Question

Asia’s mountain glaciers (冰川) will lose at least a third of their mass through global warming by the century’s end, with serious consequences for millions of people who rely on them for fresh water, researchers have said. The high mountains of Asia consist of a geographical region surrounding the Tibetan Plateau, holding the biggest store of frozen water outside the poles. It feeds many of the world’s great rivers, including the Ganges, the Indus and the Yarlung Zangbo River, on which hundreds of millions of people depend.

Nearly 200 nations adopted the Paris Agreement in 2015, which sets the goal of limiting warming to a level of “well below” 2°C, while “pursuing efforts” to achieve a lower ceiling of 1.5°C. Earth’s surface has already warmed by about 1°C, according to scientists.

The Asian high mountains, the new study said, were already warming more rapidly than the global average. A global temperature rise of 1.5°C would mean an average increase in the region of about 2.1°C, with differences between mountain ranges - all of which will warm by more than 1.5°C. The Hindu Kush mountain range would warm by about 2.3°C and the eastern Himalaya Mountains by 1.9°C, the study forecast.

“Even if temperatures stabilize at their current level, (glacier) mass loss will continue for decades to come,” the researchers added. “For the high mountain glaciers to survive, it is vital to reduce the global temperature increase to the lowest possible level.”

A study in July in the journal Nature Climate Change said there was only a 5% chance of holding global warming under 2°C. For 1.5°C, the chance was about 1%. On current trends, some experts project Earth is on track to warm by about 3°C.

1.What is stressed about Asia’s mountain glaciers in the first paragraph?

A. The reason for its melting.

B. Its importance.

C. Its geographical condition.

D. The consequences caused by its decrease.

2.What do we know about the temperature on the earth’s surface?

A. It keeps up its normal level.

B. It has risen too much since the Paris Agreement was made.

C. It is far below the level that the Paris Agreement demands.

D. It is near the lower ceiling that the Paris Agreement demands.

3.How may we guarantee these glaciers, continued existence, according to researchers?

A. Hold global warming under 2°C.

B. Try to save water as much as we can.

C. Keep global temperature increase to a minimum.

D. Make the global temperature stable at its current level.

4.How does the author develop the passage?

A. Giving examples.    B. Describing.

C. Presenting data.    D. Comparing.

Answer

1.B

2.D

3.C

4.C

【解析】

本文属于应用文。据英媒报道，到本世纪末，亚洲山区的冰川将因全球变暖而流失至少1/3，这将给数百万依赖冰川获得清洁水源的民众带来可怕后果。研究人员称，若全球温度上升高于1.5摄氏度，亚洲冰川在本世纪末可能还会流失更多。

1.主旨大意题。第一段内容：研究人员称，到本世纪末，亚洲山区的冰川将因全球变暖而流失至少1/3，这将给数百万依赖冰川获得清洁水源的民众带来可怕后果。这片冰川灌溉了世界上许多伟大河流，包括养育了数亿人的恒河、印度河和以及雅鲁藏布江。由此可知这片冰川的重要性。分析选可知B项正确。

2.推理判断题。根据第二段内容：《巴黎协议》设定的目标是将升温幅度限制在2摄氏度以下，并为把升温控制在1.5摄氏度之内而努力。据科学家称，地球表面温度已经上升1摄氏度左右。由此可判断，现在地球表面的温度（1摄氏度左右）低于巴黎协议规定的2摄氏度以下.分析选项可知D项正确。

3.细节理解题。根据第四段最后一句the researchers added. “For the high mountain glaciers to survive, it is vital to reduce the global temperature increase to the lowest possible level.” 可知，为让高山冰川继续存在，“就必须将全球气温升高的幅度降到最低”。分析选项可知C项符合题意，故选C项。

4. 推理判断题。通读全文可知，本文主要以具体的数据来展开本文的。如“a third of their mass….limit average global warming to 1.5C over pre-industrial levels, …With warming of 3.5C, 4C and 6C…Asian glacier losses could amount to 49%, 51% or 65%... achieve a lower ceiling of 1.5C…. would warm by about 2.3C…A study in July in the journal Nature Climate Change said there was only a 5% chance of holding global warming under 2C. For 1.5C, the odds were about 1%.”等，由此可知本文以数据展开全文的，分析选项可知C项（提供数据）符合题意。