English Comprehension Global warming

Global Warming

Global warming is when the earth heats up (the temperature rises). It happens when greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, water vapor, nitrous oxide, and methane) trap heat and light from the sun in the earth’s atmosphere, which increases the temperature. This hurts many people, animals, and plants. Many cannot take the change, so they die.

Since the early 20^th century, Earth's average surface temperature has increased by about 0.8 °C (1.4 °F), with about two thirds of the increase occurring since 1980. Warming of the climate system is unequivocal, and scientists are more than 90% certain that most of it is caused by increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases produced by human activities such as deforestation and the burning of fossil fuels. These findings are recognized by the national science academies of all major industrialized nations.

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It is indicated that during the 21^st century the global surface temperature is likely to rise a further 1.1 to 2.9 °C (2 to 5.2 °F) for their lowest emissions scenario and 2.4 to 6.4 °C (4.3 to 11.5 °F) for their highest.

An increase in global temperature will cause sea levels to rise and will change the amount and pattern of precipitation, and a probable expansion of subtropical deserts. Warming is expected to be strongest in the Arctic and would be associated with continuing retreat of glaciers, permafrost and sea ice. Other likely effects of the warming include more frequent occurrence of extreme-weather events including heat waves, droughts and heavy rainfall, species extinctions due to shifting temperature regimes, and changes in crop yields. Warming and related changes will vary from region to region around the globe, with projections being more robust in some areas than others. If global mean temperature increases to 4 °C (7.2 °F) above preindustrial levels, the limits for human adaptation are likely to be exceeded in many parts of the world, while the limits for adaptation for natural systems would largely be exceeded throughout the world.

Multiple-Choice Question:

1. The sea levels will rise due to

(A) increase in temperature of the earth.

(B) increase in the amount of rain on earth.

(C) frequent weather storms.

(D) deforestation.

2. Carbon di oxide, methane ,water vapour are some of the

(A) global gases                               (B) greenhouse gases

(C) fossil fuel gases                          (D) noble gases

3. Since the 20^th century, the global surface temperature increased by

(A) 0.4^o C             (B) 2.9^o C              (C) 0.8^o C              (D) 1.1^o C

Multiple Choice Questions (with more than one option):

4. The synonym of ‘trap’ is

(A) Catch             (B) lock in            (C) Release (D) Escape

5. The antonym of ‘expansion’ is

(A) Contraction                                (B) Precipitation

(C) Condensation                             (D) Reduction

6. Effects of warming include

(A) burning of fossil fuels                (B) heat waves

(C) heavy rainfall                             (D) Droughts

Fill in the blanks:

7. The limits of adaptation are likely to increase if the global mean temperature increases to ______ ^oc.
8. The rising temperature of the earth is called ______.
9. An increase in global temperature will cause sea levels to rise and will change the amount and pattern of _____.
10. Global warming is caused by increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases produced by human activities such as deforestation and the ____.
11. Warming of the climate system is _____.

Answer key

(1)–(A); (2)–(B); (3)–(C); (4)–(A,B); (5)–(A,D); (6)–(B,C,D); (7)–4; (8)–global warming; (9)–precipitation; (10)–burning of fossil fuels; (11)–unequivocal