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  3. On the heels of E1 , its opposite, La may soon arrive. In a Weekly Update, scientists at the NOAA Climate Prediction Center rep

On the heels of E1 , its opposite, La may soon arrive. In a Weekly Update, scientists at the NOAA Climate Prediction Center rep

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问题 On the heels of E1 , its opposite, La  may soon arrive. In a Weekly Update, scientists at the NOAA Climate Prediction Center reported that as the 2006-2007 E1  faded, surface and subsurface ocean temperatures have rapidly decreased. Recently, cooler-than-normal water temperatures have developed at the surface in the east-central equatorial Pacific, indicating a possible transition to La  conditions.
    Typically, during the U.S. spring and summer months, La  conditions do not significantly impact overall inland temperature and precipitation (雨水的降落) patterns, however, La  episodes often do have an effect on Atlantic and Pacific hurricane activity.
     "Although other scientific factors affect the hurricanes, there tends to be a greater-than-nor-mal number of Atlantic hurricanes and fewer-than-normal number of eastern Pacific hurricanes during La  events," said retired Navy Vice Adm. Conrad C. Lautenbacher, Ph.D., under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. "During the winter, usual La  impacts include drier and warmer-than-average conditions over the southern United States."
     "NOAA’s ability to detect and monitor the formation, duration and strength of E1  and La  events is enhanced by continuous improvements in satellite and buoy observations in the equatorial  Pacific," Lautenbacher  added. "These  observing systems include the TAO/TRITON moored and Argo drift buoys, as well as NOAA’s polar orbiting satellites."
     La  conditions occur when ocean surface temperatures in the central and east-central equatorial Pacific become cooler than normal. These changes affect tropical rainfall patterns and atmospheric winds over the Pacific Ocean, which influence the patterns of rainfall and temperatures in many areas worldwide.
     "La  events sometimes follow on the heels of E1  conditions," said Vernon Kousky, research meteorologist at the NOAA Climate Prediction Center. "It is a naturally occurring phenomenon that can last up to three years. La  episodes tend to develop during March-June, reach peak intensity during December-February, and then weaken during the following March-May."  
     "The last lengthy La  event was 1998-2001, which contributed to serious drought conditions in many sections of the western United States," said Douglas Lecomte, drought specialist at the NOAA Climate Prediction Center.
     NOAA will issue the U.S. Spring Outlook on March 15, and its Atlantic Hurricane Season Outlook in May. Both outlooks will reflect the most current La  forecast.
     "While the status of E1 /La  is of vital importance to our seasonal forecasts, it is but one measure we use when making actual temperature and precipitation forecasts," said Kousky.   
Douglas Lecomte most probably agrees that between 1998 and 2001______.
选项 A、the number of hurricanes of the western U.S. soared
B、it was the first time when La  affected the U.S.
C、the rainfall of the western U.S. greatly reduced
D、it was the longest La  period in history
答案C
解析 倒数第3段提到了美国西部地区遭受严重干旱，将“干旱”与第5段提到的“拉尼娜现象会影响降雨和气温”结合起来，就可以推断当时美国的干旱应与降雨量减少有关．因此选C。
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