Global Warming

Global warming is an increase in the earth's temperature due to the use of fossil fuels and other industrial processes leading to a build-up of "greenhouse gases" (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide) in the at­mosphere. It has been known since 1896 that carbon dioxide helps stop the sun's infrared radiation from escaping into space and thus functions to maintain the Earth's relatively warm temperature (this is called the green­house effect). The question is whether the increasing levels of carbon di­oxide in the atmosphere will lead to elevated global temperatures, which could result major climatic changes, and have serious problems for agri­cultural productivity.

Since 1850 there has been a mean rise in global temperature of approximately 1˚ C (1.8˚ F), but this rise could just be part of a natural fluctuation. Such fluctuations have been recorded for tens of thousands of years.

The potencial concequences of global warming are so great that many of the world’s top scientists have insisted on immediate action and have called for international cooperation on the problem.

Слова к тексту:

built-up (n) – накопление, увеличение

consequence (n) – (по)следствие

due to (prep) – благодаря, вследствие, в результате

elevated (p.II) – повышенный

fluctuation (n) – колебание

insist on (v) – настаивать на

mean (adj) – средний

Ответьте на вопросы:

1. What gases are called “greenhouse gases”?

2. What is a “greenhouse effect”?

3. What can be the potential consequences of global warning?

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