A Cyclone, Which can Cover an Area of Thousands of Square Miles GMAT Reading Comprehension

Reading Passage Question:

A cyclone, which can cover an area of thousands of square miles, is made up of circulating winds, spiraling inward toward the center, in an atmospheric lowpressure system. Cyclonic winds travel clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere and counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere. A tornado is a relatively small but extremely powerful and potentially dangerous type of cyclone.

The name tornado is derived from the Spanish tronado (thunderstorm) and the Latin tonare (thunder), as this weather phenomenon is usually accompanied by storms and precipitation. Tornadoes, also called twisters, most often form along a front and accompanying squall line where dry, cool, northern air meets water-laden, warm, southern air flowing in below, weather conditions most often found in the United States from April though June. As the warm air quickly rises along this line, more warm air rushes in to fill the void, and the classic funnel-shaped cloud begins to form, hanging down from the dark, heavy cumulonimbus storm clouds above. The funnel is visible because of its content of water droplets and the load of dust and debris rising with the violent updraft at its center.

Much that is known about tornadoes comes from inference from measurement of accompanying phenomena (since a tornado can destroy any measurement device in its path). Radar, particularly Doppler radar, has been used extensively to study these storms. Radar picks up an echo from storm clouds and precipitation, producing an analyzable image on the radarscope. The classic image associated with tornadoes is the echo resembling a “hook.” The diameter of a tornado may vary from a few feet to well over a mile. Although forward speed averages from 10 to 25 mph, rotation speeds are often more than 200 mph and, in the case of an extremely strong storm, can reach 500 mph or more, and the updraft speed can reach200 mph or better. While these storms can occur at any time and travel in any direction, they most often arise from midafternoon to early evening and most often move from the southwest to the northeast.

These storms can and do occur worldwide, but the United States is beset by more and more-violent tornadoes each year than is any other country. Of the states, Texas averages the most per year, followed by Florida, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, and Iowa. Obviously, these storms center on the Great Plains, with the exception of the high incidence in Florida, where tornadoes are often associated with hurricanes.

“A cyclone, which can cover an area of thousands of square miles’’ is a GMAT reading comprehension passage with answers. Candidates need a strong knowledge of English GMAT reading comprehension.

This GMAT Reading Comprehension consists of 4 comprehension questions.

The GMAT Reading Comprehension questions are designed for the purpose of testing candidates’ abilities in understanding, analysing, and applying information or concepts. Candidates can actively prepare with the help of GMAT Reading Comprehension Practice Questions.

Solution and Explanation

1. The main purpose of the passage is to

1. contrast weather phenomena.
2. explain the difficulty of measuring tornadoes.
3. present detailed information about tornadoes.
4. explain terminology related to tornadoes.
5. provide an example of a general observation about tornadoes.

2. The funnel shape of a tornado is the result of

1. the presence of water droplets and debris in cumulonimbus storm clouds.
2. the “hook” of the tornado’s rotation.
3. the slow forward speed (10 to 25 mph) of the tornado.
4. a rapid updraft of warm air filling a void left by rising warm air.
5. the meeting of dry, warm air with wet, cool air.

3. Which of the following can be inferred about tornadoes from the information in the third paragraph?

1. The strength of a tornado arises from its rotation and updraft speeds as opposed to its forward speed.
2. The diameter of a tornado is dependent on the amount of debris and water droplets it contains.
3. Although it is the only method available, Doppler radar is inadequate for studying tornadoes.
4. The radar image of a tornado looks like a hook because of the tornado’s large diameter.
5. A tornado’s strength varies depending on the time of day it occurs and the direction it moves.

4. The most likely reason that more violent tornadoes appear to occur in the United States than in other countries is that

1. the Great Plains in the United States is the topography most conducive to violent tornadoes.
2. weather conditions in the United States are particularly conducive to the formation of violent tornadoes.
3. the population of the United States is significantly less dense than it is in other countries.
4. tornadoes can move only from the southwest to the northeast.
5. recording methods for tornadoes are more sophisticated and precise in the United States than in other countries.

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