【AlthoughAprildidnotbringustherainsweallhopedfor,andalthoughtheCentralValleydoesn’tgenerallyexperiencethesoundandlightningthatcangowiththoserains,it’sstillimportantforparentstobeabletoanswertheyouthful】

　　AlthoughAprildidnotbringustherainsweallhopedfor,andalthoughtheCentralValleydoesn’tgenerallyexperiencethesoundandlightningthatcangowiththoserains,it’sstillimportantforparentstobeabletoanswertheyouthfulquestionsaboutthunderandlightning.

　　Thereasonthesetwowondersofnaturearesodifficultformanyadultstoexplaintochildrenisthattheyarenotverywellunderstoodbyadultsthemselves.Forexample,didyouknowthatthelightningweseeflashingdowntotheearthfromacloudisactuallyflashinguptoacloudfromtheearth?Oureyestrickusintothinkingweseeadownwardmotionwhenit’sactuallytheotherwayaround.Butthen,ifwebelievedonlywhatwethinkandwesee,we’dstillinsistthatthesunrisesinthemorningandsetsatnight.

　　Mostlightningflashestakeplaceinsideacloud,andonlyarelativefewcanbeseenjumpingbetweentwocloudsorbetweenearthandacloud.But,withabout2,000thunderstormstakingplaceabovetheeartheveryminuteofthedayandnight,there’senoughactivitytoproduceabout100lightningstrikesoneartheverysecond.

　　Parentscanusethunderandlightningtohelptheirchildrenlearnmoreabouttheworldaroundthem.Whenchildrenunderstandthatthelightofthelightningflashingreachestheireyesalmostatthesamemoment,butthesoundofthethundertakesabout5secondstotraveljustonemile,theycanbegintotimetheinterval(间隔)betweentheflashandthecrashtolearnhowlosetheyweretotheactualspark(闪光).

　　小题1:Accordingtotheauthor,intheareaoftheCentralValley____.A．rainsusuallycomewithoutthunderandlightning.B．itisusuallydryinAprilC．childrenpaynoattentiontothetwonaturalwonders.D．parentsarenotinterestedinthunderandlightning.小题2:Webelievethatlightningisadownwardmotionbecause_______.A．weweretaughtsobyourparentsfromourchildhood.B．wearetakeninbyoursenseofvision.C．itisacommonnaturalsight.D．itisatruthprovedbyscience.小题3:WhatisTRUEaboutlightningaccordingtothepassage?A．Onlyasmallnum