Greenhouse Surge

A new report says atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) has soared 35 per cent faster than expected over the past seven years, meaning that climate models are underestimating how much hotter the world will become this century.

The findings from the Global Carbon Project, the University of East Anglia and the British Antarctic Survey attribute the inefficient use of fossil fuels and a drop in the ocean’s ability to absorb the greenhouse gas as the cause of the surge. The report in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences says that rapid expansion of the Chinese and Indian economies, and the construction of coal-fired power plants, are partially responsible for the increased rate that CO₂ has spewed into the atmosphere. The researchers said one of their most disturbing findings points to increased winds in the Southern Ocean around Antarctica bringing up carbon-saturated waters to the surface, preventing the vast body of water from absorbing any more carbon.

www.earthweek.com, 2007 (900)

10. Translate the following expressions:

Global Carbon Project, British Antarctic Survey, National Academy of Sciences, the Southern Ocean, the University of East Anglia, Chinese, Antarctica.

11. Find Russian equivalents to the following word combinations:

greenhouse,carbon dioxide, climate models are underestimating, findings, fossil fuels, rapid expansion of the Chinese and Indian economies, the ocean’s ability to absorb the greenhouse gas, coal-fired power plants, researchers, increased winds, surface.

12. Find English equivalents to the following word combinations:

за последние семь лет; стремительно повысился на 35%; строительство теплоэнергостанций; возросший уровень углекислого газа; частично ответственны; воды, насыщенные СО₂; огромная масса воды.

13. Make as many as possible word combinations with the following words from the two columns:

greenhouse economy

Chinese body

vast gas

carbon Academy

national dioxide

power ocean

fossil plant

southern fuel

ocean rate

increased researcher

14. Answer the questions:

1. What does the new report say? 2. What countries are partially responsible for the increased rate of carbon dioxide? 3. Which is one of the most disturbing findings of the researchers?

15. Give the main idea of text 5.