四级真题2020年12月第三套 Passage Two
四级真题2020年12月第三套 Passage Two


①　The terms “global warming” and “climate change” are used by many, seemingly interchangeably. But do they really mean the same thing?

②　Scientists shaped the history of the terms while attempting to accurately describe how humans continue to alter the planet. Later, political strategists adopted the terms to influence public opinion.
③　In 1975，geochemist Wallace Broecker introduced the term “climate change” in an article published by Science. In 1979, a National Academy of Sciences report used the term “global warming” to define increases in the Earth’s average surface temperature, while “climate change” more broadly referred to the numerous effects of this increase，such as sea-level rise and ocean acidification(酸化).
④　During the following decades,some industrialists and politicians launched a campaign to sow doubt in the minds of the American public about the ability of fossil-fuel use, deforestation and other human activities to influence the planet’s climate.
⑤　Word use played a critical role in developing that doubt. For example,the language and polls expert Frank Luntz wrote a memo encouraging the use of “climate change” because the phrase sounded less scary than “global warming,” reported the Guardian.
⑥　However, Luntz’s recommendation wasn’t necessary.A Google Ngram Viewer chart shows that by 1993 climate change was already more commonly used in books than global warming. By the end of the next decade both words were used more frequently, and climate change was used nearly twice as often as global warming.
⑦　NASA used the term “climate change” because it more accurately reflects the wide range of changes to the planet caused by increasing amounts of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
⑧　The debate isn’t new. A century ago, chemist Svante Arrhenius started one of the first debates over the potential for humans to influence the planet’s climate. Arrhenius calculated the capability of carbon dioxide to trap heat in the Earth’s atmosphere, but other chemists disagreed. Some argued that humans werent producing enough greenhouse gases,while others claimed the effects would be tiny. Now, of course, we know that whatever you call it, human behavior is warming the planet, with grave consequences ahead.

1.1. Why did politicians use the two terms “global warming” and “climate change”?

A To sway public opinion of the impact of human activities on Earth.

B To more accurately describe the consequences of human activities.

C To win more popular votes in their campaign activities.

D To assure the public of the safety of existing industries.

解析：选A。A 推理判断题。根据题干关键词 politicians,two terms 和“global warming”and“climate change”定位至文章的第一、二和四段。首段中引人这两个术语;第二段末句提到,政治策略家们采用这些术语来影响公众舆论;第四段中进一步提到,一些工业家和政治家发起了一场运动,使美国公众的心里对化石燃料的使用、滥伐森林以及其他人类活动影响地球气候的能力产生怀疑。可知,政治家们使用全球变暖和气候变化这两个术语是“为了动摇公众对于人类活动影响地球的看法”,故答案选A项。

2.2.As used in a National Academy of Sciences report, the term “climate change” differs from “global warming” in that .

A it sounds less vague

B it looks more scientific

C it covers more phenomena

D it is much closer to reality

解析：选C。C 细节理解题。根据题干关键词 National Academy of Sciences 定位至第三段第二句。该句提到,一份美国国家科学院的报告使用了“全球变暖”这一术语来定义地球表面平均温度的升高,而“气候变化”更广泛地指代这种升高所导致的众多影响,比如海平面上升和海洋酸化。可知,这两个术语的区别在于“全球变暖”表述了现象,而“气候变化”则表述了该现象所带来的后果,因此“气候变化”涵盖了更多的现象,故答案选C项。

3.3. What did industrialists of the late 20th century resort to in order to mislead Americans?

A Made-up survey results.

B False research findings.

C Hired climate experts.

D Deliberate choice of words.

解析：选D。D 细节理解题。根据题干关键词 industrialists of the late 20th century和 mislead Americans 定位至第四五段。第四段中指出,一些工业家和政治家发起了一场运动,使美国公众的心里对化石燃料的使用、滥伐森林以及其他人类活动影响地球气候的能力产生怀疑。第五段首句又提到,措辞的使用在推动这种质疑的过程中起到了关键的作用;随后举例说明,“气候变化”这一说法听起来没有“全球变暖”那么可怕。可知,工业家们在遣词上作文章，从而误导民众的判断,故答案选D项。

4.4. Why did NASA choose the term “climate change”?

A To obtain more funds.

B For greater precision.

C For political needs.

D To avoid debate.

解析：选B。B 细节理解题。根据题干关键词NASA定位至第七段。该段提到,美国国家航空航天局使用“气候变化”这一术语,是因为它更准确地反映了由于大气中温室气体的不断增加而给地球带来的广泛变化。可知,选择“气候变化”这一术语的原因是“在涉及温室效应所引起的不良后果时,这一术语的表述更为准确”,故答案选B项。

5.5. What is the author’s final conclusion?

A Global warming is the more accurate term.

B Accuracy of terminology matters in science.

C Human activities have serious effects on Earth.

D Politics interferes with serious scientific debate.

解析：选C。C 推理判断题。根据题干关键词 the author’s final conclusion定位至文章末段。在该段中,作者概括性地介绍了对于术语的争论有史以来就存在。其中,末句提到,现在我们知道,不管你怎么称呼它,人类的行为正在使地球变暖,并面临着严重的后果。可知,作者认为无论采用哪个术语,人类的活动都正在给地球带来不好的后果,故答案选C项。