Climate change is a familiar topic to us for decades. There is little doubt     1     Earth is getting warmer and warmer. A lot of evidence     2     (indicate) a dramatic change in the global climate.

The increase in temperature has     3     impact on Earth’s ecology. In 2013, a news photo of a dead polar bear which     4     (find) on Norway’s Arctic island of Svalbard made a lot of people     5     (shock). In addition, there is strong and comprehensive evidence that the rise in temperature has led to an increase in extreme weather and natural disasters worldwide,     6     (cause) great loss of life and property. Climate scientists have warned that this warming trend will probably continue and there will be a     7     (high) price to pay, if we do not take appropriate actions.

“Greenhouse effect” is a key factor in clime change. Continued greenhouse gas emissions will result     8     further warming and long-lasting changes to the global climate. Governments should make     9     (policy) and take appropriate actions and measures. Individuals can reduce our “carbon footprint” by restricting the amount of carbon dioxide our lifestyles produce. It is our responsibility to seize every opportunity     10     (educate) everyone about global warming.

Climate change is already affecting wildlife all over the world, but certain species are suffering more than others. Polar animals     1     icy natural habitat is melting in the warmer temperatures are     2     (particular) at risk. In fact, experts believe that the Arctic sea ice is melting at a shocking 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 (环斑海豹), make     3     (cave) in the snow and ice to 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     4     threat as their habitat     5     (cut) down, and more droughts cause more bushfires.

Sea turtles (海龟) rely on nesting beaches     6     (lay) their eggs, many of which are threatened by rising sea levels. Did you know that the temperature of nests     7     (determine) whether the eggs are male or female? Unfortunately, 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     9     impact on people, too. Most     10     (affect) people are some of the people who grow the food we eat every day. Farming communities, especially in developing countries, are facing higher temperatures, increased rain, floods and droughts.

A severe cold wave hit many parts of China over the weekend with heavy snowfalls and rapidly declining temperatures.

The cold-air outbreak,     1     is the most widespread early one in decades, is affecting 1.18 billion people and 90 percent of the regions across the country. The cold wave also brought chilly weather     2    (condition) to many parts of the north, along     3    rain and snow, posing serious challenges to transport, agriculture and energy supplies. Authorities warned people to stay inside and reduce outdoor activities.

So, why are we experiencing such a freezing winter on a warming planet?

According to an expert, one reason is that global warming does not appear     4    (equal) and brings about more extreme heat and cold. He said global warming has changed the patterns of atmospheric     5    (circulate) of the Earth,     6    (affect) the local climate via sea-air or land-air interaction. In October, La Nina started to affect China, bringing more cold air to the country. Meanwhile, statistics     7    (release) by the World Meteorological Organization show that 2016, 2019 and 2020 were the three     8    (hot) years on record.

    9    reason for the cold weather is the warming Arctic. The Arctic is warming two to three times as fast as any other place on Earth, he said, adding that the polar vortex (涡旋) weakens as the temperature     10    (go) up, pushing the cold Arctic air southward.

Last night’s fall of snow here was an     1    （event). I was nearly as excited about it this morning     2     the children. It is the first fall we     3     （have）here this winter. The first fall of snow is     4     an event but it is a     5     （magic）event. The very secrecy and     6     （quiet）of the thing makes it more magical.

When I got up this morning the world was a cold place     7     dead white and pale blues. An hour or two later everything was a cold sparkle of white and blue. The world had     8     （complete）changed again. The snow is falling heavily,     9     great soft flakes,     10     you can hardly see anything.

First Snow

It is the first time that I     1     (see) snow this year. It is not only an event but a magical event. You go to bed in one kind of world and wake up to find     2     (you) in another completely different. The secrecy and     3     (quiet) will make it more magical. When I got up this morning, I found the world dead white and pale blue. The light     4     (come) through the windows was very strange,     5     made the familiar business of splashing, shaving, brushing teeth and dressing strange too. When the sun came out, the snow became pink. The plum tree stood in full sunlight. An hour     6     two later, everything was a cold sparkle of white and blue. The little Japanese prints had disappeared. The ground went on and on, the sky was thick grey, and all the trees were black and in     7     (threaten) shapes. Now the snow is falling     8     (heavy) in great soft flakes so that you can hardly see across the shallow valley. The     9     (roof) are thick and the trees are all bending. I can see the children     10     (flatten) their noses against the window.

We hear about climate change pretty much every day now. Scientists have just announced that July was the hottest month ever     1     (record). The scientists are from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in the USA. A spokesperson from NOAA said, “July is     2     (typical) the world’s warmest month of the year, but July 2021 beat     3     (it) as the hottest July and hottest month ever.” NOAA said Earth’s land and ocean surface temperature in July increased     4    0.93 degree Celsius,compared to the 20th-century average of 15.8 degrees Celsius. The Northern Hemisphere was 1.54 degrees Celsius hotter than average.

The NOAA spokesperson said this new record was     5     (worry). He said, “In this case, first place is the worst place to be.” The announcement from NOAA comes a week after a 4,000-page report on climate change from the United Nations. It clearly     6     (state) that humans had affected the climate. It wrote, “It is clear     7     human influence has warned the atmosphere, ocean and land.”     8     total of 234 scientists from 66 countries worked on the report. It warns that extreme weather     9     (continue) to get worse. It says every region will experience multiple     10    （change) in weather, like sweltering heat and flooding.