A
The United Nations Climate Change Conference takes place next week in Poland. About 20,000 people from 190 countries are expected to take part in the conference. There, world leaders will debate how to limit climate change — the weather events linked to slowly rising temperatures on Earth. They will discuss ways to reduce carbon emissions (排放物) and other pollution which, scientists say, can give rise to longterm changes to our planet.
For environmentalists, one area of concern is South America's Amazon rainforest. Brazil holds about 60 percent of the Amazon rainforest. It is also the most biodiverse country on Earth, with more than 56,000 species of plants, 1,700 species of birds, 695 amphibians, 578 mammals, and 651 reptiles. Studies have shown that the Amazon takes in as much as 2 billion tons of carbon dioxide a year and releases about 20 percent of Earth's oxygen.
Scientists wonder whether the rainforest will be protected under Brazil's next president, Jair Bolsonaro, who began to take office on January 1, 2019. Bolsonaro had said that his country should withdraw from the 2015 Paris Agreement. Under the agreement, most nations promised to reduce carbon emissions by 37 percent over 2005 levels by the year 2030. The presidentelect claims a mandate (授权) from voters to develop land for agriculture and other purposes. He said that Brazil's rainforest protection is standing in the way of economic success.
Scientists say deforestation is a major reason for climate change. Studies have linked rising temperatures to the destruction of forests. Scientists worry about the future of the Amazon. New Brazilian government records show the speed of deforestation has increased over the past year.
Carlos Nobre, a climate scientist at the University of So Paulo, told the Associated Press that it is almost impossible to say just how important the rainforest is to the planet's living systems. Some scientists call the Amazon “the lungs of the planet”. They liken it to human lungs. Each tree takes in and stores carbon dioxide from the air around it. The trees also release the oxygen we need to live.
The Amazon, the world's largest rainforest, also creates weather. Billions of trees pull up water through their roots. Then the trees release water vapor into the air. The vapor forms a thick mist, made up of tiny drops of water. These water particles move up into the clouds and later return to earth as rain. Scientists estimate that the Amazon creates 30 to 50 percent of its own rainfall.
During the election campaign, Bolsonaro promised to ease protection for areas of the Brazilian Amazon set aside for native peoples and wildlife. He said that indigenous lands and nature reserves restrict economic growth.“All these reserves cause problems for development，”he said. The presidentelect also talked about taking away the power of Brazil's environmental ministry to enforce laws for protecting the environment.
Paulo Artaxo is a professor of environmental physics at the University of So Paulo. He said that if Bolsonaro keeps his campaign promises, then “deforestation of the Amazon will probably increase quickly — and the effects will be felt everywhere on the planet”．
However, senatorelect Luiz Carlos Heinze, noted that farmers are not invaders (侵略者), but producers. He blamed the past administrations for supporting native rights at the expense of farmers. “Brazil，” he said，“will be the biggest farming nation on Earth during Bolsonaro's years.”
Scientists warn that if the Amazon and other rainforests lose too many trees, this could affect rainfall and global climate. Nobre and others estimate that the “tipping” point (引爆点) for the Amazon system is 20 to 25 percent deforestation. Without enough trees to support the rainfall, the longer and bigger dry season could turn more than half of the rainforest into a tropical grassland.
语篇解读：本文是一篇说明文。众所周知，亚马孙热带雨林对整个地球的生态有着举足轻重的作用。其中，约60%的部分位于巴西。而2019年上任的巴西总统贾伊尔·波索那罗承诺为了发展本国经济将允许农民砍伐更多的热带雨林树木，对此很多人感到忧心忡忡。
1．What does the author say about the Amazon rainforest?
A．It is home to more than 56,000 species of plants.
B．It makes up about 60% of Brazil's rainforests.
C．It creates 30 to 50 percent of the world's rainfall.
D．It supplies about 20 percent of the oxygen to Earth.
解析：选D 细节理解题。根据第二段中的“Studies have shown that the Amazon takes in as much as 2 billion tons of carbon dioxide a year and releases about 20 percent of Earth's oxygen.”可知，亚马孙热带雨林为地球供应大约20%的氧气。故选D。
2. Why does Bolsonaro want to withdraw Brazil from the 2015 Paris Agreement?
A．Because he thinks it impossible to achieve.
B．Because it is against his promises to his voters.
C．Because he thinks it will sacrifice Brazil's economy.
D．Because it will influence Brazil's rainforest protection.
解析：选C 推理判断题。根据第二段中提到的亚马孙热带雨林储存二氧化碳和释放氧气的重要作用和第三段中的“Bolsonaro has said that his country should withdraw ... He said that Brazil's rainforest protection is standing in the way of economic success.”可知，波索那罗想让巴西退出 《巴黎协定》是因为这一协定要求巴西减少二氧化碳的排放，这就意味着巴西要保护好其境内的热带雨林，但波索那罗认为这种保护会阻碍巴西经济的发展。故选C。
3. Which of the following statements may Carlos Nobre agree with?
A．The significance of rainforests is to be reevaluated.
B．The value of rainforests can not be overemphasized.
C．It's unwise for Brazil to quit the 2015 Paris Agreement.
D．It's wrong to link rainforests to the planet's living systems.
解析：选B 细节理解题。根据第五段中的“it is almost impossible to say just how important the rainforest is to the planet's living systems”可知，Carlos Nobre认为热带雨林对地球生命系统非常重要。故选B。
4. What is Luiz Carlos Heinze's attitude to Bolsonaro's campaign promises?
A．Doubtful. B．Critical.
C．Favorable. D．Concerned.
解析：选C 观点态度题。根据倒数第二段的内容尤其是“He blamed the past administrations for supporting native rights at the expense of farmers.‘Brazil，’he said, ‘will be the biggest farming nation on Earth during Bolsonaro's years.’”可知，Luiz Carlos Heinze责备先前的巴西政府为了保护热带雨林地区而牺牲了农民的利益，而且他认为在波索那罗执政期间，巴西会成为地球上最大的农业国家。由此可推知，他对波索那罗的承诺是持赞同态度的。故选C。
5. What will probably happen if Bolsonaro's promises are carried out?
A．Native peoples' shelters will no longer be protected.
B．Brazil will surely see a rapid increase in its economy.
C．Laws to protect the environment will be strengthened.
D．Global warming will worsen because of deforestation.
解析：选D 推理判断题。根据倒数第三段中的“if Bolsonaro keeps his campaign promises ... the effects will be felt everywhere on the planet”和最后一段中的“Scientists warn that ... global climate.”可知，如果波索那罗信守了他的承诺，即为了发展巴西的农业经济，允许农民砍伐更多的树木，这可能会导致亚马孙的森林砍伐量迅速增加，进而对全球气候产生影响，全球变暖问题将会恶化。故选D。
6．Which is the most suitable title for this passage?
A．Are Brazil's rainforests in danger?
B．What threats the Amazon rainforest?
C．Why is the Amazon rainforest important?
D．Will Brazil's rainforests survive climate change?
解析：选A 标题归纳题。文章重点讲述2019年上任的巴西总统波索那罗承诺为了发展巴西本国的经济要退出《巴黎协定》，允许农民砍伐更多的热带雨林树木，这会对全球气候产生恶劣影响。因此很多人对此感到担忧。故A项“巴西的热带雨林处于危险之中吗？”作本文标题最佳。
