问题补充：
The London Olympics had enough problems to worry about. But one more has just been added -- a communications blackout caused by solar storms.
After a period of calm within the Sun, scientists have detected the signs of a flesh cycle of sunspots that could peak in , just in time for the arrival of the Olympic torch in London.
Now scientists believe that this peak could result in vast solar explosions that could throw billions of tons of charged matter towards the Earth, causing strong solar storms that could jam the telecommunications satellites and interact links sending five Olympic broadcast from London.
The Suns activity has a strong influence on the Earth. The Olympics could be in the middle of the next solar maximum which could affect the functions of communications satellites, said Professor Richard Harrison, head of space physics at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in Oxfordshire.
At the peak of the cycle, violent outbursts called coronal mass ejections (日冕物质抛射) occur in the Suns atmosphere, throwing out great quantities of electrically-charged matter. A coronal mass ejection can carry a billion tons of solar material into space at over a million kilometres per hour. Such events can expose astronauts to a deadly amount, can disable satellites, cause power failures on Earth and disturb communications, Professor Harrison added. The risk is the greatest during a solar maximum when there is the greatest number of sunspots.
Next week in America, NASA is scheduled to launch a satellite for monitoring solar activity called the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), which will take images of the Sun that are 10 times clearer than the most advanced televisions available.
The Rutherford Appleton Laboratory helped to make the high-tech cameras that will capture images of the solar flares (太阳耀斑) and explosions as they occur.
Professor Richard Harrison, the labs director, said that the SDO should be able to provide early warning of a solar flare or explosion big enough to affect satellite communications on Earth If we have advanced warning, well be able to reduce the damage. What you don want is things switching off for a week with no idea of whats caused the problem, he said.
【小题1】The phrase communications blackout in paragraph 1 most probably refers to during the Olympics. A．the extinguishing of the Olympic torch B．the collapse of broadcasting systems C．the transportation breakdown in London D．the destruction of weather satellites【小题2】According to the passage, scientists are convinced that .A．the sun’s activities have little to do with the earthB．the London Olympic broadcasting will be possibly influenced by the peak of sunspots C．the Olympic Games are during the solar maximum of throwing out greatest number of sunspots D．solar explosion will cause strong storms on the earth【小题3】What can be inferred about the solar activity described in the passage? A．The most fatal matter from the corona falls onto Earth. B．The solar storm peak occurs in the middle of each cycle. C．It takes several seconds for the charged matter to reach Earth. D．The number of sunspots declines after coronal mass ejections.【小题4】According to the passage, NASA will launch a satellite to . A．take images of the solar system B．provide early warning of thunderstorms C．keep track of solar activities D．improve the communications on Earth【小题5】Which of the following might be the best title of the passage? A．Solar Storms: An Invisible Killer B．Solar Storms: Earth Environment in Danger C．Solar Storms: Threatening the Human Race D．Solar Storms: Human Activities to Be TroubledB
答案：
(答案→)B
解析：文章谈论的正是太阳粒子的变化可能会影响奥运会。
【小题1】推理题。根据文章内容可知communications blackout就是指由于太阳粒子的变化会引起奥运会广播系统的崩溃。
【小题2】根据文章第三段内容可知伦敦奥运会的广播系统可能会受到太阳粒子变化的影响。
【小题3】推理题。根据第五段At the peak of the cycle, violent outbursts called coronal mass ejections (日冕物质抛射) occur in the Suns atmosphere,可知是在最高峰的时候出现coronal mass ejections，那么最高峰以后，太阳粒子的数量会有所减少。
【小题4】根据文章倒数第三段内容可知C正确。发射卫星是为了记录太阳系的行动，拍摄照片之类。
【小题5】主旨大意题。文章谈论的正是太阳粒子的变化可能会影响奥运会。
