The Amazon rainforest covers 5.5 million square kilometers. That’s about half the size of China! However, according to a new study, the Amazon rainforest may become grassland (草原) in a few years.
The Amazon is the world’s biggest rainforest. Climate change and human activities make it “sick”. Usually, the rainforest can fix itself. But now, it feels too “tired” to get better. The trees may die and the rainforest could turn into a hot, dry grassland.
Why is the Amazon “sick”? The Amazon is one of the world’s wettest places. But since 2005, three droughts have hit the rainforest. They were caused by climate change. The trees don’t have enough water to grow. What’s worse, as they become dry, they can easily catch fire.
On the other hand, people cut down rainforest trees for wood. They burn the forest to make farmland. They clear trees to find minerals (矿产). All these activities have caused about 17 percent of the rainforest to disappear.
The Amazon is like the lungs of our planet. The rich plants there take carbon dioxide (CO₂) out of the air and make oxygen. They make more than 20 percent of the planet’s oxygen. What will happen if we lose it? If the Amazon “dies”, there will be more CO₂ and our earth will become even hotter.
Also, the Amazon is home to over 3 million animals and plants. Many of them can’t live anywhere else. They would very likely just disappear.
【小题1】If the rainforest can’t fix itself, what will the rainforest turn into?| A．Deserts. | B．Minerals. | C．Grassland. | D．Farmland. |
| A．The trees. | B．The three droughts. | C．The rich plants. | D．The world’s wettest places. |
| A．The climate will change better. |
| B．There will be more O₂ on the earth. |
| C．There will be more animals and plants. |
| D．Our earth will become hotter with more CO₂. |
A． | B． |
C． | D． |
