Scientists have long warned that some
level of global warming is a done deal—due in large part to heat-trapping
greenhouse gases humans already have pumped skyward. Now, however, researchers
are fleshing out how much future warming and sea-level rise the world has
triggered. The implicit message: "We can't stop this, so how do we live with
it?" says Thomas Wigley, a climate researcher at NCAR. One
group, led by Gerald Meehl at NCAR, used two state-of-the-art climate models to
explore what could happen if the world had held atmospheric concentrations of
greenhouse gases steady since 2000. The results: Even if the world had slammed
on the brakes five years ago, global average temperatures would rise by about 1
degree Fahrenheit by the end of the 21st century. Sea levels would rise by
another 4 inches over 20th-century increases. Rising sea-levels would continue
well beyond 2100, even without adding water from melting glaciers and ice
sheets. The rise highlights the oceans' enormous capacity to absorb heat and its
slow reaction to changes in atmospheric conditions. The team ran
each model several times with a range of "what if" concentrations, as well as
observed concentrations, for comparison. Temperatures eventually level out, Dr.
Meehl says in reviewing his team's results. "But sea-level increases keep
ongoing. The relentless nature of sea-level rise is pretty daunting." Dr. Wigley
took a slightly different approach with a simpler model. He ran simulations that
capped concentrations, at 2000 levels. If concentrations are held constant,
warming could exceed 1.8 degrees F. by 2400. The two researchers add that far
from holding steady, concentrations of greenhouse gases continue to rise. Thus,
at best, the results point to the least change people can expect, they
say. The idea that some level of global climate change from
human activities is inevitable is not new. But the word has been slow to make
its way into the broader debate. "Many people don't realize we are committed
right now to a significant amount of global warming and sea-level rise. The
longer we wait, the more climate change we are committed to in the future,"
Meehl says. While the concept of climate-change commitment isn't
new, these fresh results "tell us what's possible and what's realistic" and that
for the immediate future, "prevention is not on the table," says Roger Pielke
Jr., director of the Center for Science and Technology Policy Research. To
Pielke and others, this means adaptation should be given a much higher priority
that it's received to date. "There's a cultural bias in favor of prevention," he
says. But any sound policy includes preparation as well, he adds. "We have the
scientific and technological knowledge we need to improve adaptation and apply
that knowledge globally."
单选题
According to the research of NCAR, if the concentrations were held steady at 2000 levels,
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】本题问根据国家大气研究中心的研究，如果将温室气体在大气中的浓度控制在2000年的水平会怎样。第二段中“if the world had held atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases steady since 2000．The results：… Sea levels would rise by another 4 inches over 20th-century increases…”和第三段中“But sea-level increases keep ongoing．The relentless nature of sea-level rise is pretty daunting．”表明即使温室气体浓度控制在2000年的水平，“海平面还是会继续上升”，故[B]正确。
[A]大洋吸热的能力降低：海洋本身的吸热能力是个固定值，与全球是否变暖没有关系。
[C]全球平均气温将会降低：从第二段中“global average temperatures would rise by about 1 degree Fahrenheit by the end of the 21st century”可知，即使温室气体浓度控制在2000年的水平，全球气温还是会升高。
[D]不会发生重大的气候变化：即使把温室气体浓度控制在2000年的水平，温度还是会上升，海平面还是会上升，久而久之，必定会导致气候发生重大变化。
单选题
Global warming is something
【正确答案】
C
【答案解析】本题问全球气候变暖的一些相关情况。从末段“…‘tell us what's possible and what's realistic’and that for the immediate future…this means adaptation should be given a much higher priority that it's received to date…‘We have the scientific and technological knowledge we need to improve adaptation’and apply that knowledge globally．”可知，既然全球气候变暖的趋势不可阻挡，那么惟一现实的做法是设法去适应它。因此[C]“人们不得不去适应”正确。
[A]因为一种文化倾向而恶化：末段“There's a cultural bias in favor of prevention”是说有一种文化的偏执主张预防全球变暖。这种想法是不现实的，但它并不会激化全球气候变暖。
[B]是海平面上升引起的：因果倒置。是全球变暖引起了海平面的上升。
[D]在将来无需担忧：根据文章，全球气候变暖已成定局，那我们就必须时刻去考虑怎样适应它，也包括将来。所以在将来无需担忧是没有根据的。
单选题
By "at best, the results point to the least change people can expect", (Lines 7～8, Paragraph 3) the researchers try to tell us that
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】本题问通过“at best，the results point to the least change people can expect”，研究者想表达什么深层意思。上文提到国家大气研究中心两位研究者的实验表明，即使温室气体在大气中的浓度控制在2000年的水平，气候还是会变暖。上一句中说“The two researchers add that far from holding steady，concentrations of greenhouse gases continue to rise．”，表明温室气体在大气中的浓度本身也很难稳定在某一水平不变。在本句首的“Thus”引出由此得出的推断，说明全球气候变暖在不久的将来是不可避免的。且此句的后一句“The idea that some level of global climate change from human activities is inevitable is not new．”承接上句再次明确表述了这种不可避免性。故B项“全球变暖在不久的将来不可避免”正确。
[A]气候变化的影响相对较小：文中的意思是说真正的气候变化会比实验结果显著，这里并未涉及气候变化的具体影响。
[C]温室气体的浓度不能保持在一个稳定水平上：上一句“far from holding steady，concentrations of greenhouse gases continue to rise．”已表达了这个意思，这是本句的前提，也是一个客观的事实，而不是研究者想要表达的深层意思。
[D]气候状况比人们想象的要好：研究者得出的结论是气候状况会更差，而不是更好。
单选题
The views of Pielke and Dr. Wigley on how to face global warming are
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】本题问在面对全球变暖的问题上，Pielke和Dr．Wigley的观点是什么。首段中“‘We can't stop this，so how do we live with it?’says Thomas Wigley…”表明Dr．Wigley认为全球变暖不可避免，我们只能考虑如何去与之共处；末段“…these fresh results‘tell us what's possible and what's realistic’and that for the immediate future，‘prevention is not on the table，’says Roger Pielke Jr．…this means adaptation should be given a much higher priority that it's received to date…．”表明Pielke也认为这种气候变化无法阻止，当务之急是如何适应它。因此二者观点是“相似的”。
[A]不相关的；[C]互补的；[D]相反的：均不对。
单选题
The author writes this passage to
【正确答案】
C
【答案解析】本题问作者写这篇文章的目的。文章首段就提出问题“We can't stop this，so how do we live with it”全球变暖不可阻挡，重要的是怎样去适应它；第二、三段从实验的角度告诉读者全球气候变暖不可避免；末段明确指出“… this means adaptation should be given a much higher priority that it's received to date…We have the scientific and technological knowledge we need to improve adaptation and apply that knowledge globally”，我们应该提高适应性。因此[C]“呼吁人们将适应性作为首要的因素来考虑”正确。
[A]让更多的人关注全球变暖：虽然倒数第二段“Many people don't realize we are committed right now to a significant amount of global warming and sea-level rise．”提到人们没有意识到是人类自己造成了气候的变化，但这并不是本文主要谈论的问题。
[B]展示两种实验模型的结果：文中确实出现了两种实验模型的结果，都是为了说明全球变暖不可避免。“展示实验模型的结果”本身是手段，而不是目的。
[D]预测全球气候变暖的未来趋势：全球气候变暖不可避免也许可以算作一种未来趋势，但不是本文讨论的中心问题。作者通过本文要谈的是面对这种情况我们应该怎么办。