一、听力练习
1.
A. The United Nations has successfully reduced ocean temperatures in the Pacific Islands.
B. Rising ocean temperatures are causing severe risks for Pacific Island nations.
C. The U.N. climate change conference rejected proposals to support Pacific Island nations.
D. Guterres visited the Pacific Islands to discuss economic development.
2.
A. They are located far from other continents.
B. Their land is mostly at a very low elevation above sea level.
C. They lack the technology to monitor sea levels.
D. They experience colder ocean temperatures compared to other regions.
3.
A. A new global environmental agency.
B. A "loss and damage" fund to help poor nations with climate disasters.
C. A treaty to reduce fossil fuel consumption.
D. A plan to build sea walls around the Pacific Islands.
二、听力文本
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says that rising ocean temperatures present urgent risks for people living in the Pacific Islands. Guterres made the comment while at the Pacific Islands Forum taking place in Tonga. The country is a collection of about 170 islands in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. The U.N. chief said studies suggest the southwestern Pacific faces more extreme sea level rise than other parts of the world. The problem, he added, is linked to sea temperatures in the area that in some cases are three times higher than worldwide levels. Warmer temperatures cause water to expand and this can cause sea level rise. "I am in Tonga to issue a global SOS – Save Our Seas – on rising sea levels," Guterres said. The U.N. leader said that rising seas were "amplifying” the number and severity of storms and coastal flooding across the area. He said such flooding can destroy fisheries, damage crops and poison water. “All this puts Pacific Island nations in grave danger," he said. A report recently released by the U.N.'s World Meteorological Organization showed ocean temperatures in the southwestern Pacific are increasing at up to three times the worldwide rate. Guterres said the Pacific islands are especially at risk because much of their land is “just one to two meters above sea level." And, he added, "Half the infrastructure is within 500 meters of the sea." Many scientists blame the planet's rising temperatures on pollution from fossil fuel use. Guterres said the Pacific Islands can expect additional sea level rise of 15 centimeters by 2050 if the pollution levels do not drop. Guterres urged world leaders to greatly increase the level of climate-related investments, especially for at-risk countries, to help fight the problem. Delegates to the 2023 U.N. climate change conference approved the establishment of a "loss and damage" fund to help poor nations deal with climate disasters. "Developed countries must deliver on their finance commitments,” Guterres said. He added that one commitment calls for doubling financing to at least $40 billion a year by 2025.
Question 1: What is the main idea of the news report?
Question 2: Why are the Pacific Islands at greater risk from rising sea levels?
Question 3: What did the U.N. climate change conference delegates agree to establish in 2023?
三、重点词汇
1. amplify: to increase the size or effect of something 扩大；增强
四、背景知识
财联社8月27日电，在汤加首都努库阿洛法举办的第53届太平洋岛国论坛领导人会议上，联合国秘书长古特雷斯发表了关于海平面上升的技术简报。古特雷斯警告说，全球变暖导致海平面上升，这一危机“很快就会扩大到几乎难以想象的规模”。古特雷斯强调，受此影响，“一些沿海区域每年遭受的洪灾时长将超过30天”，“沿海洪灾造成的经济损失可能高达数万亿美元”。此外，世界气象组织发布《西南太平洋气候状况》报告，指出海平面上升正在带来毁灭性影响，而西南太平洋的相对海平面上升幅度，甚至超过了全球平均水平。（背景知识来自于https://baijiahao.baidu.com/s?id=1808492915913500318&wfr=spider&for=pc）
五、参考答案
Question 1: B
Question 2: B
Question 3: B
六、网络翻译
联合国秘书长安东尼奥·古特雷斯表示，海洋温度上升对居住在太平洋岛屿的人们构成紧迫的风险。古特雷斯在汤加举行的太平洋岛国论坛期间发表了这一评论。汤加是位于西南太平洋的一个由大约170个岛屿组成的国家。联合国秘书长表示，研究表明，与世界其他地区相比，西南太平洋面临更极端的海平面上升问题。他补充说，这一问题与该地区的海洋温度有关，而这些温度在某些情况下比全球水平高出三倍。温度升高会导致水体膨胀，从而引发海平面上升。“我来到汤加是为了发出全球SOS——拯救我们的海洋，以应对海平面上升，”古特雷斯说道。这位联合国领导人表示，海平面上升正在“加剧”风暴和沿海洪水的频率和严重性。他说，这样的洪水会摧毁渔业、损坏农作物并污染水源。“所有这些都使太平洋岛国面临严重危险，”他说。联合国世界气象组织最近发布的一份报告显示，西南太平洋的海洋温度上升速度是全球平均速度的三倍。古特雷斯表示，太平洋岛屿面临的风险尤其高，因为它们的大部分土地“仅比海平面高出一到两米”。他补充道，“一半的基础设施距离海岸不到500米。”许多科学家将地球温度上升归咎于化石燃料使用所导致的污染。古特雷斯表示，如果污染水平不下降，到2050年，太平洋岛国的海平面可能会再上升15厘米。古特雷斯敦促世界领导人大幅增加与气候相关的投资，特别是针对高风险国家，以帮助应对这一问题。2023年联合国气候变化大会的代表批准设立“损失和损害”基金，以帮助贫困国家应对气候灾害。古特雷斯表示：“发达国家必须兑现其财政承诺。”他补充说，其中一项承诺是到2025年将资金增加一倍，达到每年至少400亿美元。
七、版权说明
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