46. The passage is about _________________.
(A)
the rising temperatures on earth
(B) pollution in the atmosphere 
(C) how climate changes affect wildlife
(D) the warmer ocean temperatures

The evidence is clear. Wherever there is permanent ice – Greenland, Antarctica, the Alps, the Himalayas –that ice is melting. Anybody who has been to high mountains will have noticed this fact. Scientists agree that the cause for this melting is very simple. The earth’s atmosphere is warming up. The melting ice, in turn, is causing sea levels to rise as the extra water from the melting ice pours into the oceans. Already, sea levels have risen about 8 inches (20 cm) in recent years, and scientists believe they could rise at least another 20 inches (50 cm) by the year 2100. This could put many heavily populated coastal areas at risk. Coastal Florida, the Nile Delta, Bangladesh, and many other areas would end up under water. Along with rising air temperatures, the ocean temperatures are also rising. This has brought changes in weather patterns, with more frequent and more severe storms. Rising ocean temperatures are also one of the factors in the death of coral reefs in the southern oceans. These reefs are the natural homes to 65 percent of the world’s fish. When the reefs die, so do the fish. The warmer air temperatures are also causing changes in the world’s climate zones. In Europe, the southern countries along the Mediterranean are already becoming drier and more desert-like. On the other hand, countries in northern Europe, such as Germany and England, have experienced terrible floods from too much rain. Worldwide, agriculture will soon be negatively affected in many places. Life will become more difficult in the poorer countries of Asia and Africa, which already suffer from poor soil and lack of water. Millions of people could be forced to leave their homes and countries in search of food and a better life.

證據很清楚。無論哪裡有永久性冰-格陵蘭，南極洲，阿爾卑斯山，喜馬拉雅山-冰都在融化。任何去過高山的人都會注意到這一事實。科學家們認為，這種熔化的原因非常簡單。地球的大氣層正在升溫。隨著融化冰中多餘的水倒入海洋，融化的冰又導致海平面上升。近年來，海平面已經上升了約8英寸（20厘米），科學家認為，到2100年，它們至少會再上升20英寸（50厘米）。這可能使許多人口稠密的沿海地區處於危險之中。佛羅里達沿海，尼羅河三角洲，孟加拉國和許多其他地區最終將被淹沒。隨著氣溫的升高，海洋溫度也在升高。這帶來了天氣模式的變化，風暴更加頻繁和嚴重。海洋溫度上升也是南部海洋珊瑚礁死亡的因素之一。這些礁石是世界上65％的魚類的天然家園。當珊瑚礁死亡時，魚也死亡。氣溫升高也導致了世界氣候區的變化。在歐洲，地中海沿岸的南部國家已經變得越來越乾燥，越來越像沙漠。另一方面，北歐國家，例如德國和英國，因雨水過多而遭受了可怕的洪災。在世界範圍內，農業很快將在許多地方受到負面影響。在已經遭受土壤貧瘠和缺水之苦的亞洲和非洲較貧窮國家，生活將變得更加困難。可能有數以百萬計的人被迫離開家園和國家尋找食物和改善生活。

 The earth’s atmosphere is warming up. The melting ice, in turn, is causing sea levels to rise as the extra water from the melting ice pours into the oceans.

地球的大氣層正在升溫。隨著融化冰中多餘的水倒入海洋，融化的冰又導致海平面上升。

 46. The passage is about _________________.

(A) the rising temperatures on earth