Record global heat in September sets alarming precedent

admin 2023年11月12日

Beginner

world news, world news - beginner

Pre-reading questions:

I will read each question. Then, please answer them.

講師がそれぞれの質問を読むので答えましょう。

Have you come across the term “global heat” before?
Do you think global heat can affect the weather in different countries?

Vocabulary:

I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me.

単語、意味、例文を読みます。講師に続いて音読しましょう。

climate /KLAHY-mit/

[noun] – the general weather conditions usually found in a particular place
The climate in the tropical rainforest is characterized by high humidity and frequent rainfall.

heat /heet /

[noun] – the quality of being hot or warm, or the temperature of something
The heat of the summer made everyone long for a refreshing swim in the pool.

average /AV-er-ij/

[noun] – a standard or level that is considered to be typical or usual
The average temperature in this region during winter is around 5 degrees Celsius.

flood /fluhd /

[noun] – a large amount of water covering an area that is usually dry
The heavy rain led to a flood in the low-lying areas of the city.

reduce /ri-DOOS/

[verb] – to become or to make something smaller in size, amount, degree, or importance
We should reduce our energy consumption to help protect the environment.

Article reading:

Please read the whole article. Then, I will check your pronunciation and intonation.

記事を音読しましょう。講師はあなたの発音とイントネーションを確認します。

In September 2023, something very important happened regarding the Earth’s temperature. It became the hottest month ever recorded. This happened for the fourth time in a row. It got 0.5 degrees Celsius hotter than it did in 2020, which was the last record. So, this year, 2023, might become the hottest year ever. Samantha Burgess, who works at Copernicus, is worried about this. She mentions that it’s quite uncommon for this season. This makes people concerned about our climate goals and more crazy weather.

The world saw extreme heat in September, matching a typical July. It was 0.93°C hotter than the 1991–2020 average and exceeded the Paris Climate Agreement’s 1.5°C limit by 1.75°C. This led to devastating floods, wildfires, and heatwaves in various places. Ocean temperatures hit records, and Antarctic sea ice reached lows. Climate scientist Zeke Hausfather called it “gobsmackingly bananas,” which means unusual. Even in October, parts of Europe remain hot, raising concerns about 2023 being the hottest year ever. This highlights the need to reduce fossil fuel use to combat human-induced climate change, a key topic at the December United Nations meeting.

True or False:

Read the sentences and identify if they are true or false based on the article.

文章を読んで、記事に基づいて正誤を答えましょう。

In September 2023, the Earth experienced its hottest month ever recorded.
This was the third consecutive year that September broke temperature records.
The temperature in September 2023 was 0.5 degrees Celsius cooler than the previous record in 2020.
Samantha Burgess expressed concern about the unusual heat in September.
Zeke Hausfather described the situation as “gobsmackingly bananas,” indicating it was normal and expected.

Fill in the blanks:

Choose the correct word from the table then fill in the blanks.

適切な言葉を選んで空欄を埋めましょう。

climate

heat

average

flood

reduce

The _________in tropical regions is characterized by high temperatures and frequent rainfall.
In an effort to combat air pollution, the city has implemented measures to _________ vehicle emissions.
During the summer, the ______ from the sun makes it very warm outside, so we like to go swimming to cool off.
The recent heavy rainfall caused a devastating _________ in the coastal town, displacing many residents.
The _________ lifespan of a domestic cat is around 15 years, but some cats live much longer.