Question

The latest IPCC report does not mince words(直言不讳地) about the state of our planet: we must act now to achieve global change at a scale that has “no documented historical precedent(先例)” in order to avoid the climate disaster that would result from a 2 degree C rise in average global temperature. Climate change already affects the world's most helpless people including poor rural communities that depend on the land for their livings and coastal communities. Indeed, we have already seen the clear asymmetry(不对称) of suffering resulting from extreme weather events, such as hurricanes, floods, droughts, wildfires and more.

So far, advocates and politicians have tended to focus on reducing fossil fuel(矿物燃料) consumption through technology and/or policy, such as a sharp carbon tax, as climate solutions. These proposals are, of course, essential to reducing manmade carbon emissions(排放)-71 percent of which are produced by just 100 fossil fuel companies.

Yet the international focus on fossil fuels has overshadowed(使......显得不重要) the most powerful and cost-efficient carbon-capture technology the world has yet seen: forests. Recent scientific research confirms that forests and other “natural climate solutions” are absolutely essential in reducing climate change. In fact, natural climate solutions can help us achieve 37 percent of our climate target, even though they currently receive only 2.5 percent of public climate financing.

Forests' power to store carbon dioxide through the simple process of tree growth is staggering:_one tree can even store an average of about 48 pounds of carbon dioxide in one year. Recent research show undamaged forests are capable of storing the same amount of the carbon dioxide emissions of entire countries such as Peru and Colombia.

For this reason, policy makers and business leaders must create and strengthen ambitious policies to prevent deforestation, and support the sustainable management of standing forests in the fight against climate change. Protecting the world's forests ensures they can continue to provide essential functions aside from climate stability, including producing oxygen, filtering water and supporting biodiversity. Not only do all the world's people depend on forests to provide clean air, clean water，oxygen, and medicines, but 1.6 billion people rely on them directly for their livelihoods.

1.According to the passage, climate change ________.

A. will surely achieve at a scale that is more serious than ever before

B. will only affect people living in the poorest rural regions

C. is likely to lead to more frequent extreme weather events

D. is entirely determined by fossil fuel consumption

2.What's the finding of the new research?

A. Reducing fossil fuels is the most powerful and cost-efficient technology.

B. Forests are vital to reducing climate change due to their storage power.

C. Most of our climate targets can be accomplished with the help of natural climate solutions.

D. Natural climate solutions have proved less efficient than conventional solutions.

3.The underlined word “staggering” in Paragraph 4 means ________.

A. astonishing    B. speeding    C. embarrassing    D. shrinking

4.What's the author's purpose of writing this article?

A. To compare two different approaches to dealing with climate change.

B. To argue against the view that focus on fossil fuels reduction counts.

C. To urge scientists to do more research into natural climate solutions.

D. To point out forests are the most powerful weapon for fighting climate change.

Answer

1. C

2. B

3. A

4. D

【解析】

这是一篇说明文。文章指出森林在应对气候变化中的积极作用，提出要防止砍伐森林，保护森林。

1.细节理解题。第一段最后两句“Climate change already affects the world's most helpless people including poor rural communities that depend on the land for their livings and coastal communities. Indeed, we have already seen the clear asymmetry(不对称) of suffering resulting from extreme weather events, such as hurricanes, floods, droughts, wildfires and more.”可知气候变化会导致更多的极端天气如飓风、洪水、干旱、野火和更多。故选C。

2.细节理解题。第三段第二句“Recent scientific research confirms that forests and other “natural climate solutions” are absolutely essential in reducing climate change.”可知最近的科学研究证实，森林和其他“自然气候解决方案”在减少气候变化方面是绝对必要的。与第四段第一句“Forests' power to store carbon dioxide”（森林储存二氧化碳的能力）故选B。

3.词义猜测题。第四段第一句中“Forests' power to store carbon dioxide through the simple process of tree growth is staggering: one tree can even store an average of about 48 pounds of carbon dioxide in one year.”可知森林通过简单的树木生长过程来储存二氧化碳的能力是惊人的:一棵树在一年内平均可以储存48磅的二氧化碳。故staggering的意思是“惊人的；令人震惊的”，故选A。

4.主旨大意题。第五段第一句“For this reason, policy makers and business leaders must create and strengthen ambitious policies to prevent deforestation, and support the sustainable management of standing forests in the fight against climate change.”为此，政策制定者和商界领袖必须制定和加强雄心勃勃的政策，以防止森林砍伐，并支持可持续管理常林，以应对气候变化。可知作者认为森林是应对气候变化最有利的武器。故选D。