20． "You keep what matters," Tononi says.

　　　A．We should also try to sleep well the night before.

　　　B．It's as if the brain is preserving its most important memories.

　　　C．That's why students do better in tests if they get a chance to sleep after learning.

　　　D．Similarly, when people go for a few days without sleeping, they get sick.

E. The processes take place to stop our brains becoming loaded with memories.