阅读理解

  In the atmosphere, carbon dioxide acts rather like a one-way mirror or the glass in the roof of a greenhouse which allows the sun's rays to enter but prevents the heat from escaping.

  According to a weather expert' s prediction, the atmosphere will be 3℃warmer in the year 2050 than it is today, if man continues to burn fuels at the present rate.If this warming up took place, the ice caps in the poles would begin to melt, thus raising sea level several metres and severely flooding coastal cities.Also, the increase in atmospheric temperature would lead to great changes in the climate of the northern hemisphere(北半球), possibly resulting in an alteration of the earth's chief food growing zones.

  In the past, concern about a man-made warming of the earth has concentrated on the Arctic because the Antarctic is much colder and has a much thicker ice sheet.But the weather experts are now paying more attention to West Antarctic, which may be affected by only a few degrees of warming, in other words, by a warming on the scale that will possibly take place in the next fifty years from the burning of fuels.

  Satellite pictures show that large areas of Antarctic ice are already disappearing.The evidence available suggests that a warming has taken place.This fits the theory that carbon dioxide warms the earth.

  However, most of the fuel is burnt in the northern hemisphere, where temperatures seem to be falling.Scientists conclude , therefore, that up to now natural influences on the weather have gone beyond those caused by man.The question is:Which natural cause has most effect on the weather?

  One possibility is the variable behavior of the sun.Astronomers at one research station have studied the hot spots and "cold" spots(that is, the relatively less hot spots)on the sun.As the sun rotates(使旋转), every 27.5 days, it presents hotter or "colder" faces to the earth, and different aspects to different parts of the earth.This seems to have a considerable effect on the distribution of the earth's atmospheric pressure, and consequently on wind circulation.The sun is also changeable over a long term:its heat output goes up and down in cycles, the latest trend being downward.

  Scientists are now finding shared relations between models of solar weather interactions and the actual climate over many thousands of years, including the last Ice Age.The problem is that the models are predicting that the world should be entering a new Ice Age and it is not.One way of solving this theoretical difficulty is to assume a delay of thousands of years while the solar effects overcome the inertia(惯性)of the earth's climate.If this is right, the warming effect of carbon dioxide might thus be serving as a useful opposed balance to the sun's fading heat.

(1)

It can be concluded that a concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere would ________.

[  ]

A.

mean a warming-up in the Antarctic

B.

raise the temperature of the earth' s surface

C.

prevent the sun's rays from reaching the earth's surface

D.

explain the cause of great changes in the climate in the northern hemisphere

(2)

The article was written to explain ________.

[  ]

A.

the greenhouse effect

B.

the solar effects on the earth

C.

the causes affecting weather

D.

the models of solar-weather interactions

(3)

Although the fuel consumption is greater in the northern hemisphere, temperatures there seem to be falling.This is ________.

[  ]

A.

mainly because the levels of carbon dioxide are rising

B.

partly due to changes in the output of solar energy

C.

possibly because the ice caps in the poles are melting

D.

only due to the effect of the inertia of the earth' s climate

(4)

On the basis of their models, scientists believe the opinion that ________.

[  ]

A.

the climate of the world should be becoming cooler

B.

the new Ice Age will be delayed by the greenhouse effect

C.

the man-made warming effect helps to increase the solar effects

D.

it will take thousands of years for the inertia of the earth's climate to take effect

(5)

If the assumption about the delay of a new Ice age is correct, ________.

[  ]

A.

ice would soon cover the northern hemisphere

B.

the greenhouse effect could work in favor of the earth

C.

the best way to overcome the cooling effect would be to burn more fuels

D.

the increased levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere could warm up the earth even more quickly

Not long ago the movie 2012 came into screen.The people were threatened by those scenes of destroying flood, severe earthquake, terrifying hurricane and constructions representing human civilization being destroyed and even swallowed by disaster.Luckily, they are just the director' s imagination, but the present situation is not heading a positive direction, either.
Take my own experience in Alaska as an example.Once I took a trip to the glacier.Along the way there stood signposts marking the snow lines of different years.They started from the foot of the mountain, but it was at the top that I finally saw melting glaciers(融化的冰川).My heart ached seeing the beautiful blue ice melting at every second.
Sad but true, they are the effects of global warming and the result of our human impact.Furthermore, each year the rising sea level will kill 56 million people, and that' s about the population of the entire Italy.According to studies, if the temperature keeps on rising like this, by the year 2050, some islands and coastal cities including New York, Shanghai, Tokyo and Sydney will be drowned in water.
Our fortune is in our own hands.It depends on us to shape our future, to reduce future human impact and find ways to form a peaceful relationship with our environment. Therefore, it's time for actions to be taken right now.Contribute a little to energy saving by using more efficient light bulbs and less hot water.Let recycle become our habit by thinking twice before throwing something away.Let us take public transportation as our first choice when going to a certain place.It might cost more time for now, but it' s to the benefit of a permanent future.Take care of every tree and grass around us by watering them or simply just avoid destroying them.
In a word, small drops of water make a big ocean The earth does not belong to us.On the contrary, we belong to the earth. Please bear in mind that the earth is our home.It is our responsibility to build a brighter and better future of our planet and prevent what happened in the movie 2012 from becoming reality.                
【小题1】Why does the author talk about the movie 2012 in the passage ? __________.

A.To give example.B.To lead into the topic.
C.To make prediction.D.To provide the evidence.
【小题2】How did the author feel when he took a trip to the glacier? ____________.
A.Worried.B.Puzzled.C.Scared.D.Bored.
【小题3】It can be inferred from the third paragraph that          .
A.56 million people in Italy have been killed owing to the rising sea level
B.Some islands and coastal cities will be drowned in water by the year of 2050
C.Human beings will be in danger if we don't take actions to prevent the global warming
D.It is certain that what happened in the movie 2012 will come into reality
【小题4】According to the passage, you are advised to         .
A.drive our own private cars instead of taking buses to some place
B.recycle everything that is used
C.go to see the movie 2012 at once
D.work together to take good care of our planet
【小题5】What does the author mean by saying "small drops of water make a big ocean"?
A.Think twice before taking action.
B.It's our duty to protect the ocean.
C.Everyone together can make a difference.
D.It's important to save every drop of water.

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