Avalanche and Its Safety
An avalanche is a sudden and rapid flow of snow, often mixed with air and water, down a mountainside. Avalanches are____1____ the biggest dangers in the mountains for both life and property.
All avalanches are caused by an over-burden of material, typically snowpack, that is too massive and unstable for the slope____2____ supports it. Determining the critical load, the amount of over-burden which is____3____ cause an avalanche, ____4____ acomplex task involving the evaluation of a number of factors.
Terrain slopes flatter than25degrees or steeper than60degrees typically have a low ____5____ of avalanche. Snow does not____6____ significantly on steep slopes; also, snow does not ____7____ easily on flat slopes. Human-triggered avalanches have the greatest incidence when the snows angle of rest1 is____8____ 35 and45 degrees; the critical angle, the angle at which the human incidence of avalanches is greatest, is38degrees. The rule of thumb2 is: A slope that is____9____ enough to hold snow but steep enough to ski has the potential to generate an avalanche, regardless of the angle. Additionally3, avalanche risk increases with ____10____;that is, the more a slope is disturbed by skiers, die more lijkely it is that an avalanche will occur.
Due to the complexity of the subject, winter travelling in the backcountry4 is never 100% safe. Good avalanche safety is a continuous____11____,, including route selection and examination of the snowpack, weather____12____ and human factors. Several well-known good habits can also____13____ the risk. If local authorities issue avalanche risk reports, they should be considered and all warnings should be paid ____14____ to. Never follow in the tracks of others without your own evaluations; snow conditions are almost certain to have changed since they were made. Observe the terrain and note obvious avalanche paths where plants are____15____ or damaged. Avoid traveling below others who might trigger an avalanche.
注释：
1.angle of rest：这里指积雪保持静止的角度。
2.rule of thumb：指a broadly accurate principle, based on experience or practice rather than theory，即通用法则，经验法则
3.Additionally：是一个副词，用来引人新的事实或论点，意为此外。
4.backcountry：人烟稀少的地区
练习：
1. A among B of C to D in
2.A when B that C who D whose
3.A mostly B likely C clearly D surely
4.A are B will be C is D was
5.A weight B form C risk D work
6.A fall B flow C roll D gather
7.A fall B flow C roll D gather
8.A among B between C with D for
9.A thick B thin C flat D rocky
10.A use B time C snow D rain
11.A journey B trip C fact D process
12.A conditions B reports C forecast D event
13.A increase B reduce C improve D remove
14.A price B effort C attention D money
15.A missing B grown C big D fresh
上一篇： 职称英语综合类完形填空备考习题(2)