Global warming threatens to hold back human progress, and make unachievable all UN targets to reduce poverty, according to some of the world’s leading international and development groups.
In a report published today, Oxfam, Greenpeace, Christian Aid, Friends of the Earth, WWF and 15 other groups say rich governments must immediately address climate change to avoid even “unbearable levels” of worldwide poverty.
“Food production, water supplies, public health and people’s living environment are already being damaged,” the report says. “The world must meet its promise to achieve poverty reduction and also deal with climate change.”
The report, which draws on UN predictions of the effects of climate change in poor countries over the next 50 years, says poor countries will experience more flooding, declining food production, more disease and the worsening or disappearing of entire ecosystems(生态系统)on which many of the world’s poorest people depend.
“Climate change needs to be addressed now. The poor will bear the burden of it. The frontline experience of many of us working in international development indicates that munities are having to fight against more extreme weather conditions.”
Climate change will play havoc(浩劫)with agriculture and water supplies and will increase diseases. “By 2025 the proportion of the world’s population living in countries of great water stress will almost double, to 6 billion people. Tropical and sub-tropical areas will be hardest hit — those countries already suffering from food shortage”.
Poor countries mostly do not need high-tech solutions, but would most benefit from education, research and being shown how to farm better. The report says unchecked global warming, more than wars or political confusion, will displace millions of people and destabilize (不安定) many countries.
9. should play a leading role in resisting the more extreme weather conditions according to the report.
A. International groups B. Poor countries
C. Rich countries D. Tropical and sub-tropical countries
10. Which of the following is not the effect of global warming according to the report?
A. More natural disasters and starvation. B. Increasing the world’s population.
C. Making millions of people move to other places.
D. Shaking the foundation of a country.
11. Which of the following is not true according to the text?
A. Poverty and climate change are closely linked.
B. More and more people will suffer from the water stress and food shortage.
C. What the poor countries need badly is high technology.
D. International munities have to take steps to resist the bad climate.
12. What is the best title of the passage?
A. International Development Brings in Climate Change
B. Global Warming Is a Bigger Threat to Poor
C. International Groups Work Together to Reduce Poverty
D. Worldwide Poverty Shall Be Avoided9-12 CBCB
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(答案→)9-12 CBCB
解析：9. C 细节题。根据第二段中的“rich governments must immediately address climate change to avoid even unbearable levels of worldwide poverty”一句的意义可知：财力富足的政府必须立即致力于改变日益恶化的气候条件，以免全球范围内的贫穷上升到无法忍受的程度。由此可判断富裕国家应该起主导作用。
10. B 归纳题。文章第四段提到：气候变化将导致愈演愈烈的洪灾，不断衰减的粮食生产，疾病的威胁以及整个生态系统的退化甚至消失。文章最后一句又说：尚未得到抑制的全球变暖比战争和政变更可怕，它将迫使数百万人口迁移，动摇很多国家的安定局面。而B项在短文中没有提及。
11. C 判断题。短文最后一段表述的意义是：对贫穷的社会来说，它们几乎不需要高科技的解决方案，但是教育、科研以及教授更好地耕作方式将使它们受益最多。此据判断可知。
12. B 主旨题。短文第一段第一句就表述了全文的中心，其意义是：据全球主要的国际发展组织推测，全球变暖不但威胁着人类发展的进程，有可能使之倒退，而且联合国所有减少贫穷的目标和计划都将无法实现。由此可简述为：全球气候变暖加剧贫穷。