Now satellites are helping to forecast(预报) the weather. They are in space, and they can reach any part of the world. The satellites take pictures of the atmosphere(大气) , because this is where the weather forms(形成).They send these pictures to the weather stations. So meteorologists(气象学家) can see the weather of any part of the world. From the pictures, the scientists can often say how the weather will change.
Today, nearly five hundred weather stations in sixty countries receive satellite pictures. When they receive new pictures, the meteorologists compare them with earlier ones. Perhaps they may find that the clouds have changed during the last few hours. This may mean that the weather on the ground may soon change, too. In their next weather forecast, the meteorologists can say this.
So the weather satellites are a great help to the meteorologists. Before satellites were invented, the scientists could forecast the weather for about 24 or 48 hours. Now they can make good forecasts for three or five days. Soon, perhaps, they may be able to forecast the weather for a week or more ahead(提前).
1. Satellites travel_______.
A. in space B. above space
C. above the ground D. in the atmosphere
2. Why do we use the weather satellites to take pictures of the atmosphere? Because_______.
A. clouds form there
B. the weather forms there
C. the weather satellites can do it easily
D. the pictures can forecast the weather
3. Meteorologists forecast the weather_______.
A. without studying satellite pictures
B. before they receive satellite pictures
C. when they have received satellite pictures
D. after they have compared the new satellite pictures with the earlier ones
4. Maybe we’ll soon be able to forecast the weather for_______.
A. one day B. two days
C. five days D. seven days or even longer
5. The main idea of this passage is that satellites are now used in_______.
A. taking pictures of the earth B. receiving pictures of the atmosphere
C. weather forecasting D. doing other work in many ways
参考答案：
1.A 由第一段的第二句“They are in space...”可知，卫星是在太空中环行，故选A。
2.B 由第一段的第三句“The satellites take pictures of the atmosphere (大气), because this is where the weather forms (形成).”可知答案。
3.D 由第二段的第二句可知，当气象学家收到新的图片后，与较早些的图片进行比较来预报天气，故选D。
4.D 由第三段的最后一句“Soon, perhaps, they may be able to forecast the weather for a week or more ahead (提前).”可知，将来我们也许能够预报一个星期或更长时间的天气，故选D。
5.C 由短文第一段的第一句话以及通读全篇可知，本文介绍卫星在天气预报中的运用，故选C。
