Why are hurricanes, typhoons, and heat waves popping up around the globe more often?
為什麼全球突然有越來越多的颶風、颱風及熱浪出現？
Have you noticed that Taiwan has had more typhoons than normal recently? Even in the years when there weren't as many typhoons, the ones that had hit this island seemed to be much bigger and cause more damage. A simple look _(1)_ newspapers reveals that the world's weather is becoming more extreme. Forests are catching fire because of dry winters. Tornadoes are becoming more _(2)_ because the temperatures are changing. Power _(3)_ for millions have resulted because of huge snowfalls. Ask almost anyone about the causes of extreme weather and you will be told that most cases are linked _(4)_ global warming. Many scientists are convinced that the gradual rise of temperatures on the planet have been caused by _(5)_ of greenhouse gases made by the use of fossil fuels and cutting down forests. The higher overall temperatures can change climates, which includes melting or forming ice, _(6)_ the cycle of precipitation, or altering ocean currents and air flow.
There are skeptics, though, that believe nature repeats itself on a scale that humans have a hard time _(7)_ because of their short lifespans. These skeptics point to the fact that it was much _(8)_ in the 1930s, there were more hurricanes from the 1930s through the 1950s, and even more tornadoes formed from the 1950s through the 1970s. Skeptics also say that scientists are too quick to _(9)_ every single weather variation on global warming.
Whether you believe the scientists or the skeptics, you should be _(10)_ for extreme weather. People that live on low-lying islands will definitely have to be more aware about changes in weather because their properties could be affected by even the slightest variation in water levels.
(A) through (B) understanding (C) shifting (D) concentrations (E) to
(F) prepared (G) frequent (H) blame (I) hotter (J) outages
原來如此
1.A simple look through newspapers reveals that the world's weather is becoming more extreme.理由:
a. look（看）可作不及物動詞或名詞（本文中為名詞），之後須接 at、through 或是 over 等介詞，以形成不同的意思。選項中有 (A) through 及 (E) to 為介詞。
b. look through sth 瀏覽某物
I've looked through all my documents, but I still can't find the one I need.
我已看過所有文件，但是我還是無法找到我所需要的那份文件。
c. look to sb 指望某人
look to sth 考慮某事
I'm looking to you to support me on this matter.
在這件事上我要仰賴你的支持。
We need to look to ways of improving our sales.
我們需要考慮改進銷售的方式。
d. 根據上述，僅接 (A) through 此介詞符合語意，故應為正選。
2.Tornadoes are becoming more frequent because the temperatures are changing.理由:
a. 空格前有不完全不及物動詞 become 的現在進行式 are becoming （變得……），得知空格須置形容詞或名詞，但由於空格前還有副詞 more （更加地），確知空格內只能置形容詞。
b. 選項中的形容詞有 (B) understanding（能諒解的）、(C) shifting（不斷移動的）、(F) prepared（準備好的）、(G) frequent（頻繁的）、(I) hotter（更熱的），根據語意，僅 (G) 項合乎語意，故應為正選。
c. frequent a. 經常的
The politician made frequent attacks on his opponent's character.
該政客常常攻擊他對手的人格。
3.Power outages for millions have resulted because of huge snowfalls.理由:
a. 空格前有名詞 power （電力），得知空格內也應填
入複數名詞，以形成複合名詞在句首當主詞，引導之後複數完成式動詞 have resulted。
b. 選項中的複數名詞有 (D) concentrations（集中；濃度）以及 (J) outages（中斷），僅 (J) 項填入後形成 power outages（電力中斷）合乎語意，故應為正選。
c. a power outage 停電
= a power failure
A massive storm caused power outages from Oklahoma City to western Texas.
大規模的暴風雨導致了從奧克拉荷馬市到德州西部都停電了。
4.Ask almost anyone about the causes of extreme weather and you will be told that most cases are linked to global warming.理由:
a. 本題測試下列固定句構：
be linked to / with... 與……息息相關
Your health is linked to your diet, exercise, and sleep.
你的健康與你的飲食、運動以及睡眠息息相關。
b. 根據上述，(E) 項應為正選。
5.Many scientists are convinced that the gradual rise of temperatures on the planet have been caused by concentrations of greenhouse gases made by the use of fossil fuels and cutting down forests.理由:
a. 由於空格前有 have been caused by（被……所引起的），可知介詞 by 之後須置名詞，使該名詞受之後介詞 of 形成的介詞片語修飾。
b. 選項中尚有名詞：(B) understanding（了解；領悟）、(D) concentrations（集中；濃度）以及 (H) blame（責怪），然而僅 (D) 項填入後形成 concentrations of greenhouse gases（溫室氣體的濃度）合乎語意，故應為正選。
c. concentration n. 集中；濃度
The health department found high concentrations of an illegal substance in those products.
衛生部門在那些產品中發現了高濃度的非法物質。
6.The higher overall temperatures can change climates, which includes melting or forming ice, shifting the cycle of precipitation, or altering ocean currents and air flow.理由:
a. 本句主要子句之後有 which 所引導的形容詞子句，形容詞子句有 which 當主詞，之後有動詞 includes（包括），句中用對等連接詞 or（或者）連接動名詞片語，作為 includes 的受詞，第一組動名詞片語為 melting or forming ice（冰融化或是形成冰），第二組也以對等連接詞 or 連接，後面接的是 altering ocean currents and air flow（洋流及氣流的改變），因此確知此題空格須置動名詞。
b. 選項中動名詞尚有：(B) understanding（了解）以及 (C) shifting（改變），然而僅 (C) 項填入合乎語意，故應為正選。
c. shift vt. & vi. 改變
Kyle hastily shifted to a new subject.
凱爾匆忙地轉換一個新話題。
7.There are skeptics, though, that believe nature repeats itself on a scale that humans have a hard time understanding because of their short lifespans.理由:
a. 本題測試下列固定句構：
have a hard time V-ing
做……有困難；在……方面有困難
= have trouble V-ing
= have difficulty V-ing
= have problems V-ing
I had a hard time working with that stubborn guy.
我很難和那個固執的傢伙共事。
b. 由於空格前有 have a hard time，選項中有V-ing的僅剩 (B) 項 understanding（了解），填入後亦符合語意，故應為正選。
8.These skeptics point to the fact that it was much hotter in the 1930s, there were more hurricanes from the 1930s through the 1950s, and...理由:
空格前有 be 動詞 was，得知 be 動詞後應接形容詞或名詞，然而因為空格前尚有專門修飾比較級形容詞的副詞much，得知空格須置比較級的形容詞，而選項中僅 (I) hotter（較熱的）為比較級形容詞，填入後亦合乎語意，故應為正選。
9.Skeptics also say that scientists are too quick to blame every single weather variation on global warming.理由:
a. 空格前有 too quick to（太快去從事……），得知 to 之後須置原形動詞，以形成不定詞片語，修飾之前的形容詞 quick。
You'll be sorry if you're too quick to answer the reporter's question.
你若太快回答記者的問題會後悔的。
b. 選項中僅 (H) 項 blame（責怪）為原形動詞，故應為正選。
c. blame vt. 責怪
blame sb for sth 怪罪某人某事
blame sth on sb 把某事怪罪給某人
Tom shouldn't be blamed for this mistake because it was not his fault.
這個錯誤不該怪在湯姆身上，因為那不是他的錯。
10.Whether you believe the scientists or the skeptics, you should be prepared for extreme weather.理由:
a. 本題測試下列固定句構：
be prepared for... 為……做好準備
I always keep candles and matches in the house, so I am prepared for any power outages.
我總是在屋子裡準備蠟燭和火柴以便停電時用。
b. 根據上述，(F) 項應為正選。
單字小舖
1.extreme a. 極端的
2.tornado n. 龍捲風
3.snowfall n. 降雪量；下雪
4.gradual a. 逐漸的
5.a fossil fuel 化石燃料
6.precipitation n. 降雨（雪）量
7.alter vt. & vi. 改變
8.current n.（空氣、水）流
9.skeptic n. 抱持懷疑態度的人
10.lifespan n. 壽命
11.variation n. 變動
12.low-lying a. 低窪的
中文翻譯
你是否注意到最近侵襲台灣的颱風比往常還多呢？即便有幾年颱風數量沒有那麼多，但那些侵襲本島的颱風規模似乎比從前更大且造成了更多損害。隨意翻翻報紙，當中揭露全球天氣變得越來越極端。冬季因為乾燥而引發森林大火。由於氣溫不斷改變，龍捲風變得越來越頻繁。龐大的降雪量導致數百萬戶停電。詢問任何人有關極端天氣的成因，幾乎所有人都會告訴你大部份的情況都和全球暖化有關。許多科學家確信，因為我們使用化石燃料及砍伐森林所造成的溫室氣體濃度提高導致了地球溫度逐漸上升。較高的整體溫度會改變氣候，其中包括冰融化或形成冰、降雨週期的改變或洋流及氣流的改變。
不過，有些人持懷疑的態度，由於人類壽命很短，所以很難理解大自然會以某種規模不斷循環。這些持懷疑態度的人指出，1930 年代比現在更熱，1930 到 1950 年間比現在更多颶風，而且 1950 到 1970 年間甚至比現在形成了更多龍捲風。抱持懷疑態度的人也說科學家們太快就將單一的天氣變化歸咎於全球暖化。
不論你相信科學家或那些持懷疑態度者，你應該要為極端的氣候做好準備。生活在地勢低窪島嶼的人必須更加了解氣候變化，因為哪怕是一丁點的水位變化，他們的財產都會受到影響。
答案：1. A 2. G 3. J 4. E 5. D
文法一點靈
a. almost
almost（幾乎）用來修飾形容詞或副詞時，這些形容詞或副詞必須是具有完全性概念的詞類，故形容詞如all（全部）、every（每一個）、any（任一）、no（沒有）等字均可與almost並用，因此無 almost many（幾乎許多）、almost most（幾乎大部分）的用法，因many與most所表示的並非完全性的概念。
Almost every school has a basketball court.
幾乎每一所學校都有籃球場。
b. affect / effect 的區別。
affect 為動詞，表『對……有影響』，可指好的影響或不好的影響；effect 則是名詞，表『影響力』。
The news did not affect my mother at all.
= The news had no effect on my mother at all.
這個消息對我老媽一點影響也沒有。
精解字詞片語
1.cause / do damage to... 使……受到損害
Smoking causes a lot of damage to everyone's health.
抽煙對大家的健康有很大的害處。
2.reveal vt. 透露
The inventor revealed how he came up with his idea.
該發明者透露他如何想出這個點子。
3.catch fire 起火，著火
Dry forests are apt to catch fire in the summer.
乾燥的森林在夏天很容易著火。
4.overall a. 整體的、全面的 & adv. 大體來說
The best overall athlete will take home the gold medal.
最優秀的運動員將能贏回金牌。
Overall, Jimmy's performance at school is not that bad.
整體而言，吉米在學校的表現並沒那麼差。
5.repeat oneself 不自覺地重覆，重演
I believe that history will not repeat itself this time.
我相信這次絕對不會歷史重演了。
6.point to... 表明……
Everything points to the singer dying from a drug overdose.
種種跡象表明該歌手死於吸毒過量。
7.be aware about/of... 知道∕了解……
Are you aware of the dangers of drinking and driving?
你知道酒醉駕車的危險嗎？
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