VOCABULARY

Questions 12-18. Read the text. Notice the bold words. Then match each bold word to the correct definition.

The weather in Australia changes from time to time because of the special wind called El Niño. The country experiences periods of flooding due to heavy rainfall and periods of drought, during which some areas become so dry and the temperature so high that wildfires are a real problem. Scientists who are researching these weather changes are trying to measure the length of these periods historically by examining the growth rings in Australian trees. These rings are affected by the amount of rainfall in a certain period of time. Researchers hope this will help them predict the weather in Australia more accurately in the future.

12. Flooding is caused by ____.
A. too little water
B. too much water

13. Rainfall means ____.
A. the amount of rain that falls in a certain period
B. the speed of the rain at a certain time

14. A period of drought is extremely ____.
A. wet
B. dry

15. The temperature at a given time is ____.
A. the degree of heat or cold
B. the degree of heat only

16. The word measure is closest in meaning to ____.
A. calculate
B. study

17. The word amount is closest in meaning to ____.
A. total
B. part

18. The word predict is closest in meaning to ____.
A. understand
B. forecast