首页
外语
计算机
考研
公务员
职业资格
财经
工程
司法
医学
专升本
自考
实用职业技能
登录
外语
New ice core samples taken from the centre of the Greenland ice-sheet have given a detailed record of the last "interglacial (间冰
New ice core samples taken from the centre of the Greenland ice-sheet have given a detailed record of the last "interglacial (间冰
admin
2010-09-10
56
问题
New ice core samples taken from the centre of the Greenland ice-sheet have given a detailed record of the last "interglacial (间冰期)" which rail from about 135,000 to 115,000 years ago. The cores, taken from a depth of 2,780 to 2,870 metres, show that during this peroid the climate oscillated(摆动) between three states instead of remaining in one, as in the whole of recorded human history. The middle state was like our own, but the others were either’ much colder or warmer.
Worse, it seems that the climate flipped from one condition to another very rapidly. "It apparently took very little time, perhaps less than a decade or two, to shift between the states," Dr. J.C. W. White of the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research at the University of Colorado wrote earlier this year in the scientific journal, Nature: "We humans have built a remarkable socio-economic system during perhaps the only time when it could be built, when the climate was stable enough to let us develop the agricultural infrastructure(基础设施) required to maintain an advanced society."
We do not know why we have been so blessed. But if the Earth had an operating manual, the chapter on climate might begin with a warning that the system has been adjusted at the factory for optimum comfort-- so don’t touch the dials.
Unfortunately, we have been "twidling the knobs (旋钮)" for decades. In December 1995 the official Intergovernmental Panel on Climatic Change ( 1PCC. , which represents the work of 2,000 top meteorologists from around the world, concluded that global warming due to human activities is probably already taking place. Global warming sounds deceptively favorable to inhabitants of countries which currently experience harsh winters. In fact, with global warming, the world would struggle to cope with the effects of even a steady, gradual warming. This was spelt out to members of the British Royal Society by Sir John Houghton, chairman both of Britain’ s Royal Commission of Environmental Pollution and of one of the main IPCC working groups. Houghton pat forward the IPCC picture of seas flooding much of Egypt, southern China and Bangladesh, making "many millions" of people homeless; of horde’s of "environmental refugees" and of wars breaking out over dwidling (becoming gradually smaller) fresh water’ supplies, as world rainfall patterns changed.
There is at least a chance that the world could adapt to steady warming if it happened slowly enough. However, many scientists, believe that even this prediction from the IPCC is too cautious.
According to the passgae, the sentence "But if the earth…for optimum comfort" (in the 3rd paragraph) means
选项
A、there is an unseen hand controlling the earth’ s movement
B、there is an operating manual warning people against air-conditioning in the factory
C、people should prepare operating manuals to tell workers how to get greater comfort
D、people have been enjoying the most comfortable climate in Earth’ s history.
答案
D
解析
第三小段第二、三句中,地球被比喻成一个工厂,人类就是在里面工作生活的工人。按常理,工人应遵循操作手则的规定(operating manual)。根据文中的比喻,这一手册的第一章(也就是首要的内容)可能是个警告:厂内的系统(实际上指地球上的自然环境——相互联系和制约的一切)——可以说包括其湿度、温度等,已经调到最舒服的状态。因此,人类不能再碰调节装置了(——否则就会产生负作用)。暗示的意思就是:人类不能置大自然的法则于不顾,肆意以自己的行为改变大自然和地球上的气候——因为现在的气候已是最舒适的状态了。
转载请注明原文地址:https://www.kaotiyun.com/show/Hh87777K
0
大学英语四级
相关试题推荐
TheRiseofIndustryTherearenoaccidentsinhistory.It.isimpossibletomakesomethingoutofnothing.Historyisnotm
CreativeJusticeTheAncientMethodofPunishmentThrowingcriminalsinjailisanancientandwidespreadmethodofpuni
Manyayoungpersonstellsmehewantstobeawriter.【M1】______Ialwaysencouragesuchpeople,butIalsoexpla
A、LearnfromaModel.B、Learn,LearnandLearnAgain.C、LearnForever.D、OneIsNeverTooOldtoLearn.A根据短文最后一句Bywatchingand
A、Thewomenofsomestates.B、ThewomeninthestateofWyomingonly.C、ThemembersoftheNationalWomen’sAssociation.D、Thew
TheArtofPublicSpeakingIfyouweretotape-recordoneofDavidLetterman’scomedyroutines,memorizeitwordforword,a
Peoplewhohave【S1】______difficultywithreading,writing,listeningorworkingwithnumbersmighthavealearningdisability.W
NewicecoresamplestakenfromthecentreoftheGreenlandice-sheethavegivenadetailedrecordofthelast"interglacial(间冰期
A、Foodcanning.B、Kindsoffish.C、Anewsnackfood.D、Afoodflavoring.C题目问对话的主题是什么。女士第一句话说“I’vebeenreadingaboutanewheal
TheAdvantagesandDisadvantagesofBuyingLotteryTomatoRipeningTomatoesgiveoffminutequ
随机试题
高层管理人员的管理幅度通常以多少人较为合适
病程较长,视神经乳头水肿易出现硬脑膜下积液
下列评价指标中,属于静态评价指标的是( )。
下列关于风险预警方法的说法中,正确的有()。
某公司预计的年度赊销收入为6000万元,其变动成本率为65%,资金成本率为8%,目前的信用条件为N/60,信用成本为500万元。公司准备改变信用政策,改变后的信用条件是(2/10,1/20,N/60),预计信用政策改变不会影响赊销规模,改变后预计收账费用为
(2012年江苏.A类.28)长方体棱长的和足48,其长、宽、高之比为3:2:1,则长方体的体积是()。
某人徒步旅行,去时每走40分钟休息5分钟,到达目的地共花去4小时46分;回来时,他的速度为去时速度的2倍,每走30分钟休息10分钟,这样他走回原地要多少时间?
若串s="MathTypes"则其子串的数目是【】。
Inthesetimes,whenourformofgovernmentisbeingcriticizedbypeopleofmanydifferentbeliefs,itisimportantthatweund
Psychologistshavemanytheoriestoexplainhowwerememberinformation.Themostinfluentialtheoryisthatmemoryworksasak
最新回复
(
0
)