The Earth’s climate is changing

Most scientists and governments agree that the Earth’s climate is changing. It is getting hotter.
Some changes are natural. But people are changing the climate in many ways too.
Here are two examples.

1 We are changing the air

We are changing
What are greenhouse gases?the air.
We are adding
The Earth’s atmosphere carbon
includes dioxide
gases. Some gases help keep the Earth warm. They are called greenhouse
and other greenhouse gases to
the air. These gases change the
Earth’s climate.

sun
Greenhouse gases trap heat in the atmosphere. They are like the glass in a greenhouse. The Earth would be

atmosphere

Carbon dioxide goes into

the air when we burn oil,
gas and coal. We use these Earth
fuels for many things.

 Now there is too much

of these greenhouse gases
in the atmosphere. So the Earth
is warming too quickly.
 Many countries are
making plans to reduce
greenhouse gases.
 2 We are changing the land
We are changing the land.
These changes affect the Earth’s climate.
For example, we are cutting down trees and burning forests. How do trees affect clim
They remove carbon dioxide from the air.

Climate change now

How is climate change
affecting us now? Scientists
see changes in many places.
For example, air and ocean
temperatures are rising.
 Sea level will rise.
There is less ice Water will flood areas in some
in the Arctic. countries.
Millions of people may have to
leave their homes.

Glaciers are
melting.

Climate change in the future What to do

Scientists are predicting
many changes for the future.
Many changes will be bad.
For example:
 There may be more
storms, floods, droughts, forest
fires and insects in Canada.
There may be less water in
our lakes.
Climate change is a world
problem. It will affect our lives
for hundreds of years.
How can people help slow
climate change? They can use
less energy.
For example, they can
use their cars less often.
They can use compact
fluorescent light bulbs.
 Sources: Environment Canada, CanWest News Service, Climate Change Central, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
Climate photos: iStockphoto • Art—beetle: Nola Johnston; Earth: Corinna Ruhl

COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS:

A. Are these sentences true or false? Justify

1. All the changes happening to the climate are due to (caused by) the human actions only.
………………………………………………………………………………………………........................
..................................................................................................................................

2. Nobody cares about the increase of greenhouses gases.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………

3. It is likely that the water level will decrease in the future

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………

B. Answer these questions.

1. What is the main function/role of the gases existing in the Earth’s atmosphere?

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………

2. Is climate change happening just in one particular area/place in the world?

………………………………………………………………………………………....................................
........................................................................................................................................................................

C. Find in the text words or expressions meaning the same as the following.

1. “contains” (text 1): ………………………….…………………..…

2. “estimating/anticipating” (text 2): ………………………………………………………….……

D. What do the underlined words in the text refer to?

1. ‘we’: …………………..............................................

2. ‘they’: ……………………………………………………..

E. According to you, state three measures/ways that can help to reduce climate change:

1……………………………………………………………………….

2…………………………………………………………………………………………….
3………………………………………………………………………………