Question

Scientists have long understood the key role that oceans play in regulating the Earth’s climate. Oceans cover 70 percent of the globe and store a thousand times more heat than the atmosphere does. What’s newer is the understanding of how this key component of our climate system responds to global warming.

A brake on global warming — for now

One of oceans’most important climate functions is absorbing heat and carbon dioxide (CO2), one of the gases that cause global warming. Acting as a heat sponge (海綿), oceans have absorbed huge amounts of heat and CO2 in the last forty years.

Fujita explains that "oceans are saving us from faster climate change — they are a big flywheel that delays rapid overheating of the Earth, putting a brake on the climate system."

"That’s the good news," he adds. "The bad news is that oceans only slow the atmospheric warming. Once oceans come to balance with a greenhouse gas warmed earth, the extreme heat will remain in the atmosphere and things will get much hotter." But where and how oceans release this accumulated (積累的) heat is uncertain. And as oceans store heat, fragile underwater ecosystems are struggling.

The most recent scientific report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) also notes with concern that oceans are acidifying because of increased absorption of atmospheric CO2, and thus causing a threat for shell-forming species. Sharp increases in carbon dioxide levels will cause further acidification of oceans.

Currents distributing heat

Another important role oceans play is that of distributor. Oceans deliver heat and life-sustaining nutrients around the globe. Just as blood vessels bring oxygen and nutrients to cells in the human body, oceans’ currents carry oxygen, nutrients and heat throughout the Earth. Oceans distribute 25 percent to 50 percent of the energy the planet receives from the sun. For example, the Gulf Stream carries heat across the Atlantic. This warm current gives northwestern Europe a milder climate than it would normally have so far north. A change to oceans’ circulation (循環(huán)) patterns could throw Europe into a colder period, even as the rest of world experiences warmer temperatures.

1.We can infer from the passage that .

A.oceans cause global warming

B.oceans stop global warming

C.oceans release nutrients and heat

D.ocean ecosystems face more dangers

2.From the passage we can learn that oceans’ currents .

A.produce oxygen and nutrients everywhere

B.absorb 25% to 50% of the energy from the sun

C.distribute heat and nutrients around the globe

D.change oceans’ circulation patterns

3.Which of the following is NOT the result of oceans absorbing heat and carbon dioxide?

A.It causes further acidification.

B.It affects shell-forming species.

C.It makes the atmosphere hotter.

D.It regulates the Earth’s climate.

4.This passage mainly talks about .

A.the roles of oceans B.global warming

C.ocean currents D.carbon dioxide

Answer 1

1.D

2.C

3.C

4.A

【解析】

試題分析：本文主要講述了海洋對(duì)地球氣候的調(diào)節(jié)作用。

1.小題1】邏輯推理題。從全文特別是第四段的最后一句可知,海洋生態(tài)系統(tǒng)面臨著諸多威脅,所以選D項(xiàng)。

2.小題2】事實(shí)細(xì)節(jié)題。從最后一段的第二句和第三句可知,海洋的洋流會(huì)將營養(yǎng)物質(zhì)和熱量全球性地分布開來,故答案選C項(xiàng)。

3.小題3】正誤判斷題。從倒數(shù)第三段中的"oceans only slow the atmospheric warming"可知,海洋會(huì)減緩氣候變暖,而不是使大氣變得更熱,所以選C項(xiàng)。

4.小題4】主旨大意題。文章第一段的第一句就點(diǎn)明了文章主旨,同時(shí)結(jié)合全文可知,本文主要講述了海洋對(duì)地球氣候的調(diào)節(jié)作用,所以答案選A項(xiàng)。

考點(diǎn)：環(huán)保類文章