A
With the undeniable increase in greenhouse emissions on Earth, there can be no doubt that the earth is becoming warmer, and scientific studies have proven that if we carry on living the way we do, then global temperatures will rise even more.
So what exactly does this mean for the future of our planet? Global warming will in fact cause extreme weather conditions, meaning that our winters would be even colder than they are now. More than that, warmer temperatures will lead to the melting of ice in the north and south poles, which in turn will lead to rising sea levels across the globe. This is particularly troubling for low coastal regions and some island countries. In 1 000 years or so, all these places will be flooded underwater.
So where will we be able to live? Unless we can find a way to evolve into mermaids and mermen, which doesn’t look promising, the only solution is to move elsewhere. There will be little choice left once a large proportion of the land is lost to the sea, and other remaining places will be so hot that it will be absolutely impossible for us to survive. Countries that we consider to be hot these days will be even more so if temperatures increase by 5, 10, even 15 degrees. It is possible, then, that the once frozen poles of the Arctic and Antarctica will be suitable enough to live in, having melted its ice and warmed up.
It’s scary to think of our descendents(后代) struggling to survive in a virtually uninhabitable world. Perhaps if people start to realize how their actions now can have such an impact on future generations, they will change their attitude and start to think more about caring for the environment. If not, we’ll be living in a world underwater and will need to think of a way to turn ourselves into mermaids!
【文章大意】如果不改变我们现在的生活方式, 地球温度将继续上升, 导致海水上涨, 低海拔地区将被淹没, 其他地区也将热得无法生存, 人们不得不进化成“美人鱼”!
1. What about our planet in 1 000 years according to the text?
A. There will be more water.
B. Winter will become mild.
C. Low-lying islands will disappear.
D. Sea levels will rise in the polar regions.
【解析】选C。细节理解题。根据第二段最后一句可知, 如果气温继续上升, 大约1 000年后, 低海拔的沿海地区将被水淹没。故选C。
2. What can be inferred from Paragraph 3?
A. Hot places today will become colder.
B. Humans might evolve into mermaids.
C. Fewer places will be suitable to live.
D. The earth will be totally covered by water.
【解析】选C。推理判断题。根据第三段内容可知, 气候持续变暖会导致海平面上升, 淹没大部分地区, 适合人们居住的空间越来越小。C选项符合题意。
3. What does the author appeal to people to do?
A. Care for the environment.
B. Learn to live like a mermaid.
C. Take good care of our children.
D. Struggle for our survival.
【解析】选A。细节理解题。根据最后一段中“they will change their attitude and start to think more about caring for the environment”可知, 作者写这篇文章主要想让人们改变态度, 多考虑关心环境。A选项符合题意。
4. Which word can describe the author’s attitude towards global warming?
A. Optimistic. B. Worried.
C. Terrified. D. Unconcerned.
【解析】选B。观点态度题。根据文章内容以及最后一段中“It’s scary to think of our descendents struggling to survive in a virtually uninhabitable world. ”可知, 作者对目前的气候变化给人类带来的灾难感到忧虑。故选B。scary作形容词, 意为“使人惊慌的”。
【知识拓展】佳词积累
1. temperature n. 温度;气温
2. extreme adj. 极端的
3. melt v. 融化
4. particularly adv. 尤其;特别地
5. absolutely adv. 绝对地;完全地
6. generation n. 一代;一代人
7. impact n. &v. 影响
