Unlocking
Word Meanings
Read
the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
1. steepest (adj.) [steepist] – highest (usually of
price or amount of something)
Example: The steepest rise in oil has been
experienced by many countries recently.
2. reside (v.) [v. ree-sahyd; n. ree-sahyd] – to live in a place
permanently or for a long period of time
Example: I resided in my hometown for 23 years
before I decided to move to a bigger city.
3. fossil (n.) [fos-uhl] – any remains, evidence, or
trace of a living thing from the past
Example: Skeletons
or skeletal patterns in stones are types of fossils.
4. mysterious (adj.) [mi-steer-ee-uhs] – refers to something
that is unknown or is not fully understood
Example: I am
interested to read more information about the mysterious case.
5. medieval (adj.) [mee-dee-ee-vuhl, med-ee-, mid-ee-, mid-ee-vuhl] – refers to something
related or in the style of the Middle Ages
Example: We can
learn more about medieval life by
visiting museums.
Article
Read
the text below.
Sea levels
are at the steepest increase in 2,000 years according to a recent research done in
the US. The unexpected rise poses a threat to coastal cities or cities near the
sea, where 50% of the US’ population resides.
Researchers suggest that climate change may be the cause of such rate.
According to
researchers from University of Pennsylvania, the sea level has been rising 0.08
inches every year since the 19th century. Previous data from fossils show
that levels of water remained stable during the early years of the 2,000
period, specifically around 200 BC to AD 1,000.
Furthermore,
the researchers say that based on historical records, global temperatures
affect sea levels. For instance, the rise of sea level during the 11th
century happened at the same time as the mysterious climate change during the medieval age.
As the data suggest, sea levels rise when temperatures rise.
This data
can help researchers understand the effect of global temperature to the sea
level. If they are able to accurately predict the changes in sea level
based on the data from the past, they can predict how much the sea level will
rise in the future.
Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.
Discussion A
·
Do you think
people can control nature? Explain your answer.
·
Can you give more
examples of the effect of climate change?
Discussion B
·
What environmental
protection laws exist in your country?
·
If you were to
come up with a law on protecting the environment, what law would that be?
