Read the texts and answer the questions.
EARTH'S TEMPERATURES
The world
is now warmer than at almost any time since the end of the last ice age and, on
present trends, will continue to reach a record high for the entire period
since the dawn of civilization, a study has found.
The study
published in the journal Science, aims to give a global overview of Earth's
temperatures over the past 11,300 years - a relatively balmy period known as
the Holocene that began after the last major ice age ended and encompasses all
of recorded human civilization.
Their data
(compiled by studying such things as ice cores, fossils and ocean sentiment)
looked back over a much longer era than previous research, which went back
1,500 years.
Scientists
say it is further evidence that modern-day global warming isn't natural, but
the result of rising carbon dioxide emissions that have rapidly grown since the
Industrial Revolution began roughly 250 years ago. Scientists say that if
natural factors were still governing the climate, the Northern Hemisphere would
probably be destined to freeze over again in several thousand years. Instead,
scientists believe the enormous increase in greenhouse gases caused by
industrialization will almost certainly prevent that.
Shaun
Marcott, a geologist at Oregon State University, says "global temperatures
are warmer than about 75 percent of anything we've seen over the last 11,000
years or so." The other way to look at that is, 25 percent of the time
since the last ice age, it's been warmer than now.
It's taken
just 100 years for the average temperature to change by 1.3 degrees, when it
took 5,000 years to do that before. By the end of the century, climate warming
models predict an additional increase of 2 to 11.5 degrees, due largely to
carbon emissions, the study noted.
Questions:
1 - 'Dawn'
in this text means:
a. Earth
b. Sunrise
c. Heat
d. Beginning
2 - 'Balmy'
means:
a. Cold
b. Warm
c. Hot
d. Cool
3 - True or
false: this study looks at a longer than usual time-period.
a. True
b. False
4 - The
Earth's temperature has increased quickly since:
a. The
Industrial Revolution
b. The
Northern Hemisphere
c. 1,500
years ago
d. The
Holocene
5 -
'Prevent' means:
a. Slow
b. Complete
c. Encourage
d. Stop
6 - True or
false: Scientist predict the earth will freeze over because of increased
greenhouse gases.
a. True
b. False
7 - True or
false: The temperature will increase by 1.3 degrees in the next 100 years.
a. True
b. False
8 - This
article could be described as a ___ look at the future.
a. Pessimistic
b. Optimistic
9. What is
your opinion about the article?
TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS
Much of the
blood on the street flows essentially from uncivil behavior of drivers who
refuse to respect the legal and moral rights of others. So the massacre on the
road may be regarded as a social problem. Safety standards for vehicle have
been raised both at the point of manufacture and through periodic
road-worthiness inspections. In addition, speed limits have been lowered. Due
to these measures, the accident rate has decreased. But the accident experts
still worry because there has been little or no improvement in the way drivers
behave.
QUESTIONS
1.
According to the passage, traffic accidents may be regarded as a social problem
since ----.
A) the
motor vehicle is a very dangerous invention
B) the
accidents have more to do with hazardous conditions than hazardous drivers
C) most of
the accidents are caused by drivers who don't pay attention to the traffic
rules
D) the
irresponsibility that accounts for much of the problem is not confined to
drivers
E) traffic
accidents can cause serious economic damage
2.
According to the passage, the number of accidents has fallen because ----.
A)
significant advances have been made towards safer driving
B) many
people now know that driving is a skilled task requiring constant care and
concentration
C) drivers
are warned to take extra care on the roads
D) drivers
have finally learned how to behave
E) there has
been improvement in the way drivers behave
3. It is
pointed out in the passage that those who violate traffic regulations ----.
A) are the
most inexperienced drivers that we have on the roads
B) always
blame the road conditions
C) don't
have prior traffic violations or crashes on their records
D) are the
biggest threat to those with whom they share the road
E) don't
know most of the traffic rules and regulations
