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Read the following passage. Then try to make notes of the key facts.
Global warming is the theory that temperatures on the Earth's surface are increasing. Scientists who study the weather over time, called climatologists, have three reasons to believe that global warming is occurring.
First, scientists recently learned that there is more carbon dioxide in our atmosphere than ever before. By studying very old pieces of ice, they determined that the levels remained the same for nearly 10,000 years. However, the levels have since increased by thirty-one percent, and experts predict that they will continue to rise. The high amounts of carbon dioxide is significant because the gas keeps the Earth's heat from escaping. Therefore, the more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, the hotter the temperatures.
Second, the Earth's ice caps, the massive sheets of ice found at the North and South Poles, are quickly melting as the Earth gets hotter. According to scientists, over the past century, the ice caps have started to melt at unbelievably rapid rates. For example, between 1997 and 2002, about nineteen cubic miles of ice melted each year in Greenland's icecap. More recently, however, the figure has jumped to fifty-seven cubic miles per year.
Finally, records show that global temperatures have steadily increased over the past hundred years. The temperatures are measured and recorded by two separate facilities, the Hadley Center and NASA. Both use data collected with state-of-the-art equipment to calculate the average global temperature of the planet. Time after time, the results stay the same: temperatures on Earth are, in fact, increasing.
atmosphere – the mixture of gases around the Earth
determine – to find out the truth about something
significant – important or noticeable
rapid – fast or sudden
figure – an amount expressed in numbers
facility – a building where a particular activity takes place
calculate – to solve by using math
average – formulated by adding two or more amounts together then dividing the total by the number of amounts
Reading:
Now look at the note diagram and fill in the missing information from your notes.
Improve your notes if necessary. Try to summarize the text using your notes.
Reading:
Below is important information from the reading passage above. After each sentence there are two possible paraphrases of it. Choose the best paraphrase for each sentence. Explain the reasons for your choice.
Reading:
Predict how the listening passage may contrast with the reading.
telltale – clearly showing something secret or hidden
compelling – attracting strong interest
dramatically – suddenly and noticeably
factors – something that influences the result of something else
recede – to become less; to withdraw
inaccurate – not completely correct or exact
misleading – confusing or deceptive
publish – to make information available to the pubic
Now listen to a lecture related to the topic in A. Make notes while listening.
Listening
Fill in the blanks of the note diagram below with keywords or key phrases used in the lecture.
Summarize the contents of the lecture expanding the diagram above and using your notes.
M: Global warming is an important topic today. For years, scientists have investigated, keeping an eye out for telltale signs that global warming is happening. The things is, as compelling as some of the arguments may sound, they're false. Global warming is not taking place on Earth. Let's begin by talking about carbon dioxide levels. Many people mistakenly believe that a high level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere automatically means that global warming is, in fact, going on. However, let's consider something for a second: carbon dioxide is a naturally occurring gas, which means it exists even without humans adding more. Moreover, it's not as if the levels have increased as dramatically as some sources would have us think. The fact is that over the past thirty years, carbon dioxide levels have increased by only two percent. That including the extra pollution that humans throw into the mix. Next, the melting of ice caps doesn't necessarily prove that temperatures are getting hotter around the world. Scientists agree that ice caps are influenced by a variety of factors. A combination of these factors could easily account for the receding ice caps. For example, recent research suggests that at least some of the ice cap melting is caused by volcanoes. When volcanoes located under the sheets of ice erupt, they destroy the ice it comes into contact with. And that's just one of the many different factors that affect ice caps.
Finally, what about these facilities that have records of temperature increases? Turns out that even with the most advanced technology, their figures are still inaccurate. A number of scientific agencies have spoken up about the inaccuracies, pointing out that it's misleading to suggest that they have actual proof of global warming. The problem is that the Hadley Center and NASA take samples from some places and not others. As a result, the averages published by those facilities might be off the mark by at least two degrees.
Listening:
Choose the sentences that best combine the main idea and key points from the reading passage and the lecture. Explain the reasons for your choice.
Below are four incomplete paraphrases of key information from the reading passage and the lecture. Choose the most suitable words or phrases from the options suggested. These words and phrases are synonyms or are similar in meaning to the actual words used in the reading passage and lecture.
Read the following sentences taken from the reading and the lecture. Create new sentences by combining the ideas in each pair of sentences.
- 1. Experts say that carbon dioxide levels have increased by thirty-one percent in recent years, but the lecturer points out that over the past quarter century, the levels have only increased by two percent.
- 2. The Hadley Center and NASA record average temperatures, but their figures are inaccurate despite their use of the most advanced technology.
