The summer solstice (夏至) has been widely recognized     1     a festival throughout the world.

The word solstice originates from the Latin sol and sistere,    2     (mean) “sun-standing”. As the days lengthen, the sun rises higher and higher until it seems     3     (stand) still in the sky. It is one of the great turning     4     (point) of the year, when the sun is at its     5     (high) point in the sky during a year.

Today, the day is celebrated around the world. In England thousands gather to welcome the sunrise on the summer solstice. Throughout Europe groups light a fire and stay up all night to welcome the dawn. In Paris, the day     6     (mark) with free concerts during the every year’s Fete de la Musique. When it comes     7     the U.S., the city of Santa Barbara in California holds the country’s biggest celebration     8     lasts a full three-day time. On the East Coast, New York City     9     (traditional) welcomes the summer solstice with a music concert at the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine.

In the southern part of China, Eating lychees (荔枝) druing the summer solstice is a long tradition because eating lychees will cause less “heat” to the body. There is a saying in Shangdong Province that     10     (go), “Eating dumplings on the winter solstice day and eating noodles on the summer solstice day.”

The earth is becoming warmer and warmer. It is believed that people have caused global warming     1     burning fossil fuels like coal, natural gas and oil to produce energy. Some by- products of this process     2     (call) “greenhouse” gases. These “greenhouse” gases can keep     3     earth warm enough for us to live on. However, when     4    (quantity) of extra carbon dioxide are put into the atmosphere, the global temperature tends     5    (go) up. Although scientists have different opinions about the future effects of global     6    (warm), most believe that the temperature of the earth would increase by about 5 degrees over the next 100 years,     7     may cause the sea level to rise, bring about floods, storms, droughts, the spread of diseases and the disappearance of species.     8     a famous scientist named Hambley says more carbon dioxide will make plants grow     9    (quick); crops will produce more and that it will encourage a greater range of animals.

Greenhouse gases continue to build up the atmosphere. The climate     10    (keep) on warming for decades or centuries even if we start reducing the amount of greenhouse gases. What will be the future results of global warming? We will wait and see.

A new study     1     (publish) by the Rapid Transition Alliance has revealed that climate change will     2     (threat) global sports events over the next three decades. This group     3     (monitor) climate change, development and global issues on a daily basis. Researchers said that nearly all sports would be affected in the future by     4     they called “an accelerating (加速的) climate crisis”. They highlighted how the weather had already     5     (direct) affected major sports events. Bushfires in Australia made playing conditions     6     (danger) at the Australian Tennis Open. They predicted that fires, floods, heat waves and rising sea levels would cause greater damage.

The Rapid Transition Alliance urged the sports industry     7     (become) carbon-neutral (碳中和的). It said that the carbon emissions from sports events worldwide are equal     8     those produced by a medium-sized country. The study blamed the sport for its inaction. It said, “Making     9     carbon-zero world the common-sense priority (优先) of the sports world would make a huge     10     (contribute) to making it the common-sense priority of all politics.”

More than 11,000 scientists are warning that the Earth, in their words, “clearly faces a climate emergency.” The scientists represent several fields of study and come from 150     1     (country) around the world. They approved a report that appeared in the publication Bioscience     2     (early) this month. It warns that the world would face “untold human suffering”     3     it does not make deep and lasting shifts in human activities that influence climate change.

The new report     4     (call) the “World Scientists’ Warning of a Climate Emergency.” This is the first time     5     large group of scientists have jointly(共同地) used the word “emergency” when     6     (talk) about climate change. “Despite 40 years of global climate negotiations...we have generally conducted business as usual and have largely failed     7     (address) this predicament(艰难处境),” the study said. “Climate change has arrived and is accelerating faster than many scientists expected.” The report identified six areas that the world needs to deal     8     immediately. The scientists appealed to nations to use energy more efficiently and cut     9     (they) use of fossil fuels. They suggested that lawmakers approve taxes on the burning of carbon-based fuels, such as coal, oil and     10     (nature) gas.

Climate Change Requires The World’s Attention

There is little doubt that Earth     1    (get) warmer and warmer. In 2013, a lot of people were shocked by a news photo of a dead polar bear which appeared to have starved and died. This     2    (alarm) case showed how the increase in temperature had an effect     3     Earth’s ecology.

Climate scientists often mention a key climate process     4    (call) the “greenhouse effect”,     5     has two common meanings. Without the “natural” greenhouse effect, Earth could not sustain life. However, the “man-made” greenhouse effect has now become a big problem because more heat energy     6    (trap) in the atmosphere, causing Earth’s surface temperature to rise quickly.

There is strong evidence that the rise in temperature has led to an increase in extreme weather and     7    (nature) 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     8    (probable) continue and there will be a     9    (high) price to pay.

Governments need to consider making policies and taking appropriate actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We as individuals can also reduce our “carbon footprint”. It is our     10    (responsible) to seize every opportunity to educate everyone about global warming, along with its causes and impacts.

Wildlife all over the world     1     (damage) by climate change for decades, but certain species are suffering more than others. Polar animals     2     icy natural habitat is melting in the warmer temperatures are     3     (particular) at risk. In fact, experts believe that the Arctic sea is melting at     4     alarming rate —9% per decade! Polar bears need sea ice to be able to hunt, raise their young and as places to rest after long periods of swimming. Certain seal species, like ringed seals, make caves in the snow and ice     5     (raise) their pups, feed and mate.

It’s not just polar animals that are in trouble. Apes like orangutans, which live in the rainforests of Indonesia, are     6     threat as their habitat is cut down, and more droughts cause more bushfires.

Sea turtles rely on nesting beaches to lay their eggs, many of which are threatened by rising sea levels. Did you know that the temperature of nests determines whether the eggs are male or female?     7     (fortunate), with temperatures on the rise, this could mean that more females are born than males,     8    (threaten) future turtle populations.

Climate change won’t just affect animals; it’s already having impact on people, too. Most     9     (affect) people are some of the people who grow the food we eat every day. Farming communities, especially in developing countries, are facing     10     (high) temperatures, increased rain, floods and droughts.

There is strong and comprehensive evidence that the rise in temperature     1     (lead) to an increase in extreme weather and natural disasters worldwide, not only causing serious damage, but also costing human lives. Climate scientists have warned     2     if we do not take appropriate actions, this warming trend will     3     (probable) continue and there will be     4     higher price to pay. In fact, news reports are frequently broadcast about extreme rainstorms and heatwaves causing deaths and     5     (economy) losses.

    6     (continue) greenhouse gas emissions 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     7     (policy) and taking appropriate actions and measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. We as individuals can also reduce our “carbon footprint” by     8     (restrict) the amount of carbon dioxide our lifestyles produce. It is our responsibility     9     (seize) every opportunity to educate everyone about global warming, along with its causes and impacts, because this is the most serious issue affecting all of us     10     this planet. So what will you do to help?

Then what is causing the increase in the global average surface temperature? Climate scientists often mention a key climate process     1     (call) the“greenhouse effect“, which has two common meanings: the “natural” greenhouse effect     2    the“man-made” greenhouse effect. The “natural”greenhouse effect refers to the fact     3     heat from the sun enters the atmosphere and warms Earth’s surface as short-wave radiation. The heat     4     (release) back into space at longer wave lengths. Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, such as methane and carbon dioxide trap some of the heat,     5     (keep) Earth’s climate warm and habitable.     6    this process, Earth could not sustain life. However, the“man-made" greenhouse effect has now become     7     big problem. When people produce huge amounts of extra greenhouse gases by burning fossil     8     (fuel), more heat energy is trapped in the atmosphere and     9     (cause) Earth’s surface temperature to rise     10     ( quick).