热带高山冰帽冰川正在迅速消融
Ice caps, very large sheets of ice, do not only exist at the earth’s poles. There are tropical(热带的) ice caps in mountain ranges, too. The largest is the Quelccaya Ice Cap, on top of the Andes Mountains in Peru.
But the Quelccaya Ice Cap is melting quickly. Experts say it might be gone in the next 20 years. Scientists are taking samples to gather valuable information about climate change stored in Quelccaya’s ice. The Andes Mountains stretch across the nations of Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru. These countries rely on large glaciers for their water supply. But a 2009 report by the World Bank warns that climate change might lead to glaciers completely disappearing. This could put water, energy, food sources and residents in those regions at risk.
Experts say that in the past 30 years, the world’s tropical glaciers have lost more than 20 percent of their ice and snow. Scientists study climate change and volcanic eruptions by looking at air bubbles and dust particles trapped in the ice. Evidence shows that pollution in South America was started by humans in the 1500s. That is when explorers from Spain forced the native people to mine silver. But the highest increase in pollution and the fastest melting of ice started in the 20th century. Photographs show some glaciers have lost almost 50 percent of their ice and snow over the past 33 years.
“We can see that the glaciers have been retreating more and more with time,” said researcher Roxana Sierra. “This is because the temperature has been increasing.”
Scientists say only a few places remain on Earth today where human impact on air quality can be measured. The Quelccaya Ice Cap is one of those places where scientists can study how the Industrial Revolution—from 1750 to 1850 —changed the air we breathe.
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1.Which of the following statements about the ice caps is NOT right?
A Ice caps don’t exist at the earth’s poles.
B Ice caps can be found in very hot areas of the world.
C Ice caps exist on high mountain ranges.
D Ice caps are disappearing for the climate change.
解析：选A。A 细节理解题。根据第一段的“Ice caps, very large sheets of ice, do not only exist at the earth’s poles.” 可知，冰川存在于地球的两极，A 项不正确，其 他三个选项正确，故选 A。
2.What will the disappearing of the Quelccaya Ice Cap result in?
A Floods.
B Climate change.
C Loss of homeland.
D Local people’s great hardship.
解析：选D。D 推理判断题。根据第二段最后两句“But a 2009 report by the World Bank warns that climate change might lead to glaciers completely disappearing. This could put water, energy, food sources and residents in those regions at risk.”可知，冰川的消失，将会 给冰川周边的居民造成水、能源和食物等多方面 的影响，即让他们的生活变得艰难。故选 D。
3.When was the worst period for the ice caps on the earth?
A The last 30 years.
B From 1750 to 1850.
C In the 20th century.
D The next 20 years.
解析：选C。C 细节理解题。根据第三段的“But the highest increase in pollution and the fastest melting of ice started in the 20th century.”可知，冰川消融最快是 在 20 世纪。故选 C。
4.The underlined word “retreating” in Paragraph 4 probably means _________.
A running away
B becoming smaller
C moving away
D sliding down
解析：选B。B 词义猜测题。根据第四段中最后一句“This is because the temperature has been increasing.”可知 这是因为气温升高，由此推断，前文指的是冰川 (因气温升高而)融化，因此会变得越来越小。故 选 B。