英语听力精选进阶版 6425（在线收听）

Can you imagine a world where more than half of our common plant species and a third of our known animals disappear from sight? That's the scenario suggested by new research on the impact of climate change.

An international team of researchers looked at the impact of rising temperatures on nearly 50,000 species of plants and animals. They came to the conclusion that these are to decline due to changes in their habitat.

They looked at temperature and rainfall records for the habitats in which these species now live, and mapped the areas that would remain suitable for them under different weather conditions.

The scientists projected that if no significant efforts were made to limit greenhouse gas emissions, by the year 2100 global temperatures would be 4C above pre-industrial levels. In this scenario, some 34% of animal species and 57% of plants would lose more than half of their current habitat ranges.

The impact on species will be felt more heavily in some parts of the world such as sub-Saharan Africa, Central America, the Amazon region and Australia.

Our society would be affected too, according to Dr Rachel Warren, from the University of East Anglia in Britain. She says: "There'll be a knock-on effect for humans because these species are important for things like water and air purification, flood control and nutrient cycling, and eco-tourism."

In spite of the conclusions to this paper, published in the journal Nature Climate Change, it is not all doom and gloom. Dr Warren says: "Swift action to reduce CO2 and other greenhouse gases can prevent the biodiversity loss by reducing the amount of global warming to 2C rather than 4 degrees."

The researcher believes that this would buy time for plants and animals to adapt to the change.

If nothing is changed and the predictions of this study are confirmed, the world might look very different in a few generations.

Quiz 测验

1. Why are animals and plant species under threat?

Because of the changes global warming might cause to their habitats.

2. According to this new research, how much warmer might it get by the end of the century?

In 2100 temperatures could be 4C above pre-industrial levels.

3. What difference would a lower rise in temperature make to animal and plant species?

It would give them more time to adapt.

4. Which word means 'appropriate'?

Suitable.

5. Which expression means 'a situation that is bad and won't get better'?

Doom and gloom.

Glossary 词汇表

scenario 设想，可能发生的局面

to come to a conclusion 得出一个结论

rainfall records 降雨量纪录

to map 标划出

suitable 适宜的

weather conditions 天气状况

greenhouse gas emissions 温室气体排放

pre-industrial 工业化前的

knock-on effect 连锁反应

air purification 空气净化

nutrient cycling 营养物循环

eco-tourism 生态旅游

paper (scientific study) 科研文献

doom and gloom 悲观沮丧的

greenhouse gas 温室气体

biodiversity 生物多样性

global warming 全球变暖

to buy time 赢得时间

to adapt 去适应