A new study has found that water in the air, not just heat, is important in measuring global warming. The researchers say, when considering humidity and heat, the temperature increase is two times greater than earlier estimates.
The researchers also note, temperature by itself is not the best way to measure the effects of climate change and using temperature underestimates conditions in the tropical areas of the world.
The study was published on January 31 in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The researchers team show that the energy created in extreme weather, such as storms, is related to the amount of water in the air. For this reason, they decided to use a special atmospheric measurement to show the amount of heat in an area of air. It is expressed in a scientific measurement for temperature known as degrees Kelvin.
Ramanathan is one of the writers of the study. He is a climate scientist at the University of California San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography. “There are two factors of climate change: temperature and humidity. And so far, we have measured global warming just in terms of temperature,” he says. “Warm air can hold more water than cold air. For every degree Celsius that air temperature increases, it can hold seven percent more water. When the water vapor in the air becomes liquid, it releases heat or energy. That’s why when it rains, now it pours.”
Ramanathan added that water vapor is a powerful heat-trapping gas in the atmosphere that increases climate change. From 1980 to 2019, the average world surface air temperature increased by 0.79 degrees Celsius. But when they considered energy from humidity, their temperature measurement had increased by 1.48 degrees Celsius. In the tropics, the warming was as much as 4 degrees Celsius.
Wuebbles is a climate scientist at the University of Illinois. He was not part of the study. But Wuebbles said the idea makes sense because water vapor is important in extreme rainfall. He said, “Both heat and humidity are important.”
1. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?| A．The combination of water and heat decreases average surface temperature. |
| B．The reason why it pours is that cold air can hold more water than warm air. |
| C．Scientists adopt temperature degrees Kelvin as a special atmospheric measurement. |
| D．Scientists used both temperature and humidity to measure global warming in the past. |
| A．By making comparisons. | B．By taking examples. |
| C．By analyzing reasons. | D．By giving definitions. |
| A．Critical. | B．Objective. | C．Skeptical. | D．Appreciative. |
| A．Extreme Weathers Are Closely Related to Air Heat Amount |
| B．A New Study Focuses on Global Warming Solutions |
| C．Humidity Is Also Important in Measuring Climate Changes |
| D．Two Climate Scientists Develop a Scientific Method |
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【推荐1】A group of scientists are warning that weather extremes in the future and growing demand could lead to a drop in power supplied from renewable energy. Many scientists have partly blamed human activities for an increase in extreme weather events.
The study predicts the world’s power systems are expected to face pressure. One of the biggest expected pressures to face power systems will be an increase in the use of air conditioning systems because of rising temperatures. Why? The UN has estimated that 68 percent of people will live in cities by 2050. That compares to about 55 percent who live in cities currently.
Dasun Perera, a lead writer of the study, said in a statement , “We observed that current energy systems are designed in a way that makes them highly susceptible to extreme weather events such as storms and heat waves.”
The researchers found that extreme weather will make it difficult to balance the demand for power with production. “This will make it difficult to match the energy demand and renewable power generation,” Perera said. “Dealing with the effects of climate change is going to prove harder than we previously thought.”
Perera told the French Press Agency AFP that extreme weather events could reduce the reliability of power supplies by up to 16 percent. This, he said, could easily lead to “blackouts resulting in huge economic losses.” Perera said that energy experts do not consider the effects of extreme climate events when planning and designing energy systems.
In a separate article published in Nature Energy, U.S. and European researchers noted that traditional energy models often fail to consider extreme weather.
The researchers called on world governments to consider the short-term risks of extreme heat and cold when planning and building energy systems. World governments should require “new thinking, new experiments, and, quite possibly, new combinations of tools.” The researchers added：“This is a tall order to be sure, but there is no risk in trying.”
1. Why does the world’s power systems face pressure?| A．Because more and more people will choose to live in cities. |
| B．Because the use of air conditioning systems is welcomed. |
| C．Because human activities have led to global warming. |
| D．Because the burning of fossil fuels caused extreme weather. |
| A．Suitable. | B．Systematic. | C．Sensitive. | D．Subjective. |
| A．Ignore the risks of extreme weather. | B．Take creative ideas into account. |
| C．Carry out the strict rules. | D．Think twice before they do. |
| A．Peace and development are two major issues in the world. |
| B．There is no link between extreme weather and power systems. |
| C．Extreme weather may put pressure on power systems. |
| D．There is a very great demand for renewable energy. |
【推荐2】An increase of just 2°C in global temperatures could make the world considerably drier and more desert-like, new research has warned.
More than a quarter of the world's land surface, home to more than 1.5 billion people, would become more arid and droughts and wildfires could be widespread. Limiting global warming to 1.5℃ would dramatically reduce the percentage of the Earth's surface affected, scientists found.
“Aridification (干旱化) would emerge over 20 to 30 percent of the world's land surface by the time the global temperature change reaches 2℃”，said Dr Manoj Joshi from the University of East Anglia’s School of Environmental Sciences and one of the study's co-authors.
The research team studied projections from 27 global climate models and identified areas of the world where aridity will greatly change. The most affected areas are parts of South East Asia, Southern Europe, Southern Africa, Central America and Southern Australia. These areas are home to more than .20 percent of the world's population — that’s over 1.5 billion people.
The study looked at the current rate of global temperature increase and compared it to data from before the industrial revolution. The world has already warmed by 1℃since then. Two thirds of the affected regions could avoid significant aridification if warming is limited to 1.5℃, researchers found.
The Paris Agreement, which was first signed in 2015, is an international agreement to control climate change. It hopes to hold the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2℃ and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5℃.
But the local protectionism makes it possible that the world may become drier and the horrific scenes of the Californian wildfires may become more common. The fire burned more than 440 square miles of Ventura and Santa Barbara counties and destroyed more than 1,000 structures after breaking out in early December.
1. What should we do to prevent aridification?| A．We should limit the temperature rise to 2°C. |
| B．We should limit the temperature rise to 1.5°C. |
| C．We should limit the industrial development. |
| D．We should limit the global population. |
| A．China. | B．Russia. | C．Canada. | D．Philippine. |
| A．To show the harm of aridification. |
| B．To emphasize the loss of the fire. |
| C．To support the local protectionism. |
| D．To tell us wildfires are common. |
| A．Indifferent. | B．Approving. | C．Concerned. | D．Unclear. |
【推荐3】Climate Change Requires the World’s Attention
In 2013, a lot of people were shocked by a news photo of a dead polar bear that was found on Norway’s Arctic island of Svalbard. According to the scientists who found its dead body all that remained of the polar bear was “skin and bones”. An expert who has studied polar bears for many years said that from the position of its dead body, the bear appeared to have starved and died. Experts claimed that low sea-ice levels caused by climate change meant the bear could not hunt seals as before, so it had to travel greater distances in order to find food. This alarming case showed how the increase in temperature had an impact on Earth’s ecology.
Then what is causing the increase in the global average surface temperature? Climate scientists often mention a key climate process called the “greenhouse effect”, which has two common meanings: the “natural” greenhouse effect and the “man-made” greenhouse effect. The “natural” greenhouse effect, which helps keep the earth warm enough for people, plants and animals to live on, refers to the fact that heat from the sun enters the atmosphere and warms Earth’s surface as short-wave radiation. The heat is released back into space at longer wave lengths. Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, such as methane (沼气) and carbon dioxide, trap some of the heat, keeping Earth’s climate warm and habitable. Without this process, Earth could not sustain life. However, the man-made greenhouse effect has now become a big problem. When people produce huge amounts of extra greenhouse gases by burning fossil fuels, more heat energy is trapped in the atmosphere and causes Earth’s surface temperature to rise quickly.
There is strong and comprehensive evidence that the rise in temperature has led to an increase in extreme weather and natural disasters worldwide, not only causing serious damage, but also costing human lives. Climate scientists have warned that if we do not take appropriate actions, this warming trend will probably continue and there will be a higher price to pay. In fact, news reports are frequently broadcast about extreme rainstorms and heat waves causing deaths and economic losses.
Continued greenhouse gas emissions (排放) will result in further warming and long-lasting changes to the global climate. This requires the attention of people all over the world. Governments need to consider making policies and taking appropriate actions and measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We as individuals can also reduce our “carbon footprint” by restricting the amount of carbon dioxide our lifestyles produce. It is our responsibility to seize every opportunity to educate everyone about global warming, along with its causes and impacts, because it is all of us that share this planet. So what will you do to help?
1. The dead polar bear was mentioned in the first paragraph to _____?| A．show polar bears are endangered |
| B．raise the problem of global warming |
| C．raise the awareness of protecting animals |
| D．warn people of the damage caused by travelling |
| A．Methane. | B．Carbon dioxide. |
| C．Heat from the sun. | D．Man-made heat energy. |
| A．higher cost of living | B．better growth of plants |
| C．more extreme weather events | D．speeding of animal reproduction |
| A．policies are important to stop carbon dioxide emissions |
| B．the long-lasting effects of climate change is very serious |
| C．everyone should take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions |
| D．it is the governments’ duty to control the process of global warming |
Perhaps the best answer lies in our genetic makeup as human beings. What drove our ancestors to move from the trees into the plains, and on into all possible areas and environments? The wider the spread of a species, the better its chance of survival. Perhaps the best reason for exploring space is this genetic tendency to expand wherever possible.
Nearly every successful civilization has explored, because by doing so, any dangers in surrounding areas can be identified and prepared for. Without knowledge, we may be completely destroyed by the danger. With knowledge, we can lessen its effects.
Exploration also allows minerals and other potential resources to be found. Even if we have no immediate need of them, they will perhaps be useful later. Resources may be more than physical possessions. Knowledge or techniques have been acquired through exploration. The techniques may have medical applications which can improve the length or quality of our lives. We have already benefited from other spin-offs including improvements in earthquake prediction, in satellites for weather forecasting and in communications systems. Even non-stick pans and mirrored sunglasses are by-products of technological developments in the space, the chance to save ourselves might not exist.
While many resources are spent on what seems a small return, the exploration of space allows creative, brave and intelligent members of our species to focus on what may serve to save us. While space may hold many wonders and explanations of how the universe was formed or how it works, it also holds dangers. The danger exists, but knowledge can help human being to survive. Without the ability to reach out across space, the chance to save ourselves might not exist.
While Earth is the only planet known to support life, surely the adaptive ability of humans would allow us to live on other planets. It is true that the lifestyle would be different, but human life and cultures have adapted in the past and surely could in the future.
1. What is the reason for exploring space based on Paragraph2?
| A．Humans are nature-born to do so. |
| B．Humans have the tendency to fight. |
| C．Humans may find new sources of food. |
| D．Humans don’t like to stay in the same place. |
| A．survival chances | B．potential resources |
| C．unexpected benefits | D．physical possessions |
| A．Our genetic makeup. |
| B．Resources on the earth.. |
| C．The adaptive ability of humans. |
| D．By-products in space exploration. |
| A．Space exploration has created many wonders. |
| B．Space exploration provided the best value for money. |
| C．Space exploration can benefit science and technology. |
| D．Space exploration may help us avoid potential problems on Earth. |
【推荐2】Coffee grown worldwide can date back to the ancient forests of Ethiopia. There, legend says the goat herder Kaldi first discovered coffee bean after he noticed that after eating the fruits from a certain tree, his goats became so energetic that they did not want to sleep at night. Coffee trade began on the Arabian Peninsula. By the 16th century it was known in Persia, Egypt, Syria, and Turkey.
Coffee was hardly known in Europe before the 17th century. The Venetians were the first people to bring coffee into Europe. The first European coffee houses started opening in Italy around 1645. In the following 100 years, at least 3000 coffee houses were operating in England. It was the coffee houses of England that started the custom of tipping waiters and waitresses. In a short time, coffee and coffee houses spread throughout Europe. In 1822, a Frenchman Louis Bernard Rabaut invented a machine which forced the hot water through the coffee grounds using steam instead of merely letting it drip through. The first espresso machine (咖啡机) had been born.
In the coffee industry, there are two important coffee species — Arabica and Robusta. Arabica originates from the coffee trees discovered in Ethiopia. It represents about 70% of the world’s coffee production. Arabica coffees bring the highest prices on the world market. Meanwhile, these coffee trees require additional care and attention. Robusta is primarily used for instant coffees. The Robusta bean itself tends to be slightly rounder and smaller than an Arabica bean. It can produce a coffee which has a distinctive taste and about 50-60% more caffeine. The Robusta tree is more resistant to disease, which makes it easier and cheaper to grow.
To preserve coffee beans’ fresh roasted flavor as long as possible, you can store them in an air-tight container (容器) at room temperature. Coffee beans can be beautiful, but avoid clear containers which will allow light to influence thee taste of your coffee. Exposure to air is bad for your beans. If you do freeze your beans, be sure to use a truly air-tight container.
1. Where was the coffee bean first discovered?| A．In Egypt. | B．In Turkey. | C．In Ethiopia. | D．In Saudi Arabia. |
| A．It was the British people who brought coffee to Europe. |
| B．The custom of tipping came from Italian coffee houses. |
| C．Drinking coffee became popular before the 17th century. |
| D．Louis Bernard Rabaut invented the first espresso machine. |
| A．Arabica has a higher cost. |
| B．Arabica contains more caffeine. |
| C．Arabica beans appear smaller and rounder in size. |
| D．Arabica accounts for most of the world’s instant coffees. |
| A．Ways to store coffee beans. | B．The process of making coffee. |
| C．The methods of choosing coffee beans. | D．The difficulty of adjusting the taste of coffee. |
【推荐3】Fake news spreads faster and more easily today through the internet, social media and instant messaging.
Some fake news also contains a mixture of correct information, which makes it difficult to spot what is true and accurate.
If the story appears to claim a much higher level of certainty in its advice and arguments than other stories, this is questionable.
The best sources for authentic information are your government websites. However, even government messaging can get things wrong.
| A．If a story is more surprising |
| B．If a message presses you to share |
| C．Fake news may also be shared by trusted friends and family |
| D．People will be seeking certainty in a time of high uncertainty |
| E．But they are more trustworthy than unchecked sources on social media |
| F．Think twice about the messages and help guide your family and friends |
| G．These messages may contain useless, incorrect information and advice |
Gifted with an amazing IQ between 220 and 230, Terence Tao makes it to this list of the people with the highest IQ in the world．Born in Adelaide, Australia in 1975, this genius first displayed his incredible intelligence at a mere age of 2, when he managed to solve basic arithmetic questions on his own．At the age of 16, he graduated with both Master's and Bachelor's degrees at the Flinders University．He has been considered as ''Mr．Fix it " by Charles Fefferman, who is a professor of Mathematics at Princeton University, and many other mathematicians want to interest him in their problems．
This 31-year-old Japanese-American astrophysicist lands him third in this list．At the age of 12, Christopher Hirata already worked on college-level courses, around the time most of us were just in the 7th grade．At the age of 13, this gifted kid became the youngest American to have ever won the gold medal in the International physics Olympiad．
At the age of 16, he was already working with NASA on its project to conquer planet Mars．After he was awarded the Ph．D．at Princeton University, he went back to California Institute of Technology．
The next person with very high IQ is Albert Einstein．With an IQ between 160 and 190, Albert Einstein is the genius behind the theory of relativity, which has had great impact on the world of science．He possessed such an amazing ability that after his death, researchers were eager to preserve and make research on his brain in search for clues to his exceptional brilliance, which to this day, has remained a mystery．
1. About William, which of the following is true?
| A．His IQ reached between 220 and 230． |
| B．At the age of 16, he graduated from a grammar school． |
| C．At the age of 6, he graduated with both Master's and Bachelor's degrees． |
| D．At the age of 11, he became the youngest student at the Harvard University． |
| A．3 | B．4 | C．5 | D．6 |
| A．William | B．Terence Tao |
| C．Christopher Hirata | D．Albert Einstein |
| A．when William graduated from the Harvard University, he got the highest scores |
| B．at the age of 2, Terence solved basic arithmetic questions on his own |
| C．Christopher Hirata is a Japanese |
| D．researchers have found out why Albert Einstein was so brilliant |
【推荐2】Black holes were first put forward by Albert Einstein in 1916. However, scientists had not proved their directly. That changed on April 10, 2019, with the release of the first photo of a black hole in the center of the galaxy (星系)M87, located 55 million light years from Earth.
The photo does not show the black hole itself. That's because they are black and so they can't be seen in space.the scientists used radio signals to capture (拍摄)the black hole's "shadow" —the bright ring that forms around its edge, when light bends because of the extreme gravity around the hole.
The M87 black hole, believed to have a mass 6.5 billion times that of our sun, was captured using the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT)—a network of eight powerful telescopes(望远镜.)The telescopes，located in Hawaii, Arizona , Chile, Mexico, Spain and Antarctica, separately captured the black holl' s radio signals over four nights in April 2017, when the weather was fine in all six places. The data was transpcried to a centre where it was dealt with by a supercomputer to form the photo of the black hole's shadow. The researchers say while the photo is slightly blurry, future photos will be clearer as more telescopes are added to the EHT. Black ' holes are not easy to capture on camera because they are surrounded by thick dusty and hot gases.
Black holes are areas in space where the pulling strength of gravity is so powerful that even light is unable to escape. They can be different widely in size and mass. The smallest, called "primordial" black holes are as small as a single atom but with a mass of a big mountain. " Stellar'' black holes, which are the most common, have a diameter (直径)of about 10 miles and a mass 20 times that of our sun. The largest or “supermassive'' black holes, similar to that of M87's, can have a mass . greater than millions, or even billions of suns combined.
1. What can we infer from the first paragraph?| A．Einstein's predicticn about black holes is right. |
| B．Einstein captured the black hole a century ago. |
| C．Scientists haven't proved black holes' presence. |
| D．The black hole has been known for centuries. |
| A．Moon light. | B．Natural light. | C．Radio signals. | D．Sound waves. |
| A．Not big. | B．Not clear. | C．Not new. | D．Not attractive. |
| A．It is almost empty. | B．It is the smallest one. | C．It is very bright. | D．It is very large. |
【推荐3】Millions of people suffer from motion sickness (晕动症). They have a lot of activities they fear. They often avoid doing these activities which include long-distance airplane travel, sea-trips, road-trips, even certain movies and video games. However, the French company Boarding Ring promises that it has its way to solve the problem, as long as the users are willing to wear Boarding Glasses!
Why do many people suffer from motion sickness? It is believed that the brain fails to deal with mixed signals from body parts. For example, when you are looking at your phone on a moving bus, your inner ear realizes the move but your eyes, focused on the screen, think you don't move.
Boarding Glasses tries to ease (减轻)motion sickness by making the user's eyes and ears transmit the same message. After the brain receives the same message, it will think you are in a moving environment Though that sounds difficult, the science behind the glasses is surprisingly simple.
The plastic frames (框架)，made up of two round frames on the front and two on the side, are filled with some blue liquid. Any movement can cause the liquid to flow around the eyes. This allows the eyes to sense the move and send the correct signal to the brain.
According to Antoine Jeannin, CEO of Boarding Ring, Boarding Glasses has been tested. The CEO said that over 95 percent of the users felt better after wearing the glasses. The best part is that Boarding Glasses only has a frame, so a single pair can be worn among a group of friends, or even an entire family!
1. Why do some people suffer from motion sickness according to the passage?| A．Their eyes can't see the move. |
| B．Their bodies are in a bad condition. |
| C．Their ears can't hear in a moving environment. |
| D．Their brains can't deal with mixed signals from body parts. |
| A．The shortcomings of Boarding Glasses. |
| B．The design for Boarding Glasses' future. |
| C．The working principle of Boarding Glasses. |
| D．The response of people wearing Boarding Glasses. |
| A．calm | B．send | C．destroy | D．attack |
| A．Boarding Glasses Promises to Ease Motion Sickness |
| B．Why Do People Dislike Motion Sickness |
| C．Why Do People Suffer from Motion Sickness |
| D．Boarding Glasses Can Make You See the World Clearly |
