Terrible weather events are harming the planet, and experts warn of even greater results to come. The sea ice loss and the Arctic ice melting (融化) caused by climate change have increased much in the last ten years. So they have pushed down the number of polar bears and seals while polar bears depend on sea ice for hunting seals.
According to the data from the WMO, temperatures on the Antarctica (南极洲) just hit 18.3℃, which is higher than the record of 17.59℃ in March, 2015. Moreover, temperatures in this area have warmed about 3℃ over the last 50 years. Although such temperatures might be considered pleasant for a picnic or a hiking trip, this is the Antarctica we are talking about. It is home to the most inhospitable environment on the planet because it is supposed to be an extremely cold place. In fact, the average temperature of the continent’s central area is -57℃.
Besides, many places are experiencing the extreme weather this summer. Australia is undergoing its worst drought (干旱) since the 1930s, leaving bushfires burning so long and causing many deaths. Meanwhile in Europe, crops in the northwest are suffering the driest weather in the past 80 years. Recently West Texas in America has also gone through its worst drought in more than 70 years, while floods have hit Eastern and Southern China.
“Climate change is bad for us human beings, which causes direct health problems. I’m afraid there will be more common events like the one that 30,000 to 50,000 persons died in Europe in 2003 due to the heat wave there,” Professor Schwartz said. “It will also cause more air pollution, diseases and lack of clean water and so on.”
16. What doesn’t bring down the number of polar bears according to this passage?
A. Hunting. B. Climate change. C. The sea ice loss. D. The Arctic ice melting.
17. What can you get out of this passage?
A. The Antarctica is pleasant for a hiking trip.
B. Extreme weather led to wildfires burning in Europe.
C. Climate change will cause air pollution and diseases.
D. The temperatures on the Antarctica hit the highest in March, 2015.
18. What does the underlined word “inhospitable" in Paragraph 2 probably mean?
A. comfortable to live B. friendly to live C. unhealthy to live D. unfit to live
19. Which place didn’t experience drought this year?
A Europe. B. Australia. C. America. D. China.
20. What is the main idea for this passage?
A. The whole planet is drier and drier. B. The Antarctica is warmer and warmer.
C. Climate change is getting worse and worse. D. The number of polar bears is smaller and smaller.
这是一篇说明文。主要讲述了气候变化对世界各地以及人类造成的危害。
16.A【解析】细节理解题。根据“The sea ice loss and the Arctic ice melting (融化) caused by climate change have increased much in the last ten years. So they have pushed down the number of polar bears and seals while polar bears depend on sea ice for hunting seals.”可知，气候变化造成海上浮冰和北极冰川融化，而北极熊是靠海冰捕食海豹的，所以造成北极熊数量减少的原因不包括捕食，故选A。
17.C【解析】细节理解题。根据最后一段“It will also cause more air pollution, diseases and lack of clean water and so on.”可知，气候变化将导致更多的空气污染，疾病和水的缺乏等等，故选C。
18.D【解析】词义猜测题。comfortable to live舒适的生活；friendly to live友好的生活；unhealthy to live不健康的生活；unfit to live不适合生活。根据“ because it is supposed to be an extremely cold place”（因为它应该是一个非常寒冷的地方）可推断，inhospitable在这里的意思是：不适宜居住的，结合选项，故选D。
19.D【解析】细节理解题。根据第三段全段可知，澳大利亚、欧洲以及美国的西德克萨斯州都遭受了严重的干旱，而中国的东部和南部遭受了洪水，故选D。
20.C【解析】主旨大意题。本文主要讲的是气候变化对世界各地以及人类造成的危害，结合选项，故选C。