Climate action can limit Asia

張明波

海詞積累

1. simulation n. 模擬

2. extent n. 程度;范圍

3. severe adj. 十分嚴重的

4. driver n. 驅(qū)動因素

5. notable adj. 著名的;顯著的

6. variation n. 變種;變更;變化

7. adverse adj. 不利的;有害的

預(yù)讀思考

What are the functions of the prefixes un-，in-， and the suffixes -th， -ive？

A new study led by MIT researchers takes a creative approach to modeling the effects of both climate change and economic growth on Asia.

To examine the risk of water shortages on the continent， the researchers conducted detailed simulations of many reasonable economic and climate pathways for Asia in the future， evaluating the relative effects of both pathways on water supply and demand. By studying cases in which economic change or growth continues but the climate remains unchanged—and in this way—the scholars could better identify the extent to which these factors cause water shortages.

The MIT-based team found that with no limitations in economic growth and climate change， an additional 200 million people across Asia would face severe water shortages by 2050. However， fighting climate change along the lines of the 2015 Paris Agreement would reduce by around 60 million the number of people facing severe water problems.

But even with worldwide efforts to limit climate change， there is a 50 percent chance that around 100 million people in southern and eastern Asia will experience a 50 percent increase in “water stress”.

“We do find that the lessening strategy can reduce the serious risk of water stress in Asia，” say Adam Schlosser and Xiang Gao. “But it doesn't solve it all.”

The research team also uses models that track urban and industrial activities and their specific water-demand consequences across many smaller areas in Asia. Irrigation tends to be a major driver of water consumption， leading to limited access to water for other uses.

Overall， the researchers conclude， through the mid-21st century， economic growth contributes to an increase in water stress across the whole region， but climate change can have both positive and negative effects on water stress. The study turns up a notable amount of regional variation in the effects of climate change within Asia. Climate change by itself is likely to have a more adverse impact on water access in China than in India， for instance， where a warming climate could produce more rain.

Language Study

1. What is “the lessening strategy” in paragraph 5？

A.The study by MIT researchers.

B.The 2015 Paris Agreement.

C.The lines of limitations on water.

D.The cases of fighting climate change.

2. What can be concluded from the study led by MIT researchers？

A.Economic growth has a greater effect than climate change.

B.Economic growth has a positive influence on water stress.

C.Climate change results in an increase in water stress alone.

D.Climate change influences China and India differently.

文本探究

探究視角1：語篇分析

隨著全球人口的迅速增加和人均收入水平的提高，全球淡水資源緊缺的局面正在逐漸顯現(xiàn)。2050 年全球淡水需求量將增加兩倍，如果不采取節(jié)水措施，淡水供應(yīng)將有極大壓力。氣候委員會的一份氣候報告稱，經(jīng)濟發(fā)展導(dǎo)致全球變暖，加劇了亞洲在水資源、洪水災(zāi)害、食品安全、醫(yī)療健康、產(chǎn)業(yè)發(fā)展及生態(tài)系統(tǒng)等多方面危機。亞洲面臨的水危機正不斷加劇。20世紀初，國際上就有19 世紀爭煤、20世紀爭石油、21世紀爭水的說法。 第47屆聯(lián)合國大會更是將每年的3月22日定為“世界水日”，號召世界各國對全球普遍存在的淡水資源緊缺問題引起高度警覺。預(yù)計到2025年，全世界將有近1/3（23億）的人口缺水，40多個國家和地區(qū)受影響。

本文的篇章結(jié)構(gòu)如下：

探究視角2：語言學(xué)習

I. 文本填空

1. By studying cases ______________which economic change or growth continues but the climate remains unchanged—and in this way—the scholars could better identify the extent______________which these factors cause water shortages.

2. However， ______________ （fight） climate change along the lines of the 2015 Paris Agreement would reduce by around 60 million the number of people ______________（face） severe water problems.

3. Irrigation tends to be a major driver of water consumption， ______________（lead） to limited access to water for other uses.

4. Overall， the researchers conclude， through the mid-21st century， economic growth______________（contribute） to an increase in water stress across the whole region.

5. The study ______________（發(fā)現(xiàn)） a notable amount of regional variation in the effects of climate change within Asia.

熟詞構(gòu)新

寫作推薦

We do find that the lessening strategy can reduce the serious risk of water stress in Asia. 我們的確發(fā)現(xiàn)，緩解策略能降低亞洲水壓力的嚴重風險。

主句中的do表示強調(diào)。在英語句子中，我們經(jīng)常用do， does， did來對謂語動詞進行強調(diào)。用于表示強調(diào)的do可以有時態(tài)的變化，但其后的動詞要用原形。

【仿寫】他的確來過，但很快就回去了。

________________________________________

探究視角3：文化拓展

每年的3月22日是世界水日（WorId? ? Water? ? Day）。1993年1月18日，第四十七屆聯(lián)合國大會做出決議，根據(jù)聯(lián)合國環(huán)境與發(fā)展會議通過的《21世紀議程》第十八章所提出的建議，確定每年的3月22日為“世界水日”。其旨在推動對水資源進行綜合性統(tǒng)籌規(guī)劃和管理，加強水資源保護，解決日益嚴峻的淡水短缺問題，開展廣泛的宣傳以提高公眾對開發(fā)和保護水資源的認識。

在中國，每年的3月22日至28日為“中國水周”（1994年以前為7月1日至7日）。1991年起，我國還將每年5月的第二周作為城市節(jié)約用水宣傳周?！爸袊堋钡脑O(shè)立是為了進一步提高全社會關(guān)心水、愛惜水、保護水和水憂患的意識，促進水資源的開發(fā)、利用、保護和管理。