3．Hurricane Sandy was a hurricane that destroyed parts of the Caribbean and the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States during late October 2012，with minor impacts in the Southeastern and Midwestern states and Eastern Canada．Sandy，classified as the eighteenth named storm and tenth hurricane of the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season，was a Category 2 storm at its peak intensity．While it was a Category 1 storm off the coast of the Northeastern United States，the storm became the largest Atlantic hurricane on record．Previous estimates of losses due to damage and business interruption are estimated at 65.6 billion，which would make it the second-costliest Atlantic hurricane，behind only Hurricane Katrina．At least 253 people were killed along the path of the storm in eight countries．
Sandy developed from a tropical wave in the western Caribbean Sea on October 22，quickly strengthened，and was upgraded to Tropical Storm six hours later．Sandy moved slowly northward toward the Greater Antilles and gradually becoming stronger．On October 24，Sandy became a hurricane，made landfall near Kingston，Jamaica，a few hours later，entered into the Caribbean Sea again and strengthened into a Category 2 hurricane．On October 25，Sandy hit Cuba，and then weakened to a Category 1 hurricane．Early on October 26，Sandy moved through the Bahamas．On October 27，Sandy briefly weakened to a tropical storm and then restrengthened to a Category 1 hurricane．Early on October 29，Sandy turned from north to northwest and then moved ashore near Atlantic City，New Jersey，as a post-tropical cyclone with hurricane-force winds．
In the United States，Hurricane Sandy affected 24 states，including the entire eastern seaboard from Florida to Maine and west across the Appalachian Mountainsto Michiganand Wisconsin，with particularly severe damage in New Jersey and New York．Its storm hit New York City on October 29，flooding streets，tunnels and subway lines and cutting power in and around the city．Damage in the US is estimated at over 63 billion．
47．According to the passage，which of the following wind forms is the strongest？D
A．Tropical wave．
B．Tropical storm．
C．Category 1hurricane．
D．Category 2hurricane．
48．We can learn from the passage thatB．
A．Sandy caused 253deaths totally in the USA．
B．Sandy reached its strongest in the Caribbean Sea．
C．Sandy resulted in great loss in most states in the USA．
D．Sandy is the second largest Atlantic hurricane ever recorded．
49．Which of the following graph shows the development of Sandy？B
A．
B．
C．
D．
50．What is the writer's purpose of writing this passage？B
A．To tell us how terrible Sandy is．
B．To inform readers of Sandy and its damage．
C．To teach us what to do in face of hurricanes．
D．To warn readers of the dangers caused by hurricanes．
