Because the low latitudes of the Earth, the areas near the equator, receive more heat
9 p7 A8 j- N5 |3 J+ h0 m3 ?Than the latitudes near the poles, and because the nature of heat is to expand and move,
' r7 V# C6 q9 B/ GHeat is transported from the tropics to the middle and high latitudes. Some of this heat is
7 m, t- O2 {+ d+ z# hLine Moved by winds and some by ocean currents, and some gets stored in the atmosphere in
) b* h0 {- a+ A2 { H9 X; e& u3 V9 H(5) the form of latent heat. The term “latent heat” refers to the energy that has to be used to . y1 o9 ]" i- w
Convert liquid water to water vapor. We know that if we warm a pan of water on a stove,7 K$ B3 v3 ]+ C8 n/ S
it will evaporate, or turn into vapor, faster than if it is allowed to sit at room temperature. 1 N5 J$ H# m9 ~. w: F* \
We also know that if we hang wet clothes outside in the summertime they will dry faster 0 p# B3 q' i6 ^4 N7 h) `
than in winter, when temperatures are colder. The energy used in both cases to change ( l3 h3 r# q$ E9 u8 ]
(10) liquid water to water vapor is supplied by heat—supplied by the stove in the first case
8 C9 y8 y- C. C; E& A" ^and by the Sun in the latter case. This energy is not lost. It is stored in water vapor in the
4 O3 U; m$ y; p; l [2 ?atmosphere as latent heat. Eventually, the water stored as vapor in the atmosphere will
5 h' H% r3 v, y& o2 U! fcondense to liquid again, and the energy will be released to the atmosphere.2 l! G* o6 a9 E" f& _4 A8 U
In the atmosphere, a large portion of the Sun’s incoming energy is used to evaporate
2 K* E% ^) \; O4 F& k(15) Water, primarily in the tropical oceans. Scientists have tried to quantify this proportion
7 G# j u: R( k- ], ^; ^; e& [* @of the Sun’s energy. By analyzing temperature, water vapor, and wind data around the
3 c) e& m' G. t2 @( Iglobe, they have estimated the quantity to be about 90 watts per square meter, or nearly # Q# {9 I& W3 t9 P3 \
30 percent of the Sun’s energy. Once this latent heat is stored within the atmosphere, it
G6 C. w6 X1 Z! Dcan be transported, primarily to higher latitudes, by prevailing, large-scale winds. Or it 0 W) Y, R) d5 i) r) u# N
(20) can be transported vertically to higher levels in the atmosphere, where it forms clouds
1 K* e0 H( p/ ? k8 B! T6 \, yand subsequent storms, which then release the energy back to the atmosphere.% ]7 W# e( L: L3 b0 y' m* E, d# \
31. The passage mainly discusses how heat
& ]# g7 P+ I8 M! Y; ?& Q7 ^is transformed and transported in the Earth’s atmosphere
( P |2 M' V0 C- @is transported by ocean currents: a$ O7 q4 U5 x7 y' v. F" }
can be measured and analyzed by scientists9 G; W; g" l6 T- E
moves about the Earth’s equator
; H4 w& Q! U: s0 Q& q9 r32. The passage mentions that the tropics differ from the Earth’s polar regions in which of the following ways?
3 m* N/ r0 ^8 }: f6 zThe height of cloud formation in the atmosphere* p$ y9 v& H9 U2 d! _! G
The amount of heat they receive from the Sun
/ {, [( l Q/ w/ b- q. O. O! vThe strength of their largescale winds.; h E+ e& i$ e/ x# ]$ f) o" Z
The strength of their oceanic currents
2 z- q# V: p' D4 n- s33. The word “convert” line 6 is closest in meaning to
3 u g" f5 W, `. s- nmix& ? k* p2 N6 Q5 [! X, d3 J& l
change
& ~9 N1 t9 E( dadapt
1 q' m$ X9 ]: H! H( Freduce8 s. ?0 j B! k
# L; i+ I1 @' I0 O D# j. E% O34. Why does the author mention “the stove” in line 10?
' z8 z6 B) K0 [ A+ x4 b( yTo describe the heat of the Sun6 J( V' H( t9 f# W6 \/ M) k( {
To illustrate how water vapor is stored' @$ I" {. e' l
To show how energy is stored6 U2 ?) P# x# `8 w* t8 M" G9 |6 l
To give an example of a heat source |