Global warming, the increases of the earth’s average surface temperature, results from greenhouse gases, for example, carbon dioxide, which traps heat that would otherwise escape from the earth. After the trees are cut down and more greenhouse gases are released, the “blanket” around the earth, called the ozone layer(臭氧层), will get thicker. This catches more heat and makes the earth hotter. Luckily, there are many things that every citizen of the earth can do to help reduce the effects of global warming, and it’s never too late or too early for children to take action.
Children should learn what a carbon footprint is. A carbon footprint is the amount of greenhouse gases people make as they lead the daily life and go about the normal activities. In other words, the carbon footprint is a measure of the environmental impact the life has. To live an environmentally friendly life that hardly contributes to global warming, people should make the fewest carbon footprints possible.
Almost everything people do contributes to global warming and is related to fossil fuel consumption. These things people do can be direct use of fossil fuels, like riding in a gasoline-powered car, or indirect contributions to greenhouse gases, such as eating fruit and vegetables that have to be shipped from faraway places to reach their tables.
If a child wants to make a contribution to reducing global warming, he should ride a bicycle to the near park, the school, his friend’s house, or anywhere else not so far instead of taking a car. Or he may try to walk or jog, which is also helpful. In addition, although trains and buses often run on fossil fuels, on average, each person uses less energy and produces less pollution to take a train or a bus. Next time if children with their parents have to go around town or go to someplace too far to walk to or bike to, take a bus or other public transportation instead of riding a car.
【小题1】What is the first paragraph mainly about?| A．A brief description of the carbon footprint. | B．The serious water pollution. |
| C．The protection of the ozone layer. | D．The causes of global warming. |
| A．Useless. | B．Expensive. | C．Helpful. | D．Attractive. |
| A．Go to the near park by bus. | B．Walk or cycle as much as possible. |
| C．Keep staying at home. | D．Go around town with parents by car. |
| A．What can people do to use less energy? |
| B．How can kids help reduce global warming? |
| C．How do carbon footprints measure pollution? |
| D．Why global warming affects humans’ life? |
