【英语阅读】外刊精读 | 温室效应

导读：

由于温室效应，地球正在升温。当化石燃料燃烧时，释放出的二氧化碳进入大气层，像毯子一样将地球裹起来，这意味着热辐射无法发散，使地球表面温度升高。这个现象是地球上出现越来越多极端天气事件的原因之一。为减缓这种状况的加剧，人们可以在家里使用更节能的电器、尝试以蔬菜为主的饮食结构。本期外刊精读介绍什么是温室效应。

一、语篇泛读

词汇：climate change 气候变化

Our planet isheating updue to something called thegreenhouse effect. This is one of the reasons why Earth is seeing moreextreme weatherevents, such asheatwaves, forest fires and floods each year. But what exactly is the greenhouse effect, and what can we do to reduce it?

Let's first think about agreenhouse– you may have one in your garden! It's a glass structure that protects plants against lowtemperaturesbytrappingheat inside. But, while this helps your plants grow, Earth is trapping heat in the same way, and it's causingglobal warming. Whenfossil fuels, such as coal, oil and gas, are burnt for power,carbon dioxideis released as awaste product. It enters theatmosphereand acts like a blanket around the planet, which means heatradiationcan't escape and the temperature increases.

The impact ofgaseson the Earth'sclimatewas first investigated in the 1820s. Eunice Foote, a scientist and women's rights activist, tested the effects ofsunlighton different gases that she put into glass cylinders. Her results showed that carbon dioxide traps heat more than other gases. The idea of the greenhouse effect was born.

So, what can we do to reduce the greenhouse effect? The UN recommends using moreenergy-efficientelectrical appliances at home and switching toLED lightbulbs. Also, by washing your clothes at 30° instead of a higher temperature, around 40% less electricity is used over a year, according to the Energy Saving Trust. A change in diet is also something to consider. The charity A Well-Fed World, claim thatplant-basedfoods, as opposed to meat and dairy, need less land and water to be produced. So, switching saves energy and lowersemissions, which contribute to climate change.

We only have one planet, so let's try and take care of it as much as we can.

二、词汇表

三、测试与练习

1.阅读课文并回答问题。

1. What is a greenhouse?

2. What does carbon dioxide do when it enters the atmosphere?

3. Who first investigated the impact of gases on the climate?

4. True or False?Washing your clothes at 40° saves around 30% less electricity over a year.

5. How can eating plant-based foods help the environment?

2.选择意思恰当的单词或词组来完成下列句子。

1. Don't make the coffee yet. We need to wait for the water to _______.

heat up                  trap                           

burn                      investigate

2. We're planning to move to a country with a warmer _______ next year.   

sunlight              radiation                     

emission             climate

3. According to the weather forecast, there's going to be another _______ next week!

temperature          heatwave                   

atmosphere          fossil fuel

4. Do you have a _______ in your garden?

greenhouse effect       

global warming         

gas                     

greenhouse

5. I'm not sure whether to have the meat or _______ burger.

glass                     plant-based               

LED                      energy-efficient

【参考答案】

1.阅读课文并回答问题。

1. What is a greenhouse?

It's a glass structure that protects plants against low temperatures by trapping heat inside.

2. What does carbon dioxide do when it enters the atmosphere?

It acts like a blanket around the planet, which means heat radiation can't escape and the temperature increases.

3. Who first investigated the impact of gases on the climate?

Eunice Foote, a scientist and women's rights activist.

4. True or False?Washing your clothes at 40° uses around 30% less electricityover a year.

False. By washing your clothes at 30° instead of a higher temperature, around 40% less electricity is used over a year.

5. How can eating plant-based foods help the environment?

Plant-based foods, as opposed to meat and dairy, need less land and water to be produced. So, switching saves energy and lowers emissions.

2.选择意思恰当的单词或词组来完成下列句子。

1. Don't make the coffee yet. We need to wait for the water toheat up.

2. We're planning to move to a country with a warmerclimatenext year. 

3. According to the weather forecast, there's going to be anotherheatwavenext week!

4. Do you have agreenhousein your garden?

5. I'm not sure whether to eat the meat orplant-basedburger.