Unit 4 Global warming reading学案

　　THE EARTH IS BECOMING WARMER -

　　BUT DOES IT MATTER?

　　During the 20th century the temperature of the earth rose about one degree Fahrenheit①. That probably does not seem much to you or me, but it is a rapid increase when compared to② other natural changes③. So how has this come about④ and does it matter? EarthCare's Sophie⑤ Armstrong⑥ explores these questions.

　　There is no doubt that the earth is becoming warmer (see Graph⑦ 1) and that it is human activity that has caused this global warming rather than a random⑧ but natural phenomenon⑨. ①Fahrenheit/'færənhaIt/adj.华氏的n.华氏温度计

②compared to 与......相比

③when compared to ...是"when＋过去分词"结构，也可看作时间状语从句的省略，补充完整为when it is compared to ...。

④come about 发生；造成，为不及物动词短语。

⑤Sophie/'səʊfI/索菲(女名)

⑥Armstrong/'ɑːmstrɒŋ/阿姆斯特朗(姓)

⑦graph/ɡrɑːf/n.图表；坐标图；曲线图

⑧random/'rændəm/adj.胡乱的；任意的

⑨phenomenon/fI'nɒmInən; US fə'nɑːmənɑːn/

(复数­ena/­Inə； ­ənə/)n.现象 　　

　　地球在变暖--但是这会带来什么影响吗？

　　[第1～2段译文]

　　在20世纪期间，地球温度大约上升了1华氏度。这个数值对你我来说很可能是无所谓的，但是跟其他自然变化相比较而言，这却是一种快速的增长。那么，这种温度的增长是怎么产生的呢？会产生什么影响吗？"关爱地球"组织的索菲·阿姆斯特朗就在探究这些问题。

　　毫无疑问，地球在变暖(见曲线图一)，而全球变暖正是人类活动导致的，并非一种随意的自然现象。

　　All scientists subscribe to\s\up1(10(10) the view that the increase in the earth's temperature is due to the burning of fossil⑪fuels⑫ like coal, natural gas and oil to produce energy⑬. Some byproducts⑭ of this process are called "greenhouse" gases, the most important one of which is carbon dioxide⑮. Dr Janice⑯ Foster⑰ explains: "There is a natural phenomenon that scientists call the 'greenhouse effect'⑱. This is when small amounts of gases⑲ in the atmosphere, like carbon dioxide, methane⑳ and water vapour, trap heat from the sun and therefore warm\s\up1(21(21) the earth. Without the 'greenhouse effect'\s\up1(22(22)， the earth would be about thirty­three degrees Celsius\s\up1(23(23) cooler than it is. So, we need those gases. The problem begins when we add huge quantities of\s\up1(24(24) extra carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. It means that more heat energy tends\s\up1(25(25) to be trapped in the atmosphere causing the global temperature to go up\s\up1(26(26)."

　　 \s\up1(10(10)subscribe to 同意；赞成；订购

subscribe/səb'skraIb/vi.同意；捐赠；订阅vt.签署(文件)；捐助

⑪fossil/'fɒsəl/n.化石；从地下采掘出来的(矿物)

⑫fuel/'fjuːəl/n.燃料

⑬that the increase ... is due to ...是that引导的同位语从句，对the view作进一步的解释和说明。

⑭byproduct/'baIˌprɒdʌkt/n.副产品

⑮the most important one of which ...是"代词＋of＋which"引导的非限制性定语从句。

⑯Janice/'dʒænIs/贾尼丝(女名)

⑰Foster/'fɒstə/福斯特(姓或男名)

⑱that scientists call ...是that引导的定语从句，修饰a natural phenomenon, that在从句中作call的宾语。

⑲when small amounts of gases至本句末是when引导的表语从句。

⑳methane/'miːθeIn/n.甲烷；沼气　\s\up1(21(21)warm vt.(使)变暖

\s\up1(22(22)画线部分是without引导的含蓄虚拟条件句。

\s\up1(23(23)Celsius/'selsIəs/adj.(温度)摄氏的

\s\up1(24(24)quantities of 大量的　quantity/'kwɒntətI/n.量；数量

\s\up1(25(25)tend/tend/vi.趋向；易于；照顾 vt.照顾；护理

tend to do 倾向于/往往做

\s\up1(26(26)go up 上升；增长；升起