The High Temperatures in Antarctica(南极洲)

Vostok station is a Russian weather station in Antarctica. It’s famous     1     having the coldest temperature ever recorded on Earth:-89.2℃. But last Friday, Vostok set     2     new record, this time for its warmest March temperature ever: -18℃. That may not sound very warm, but it’s 15℃ warmer than average. Other areas in Antarctica were even     3     (hot). A nearby weather station was 37℃ higher than average. Some     4     (place) in Antarctica were expected to be as much as 50℃ warmer than normal.

A scientist,     5     studies weather in Antarctica, said the temperatures had     6     (complete) changed our expectations about the Antarctic climate system. At this time of year, Antarctica is losing 25 minutes of daylight every day, and should be getting colder instead of warmer.

An “atmospheric river” of warm, wet air hit Antarctica last Tuesday. This kind of weather pattern isn’t that unusual. But once it got to Antarctica, it was stopped from     7     (leave) by a hight pressure system, called a “pressure dome (穹顶)”. A similar pressure dome     8     (cause) an extreme heat wave in North America’s northwest last summer.

Scientists say that the melting (融化) from this one event isn’t likely to cause big changes. And it’s too early     9    (say) if climate change led to this event. But scientists say they are watching carefully to see whether this is a one-time event     10     part of a new pattern.

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 makes wildfires, hurricanes and heat waves more frequent     1     stronger than before. The bad effects are in the headlines     2     (regular). The warming climate also changes lives     3     subtler (不易察觉的) ways.

In Tampa, Fla. , Sara Brogan says summers are getting     4     (hot). Going to the beach to cool off is a decades-long tradition for her family. They     5     (go) to the beach once this summer. There was a red tide. These algae (水藻) blooms are increasing, likely because of human     6     (pollute) and warming temperatures. They produce toxins (毒素) that kill sea life. That is     7     Brogan is staying away from the beach. A lot of times it's—before you even get there, you can feel the smell of dead fish is very strong.

Wildfire smoke obviously is not good for people and the animal. Heather Duchow and her husband celebrated     8     (they) 20th anniversary in Montana's Glacier National Park. When they got there, it was very smoky. She felt disappointed: the smoke made it difficult     9     (see) the awe-inspiring views she remembered. For future anniversaries, they may go sooner in the summer,    10     (hope) to avoid the worst of fire season. It's strongly recommended that some measures should be taken to control the warming climate.