Passage Two
Questions 51 to 55 are based on the following passage.
The terms “global warming” and “climate change” are used by many, seemingly interchangeably. But do they really mean the same thing?
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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 weren't 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.
许多人在用“全球变暖”和“气候变化”这两个术语时似乎都是互换使用的。但是,它们真的指的是同一件事吗?
在试图准确描述人类如何持续地改变地球时,科学家们塑造了这两个术语的历史。 51 后来,政治战略家采用这两个术语来影响公众舆论 。
1975年,地球化学家华莱士·布勒克在《科学》杂志上发表的一篇文章中引入了“气候变化”这一术语。 52 1979年,美国国家科学院的一份报告使用了“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”则更广泛地描述了气温升高所带来的多种影响,例如海平面上升和海洋酸化 。
53 在之后的几十年中,一些工业家和政治家发起了一场运动,使得美国公众对化石燃料的使用、滥伐森林和其他人类活动对地球气候的影响能力心生疑虑 。
53 词汇的使用在促使人们产生这种疑虑方面起着至关重要的作用 。例如,据《卫报》报道,语言和民意调查专家弗兰克·伦茨撰写了一份备忘录,鼓励使用“气候变化”这一术语,因为这个词听起来不像“全球变暖”那样令人恐惧。
但是,伦茨的建议并没有什么必要。谷歌词频统计器中的一张图表显示,到1993年,在书本中“气候变化”已经比“全球变暖”更常用了。接下来的十年截止时,这两种说法的使用都更加频繁了,而“气候变化”的使用次数几乎是“全球变暖”的两倍。
54 美国宇航局之所以使用“气候变化”这一术语,是因为它更准确地反映了由大气中温室气体增多所引起的地球上的诸多变化 。
这场辩论并不是刚刚出现。一个世纪以前,化学家斯凡特·阿伦尼斯发起了有关人类影响地球气候的可能性的最早的辩论之一。阿伦尼斯计算了二氧化碳在地球大气层中聚集热量的能力,但是其他化学家却不认同这一说法。一些人认为人类没有产生足够多的温室气体,而另一些人则声称温室气体的影响非常小。 55 当然,现在我们知道,无论采用哪种说法,人类的行为正在使地球变暖,并且会有严重的后果等着我们 。
Why did politicians use the two terms “global warming” and “climate change”?
To sway public opinion of the impact of human activities on Earth.
To more accurately describe the consequences of human activities.
To win more popular votes in their campaign activities.
To assure the public of the safety of existing industries.
51.政治家为什么使用“全球变暖”和“气候变化”这两个术语?
A)为了左右公众对于人类活动对地球的影响的观念。
B)为了更准确地描述人类活动的结果。
C)为了在竞选活动中赢得更多的民众选票。
D)为了使公众相信现有工业的安全。
As used in a National Academy of Sciences report, the term “climate change” differs from “global warming” in that ______.
it sounds less vague
it looks more scientific
it covers more phenomena
it is much closer to reality
52.美国国家科学院的一份报告中使用的“气候变化”这一术语与“全球变暖”的区别在于______。
A)它听起来不那么含糊
B)它看起来更科学
C)它涵盖了更多的现象
D)它更贴近现实
What did industrialists of the late 20th century resort to in order to mislead Americans?
Made-up survey results.
Hired climate experts.
False research findings.
Deliberate choice of words.
53.20世纪末,工业家为了误导美国人诉诸了什么手段?
A)伪造的调查结果。
B)聘请的气候专家。
C)错误的研究发现。
D)故意选择的说法。
Why did NASA choose the term “climate change”?
To obtain more funds.
For greater precision.
For political needs.
To avoid debate.
54.美国宇航局为什么选择使用“气候变化”这一术语?
A)为了获得更多的资金。
B)为了更高的准确性。
C)出于政治需要。
D)为了避免争论。
What is the author's final conclusion?
Global warming is the more accurate term.
Accuracy of terminology matters in science.
Human activities have serious effects on Earth.
Politics interferes with serious scientific debate.
55.作者的最终结论是什么?
A)全球变暖是更准确的术语。
B)科学中术语的准确性很重要。
C)人类活动对地球产生严重影响。
D)政治妨碍严肃的科学辩论。
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