我們都知道到氣候在變化，以及這些變化對我們星球所帶來的影響。工業化、一次性文化和人口增長是導致平均氣溫上升和更多極端天氣事件的部分原因。科學家們不斷發現更多的證據表明情況正在惡化。

詞匯：climate change 氣候變化

We are all aware of climate change and how it is threatening our planet. Industrialisation, our disposable culture and population growth are some of the reasons why we are seeing average temperatures rise and more extreme weather events. And scientists are finding more evidence that the situation is getting worse.

The rise in global temperatures is the most important thing that experts analyse. They say keeping it below 1.5 centigrade will avoid the worst climate impacts. But The World Meteorological Organisation says there’s a 20% possibility the critical mark will be broken in any one year before 2024 – and there’s a 70% chance it will be broken in one or more months in those five years.

This isn’t great news for the Arctic, where the impact will be greatest: warming by twice the global average this year. Temperatures in the Siberian Arctic reached record averages in June – one area reached more than 30C. This heat helped to fan wildfires, which in turn released 59 million tonnes of carbon dioxide. Meanwhile, in Western Europe, experts predict over the next five years rising sea levels will cause more storms.

But these events should not surprise us. Professor Martin Siegert from Imperial College London told the BBC this is “in line with predictions of global warming going back decades now. We don’t really need further confirmation of this problem, but here it is anyway.” He thinks if you change the weather in the Arctic you are likely to see the effects ripple out around the world.

We know that carbon emissions from human activities is partly to blame for our warming planet, but it seems measures to reduce this are not having much effect. The BBC’s Justin Rowlatt writing about the effects of events in the Arctic, says: “Climate scientists simply don’t know for certain what those effects are likely to be, but climate models suggest they will lead to more extreme weather events – heatwaves and severe storms.”

詞匯表

threaten 威脅
planet 地球
industrialisation 工業化
disposable culture 一次性文化
average temperature 平均溫度
extreme weather 極端天氣
global temperatures 全球氣溫
centigrade 攝氏度
climate impacts 氣候變化的影響
The World Meteorological Organisation 世界氣象組織
the Arctic 北極圈
the Siberian Arctic 西伯利亞北極地區
heat 熱度，高溫
fan 引起，激起
carbon dioxide 二氧化碳
rising sea levels 海平面上升
global warming 全球氣候變暖
ripple out 蔓延
carbon emissions 碳排放
heatwave 熱浪，酷熱期
severe storm 強烈風暴

測驗與練習

1.  閱讀課文并回答問題。

1. What is the critical temperature scientists say the planet should not go over?

2. Where is climate change being noticed most?

3. True or false? Climate change is not getting worse.

4. In Western Europe, what is thought will cause more storms to occur?

5. What happened to temperatures in the Siberian Arctic this year?

2.  選擇意思恰當的單詞或詞組來完成下列句子。

1. The surfer was in _______ danger and had to call for a lifeboat to rescue him.

threatening                   extreme                       sea levels                    disposable

2. The whole town was in shock once the news about the murder had _______.

ripples out                     ripple at                       rippled out                   rippling out

3. According to my _______, you are going to get very good grades in your exams.

models                          predictions                   critical marks              impacts

4. The policeman was _______ us with a parking fine unless we moved our car immediately.

threatened                     threaten                      threatens                     threatening  

5. Following _______, the whole town was under water and everyone had to travel by boat.

severe storms                heatwaves                   extreme                      industrialisation

答案

1.  閱讀課文并回答問題。  

1. What is the critical temperature scientists say the planet should not go over?
Scientists say keeping temperatures below 1.5 centigrade will avoid the worst climate impacts.

2. Where is climate change being noticed most?
It’s in the Arctic where the impact of climate change is greatest.

3. True or false? Climate change is not getting worse.
False. Scientists are finding more evidence that the situation is getting worse.

4. In Western Europe, what is thought will cause more storms to occur?
In Western Europe, experts predict over the next five years, rising sea levels will cause more storms.

5. What happened to temperatures in the Siberian Arctic this year?
Temperatures in the Siberian Arctic reached record averages in June – one area reached 30C.

2. 選擇意思恰當的單詞或詞組來完成下列句子。

1. The surfer was in extreme danger and had to call for a lifeboat to rescue him.

2. The whole town was in shock once the news about the murder had rippled out.

3. According to my predictions, you are going to get very good grades in your exams.

4. The policeman was threatening us with a parking fine unless we moved our car immediately.

5. Following severe storms, the whole town was under water and everyone had to travel by boat.