Basedon4e, ex.1
Readthepassageandchoosethecorrectanswersforquestions1-7.
DisappearingWorld:TheArctic
Evidenceofglobalwarmingisbecomingincreasinglydifficulttoignore.LatinAmericaandSouthernAsiaaresufferingfromstormsandfloodsmorethaneverbeforewhileEuropeisexperiencingunusualheatwavesandforestfires.However, itistheArcticthatprovidestheclearestdemonstrationofmankind'seffectontheglobalclimate.TheArcticiswarmingtwiceasfastastherestoftheplanetandthebrightwhitesurfaceofpolariceisdisappearing.Mostofthesunlightthatstrikesthepolaricesimplybouncesbackintospace, butthedarkoceanwaterabsorbsthelightandheat.Aseachsquaremileoficemelts, thetotalamountofreflectingwhitesurfaceisreducedandtheheatabsorbingdarksurfaceofthewaterisincreased, sotheremainingicemeltsfaster.Furthermore, thereisalsothepossibilitythathighertemperaturesmayreleasemoremethanefromtheArcticandCO2frompeatbogs, whichwillalsospeedupthewarmingprocess.DuringtheEarth'shistory, theclimatehaschangedalotandplantandanimallifehasadaptedtosurvive.However, theclimateisnowchangingsofastthatmanyanimalsintheArcticarefacingdisaster.TheArcticishometosomeoftheworld'smostamazingmammals, millionsofmigratorybirdsandarichcommunitylivingontheice-edge.Animalslikewalruses, ringedseals, caribou, reindeer, collaredlemmings, Arcticfoxes, muskoxen, narwhals, bowheadandbelugawhalesandpolarbearsliveonlyhere.Inthesummer, theicebeginstomeltandbreakup, andthepolarbearshavetoswimbetweenthefloatingicetofindfood.However, asglobaltemperatureshaverisen, theicehasmeltedmoreandthedistancesbetweenthefloatingicehaveincreased.Ofcourse, thepolarbearsdon'tknowaboutthisuntiltheyfindthemselvesgraduallybecomingexhaustedwhileswimminginopenwater.Sadly, researchersarenowfindingthedeadbodiesofdrownedpolarbearsfloatingintheArcticOcean.ScientistsarenowwarningthattheentireecosystemoftheArcticregionmaybethreatened.Plantsthatgrowincoldconditionswilleithergrowfurthernorthordieout, whichwillendangerthelandanimalsthateatthem.Consequently, animalssuchasreindeer, caribouandmuskoxenmaystarveiftheycan'tfindenoughtoeat.LifeintheArctichasalwaysbeenastruggleforsurvival, buttheaddeddifficultiescausedbyglobalwarmingcouldsoonmakeitalmostimpossible.Althoughnooneknowsforcertainexactlywhatwillhappeninthefuture, wedoknowthatanydamagetothispreciousenvironmentwillaffectthewholeplanetandwewillbeunabletochangeitbackagain.
GlobalwarmingiscausingtheArcticto ...
- haveterriblestorms.
- sufferfromfloods.
- experienceunusualheatwaves.
- warmtwiceasfastaselsewhere.
TheiceintheArctic…
- reflectsmostofthesun'slightandheat.
- absorbsmostsunlight.
- ismeltingslowerthanbefore.
- releasesmethaneintotheatmosphere.
TheEarth'sclimate…
- hasn'tchangedmuch.
- isslowlychanging.
- ischangingtooquickly.
- isn'tchangingquicklyenough.
TheArcticistheonlyplacewhereyoucanfind…
- belugawhalesandgrizzlybears.
- penguinsandnarwhals.
- buffaloesandpolarbears.
- caribouandcollaredlemmings.
Polarbears…
- can'tswim.
- can'tswimverywell.
- sometimesswimtofindfood.
- sometimesswimtootherpolarbears.
ReindeerintheArcticmay…
- stophuntingringedseals.
- losetheirfoodsupply.
- threatentheentireecosystem.
- endangerotherlandanimals.
DamagetotheArcticenvironmentwill…
- haveunpredictableresults.
- definitelydestroyalllifethere.
- onlyhaveaneffectonlocalanimals.
- beeasytofix.