Sea ice in the Antarctic (南极) area fell to a record low this year. The drop is a result of rising temperatures worldwide. And there is no quick method to make up for the ice drop, and the recovery (恢复) has a long way to go, scientists said recently in a new study.

Antarctica’s smallest summer ice cover fell further to a new low in February. This year’s sea ice minimum (最小值) is 20 percent lower than the average (平均值) over the last 40 years. The sea ice loss equals an area nearly 10 times that of New Zealand.

The warming of Earth’s surface driven by the burning of coal, gas and oil has made Antarctica more likely to suffer from extreme (极端的) events. And the result is almost “certain” to get worse, the study said. Climate change will “lead to increases in the size and rate”of heat waves, broken ice shelves and drops in sea ice, it said.

The effects of the Earth’s warming on Antarctica and the surrounding ocean have been uncertain. Scientists have had problems measuring how much the Earth’s warming is altering the thickness of Antarctic ice.

But from events such as the fast drop in sea ice, it is “scientifically reasonable” to suppose that extreme events are going to become worse as temperatures rise worldwide, said Martin Siegert of the University of Exeter, another study co-writer.

Siegert described the temperature increase as completely surprising. Siegert added that luckily the event had happened during the Antarctic winter, instead of summer, or it would have caused melting (融化) on the surface of the East Antarctic ice cover, which has so far been saved from melting.

Siegert used the term “fragile”, meaning easily broken or damaged, to describe Antarctica. “Antarctica is fragile as an environment, but extreme events test that fragility,” he said.

【小题1】What do the scientists think of the recovery of Antarctic sea ice?

A．It is hopeful.	B．It is difficult.
C．It is on its way.	D．It can’t be prevented.

【小题2】Why does the author mention New Zealand?

A．To explain the size of sea ice loss.	B．To show the position of ice cover.
C．To describe how far Antarctica is.	D．To state sea ice is connected to New Zealand.

【小题3】What does the underlined word ”altering“ in paragraph 4 mean?

A．Adding.	B．Pressing.
C．Changing.	D．Protecting.

【小题4】What might have caused worse results according to Siegert?

A．Antarctic sea ice is recovering too slowly.

B．The Antarctic ice cover is continuously moving.

C．The environment of Antarctica is easy to break.

D．Extreme events happen in Antarctic summer.