How is Climate Change Influencing Global Weather Extremes? A Comprehensive Guide for IELTS Reading Practice

The IELTS Reading test is a crucial component of the IELTS examination, assessing your ability to understand, interpret, and analyze textual information. Topics related to climate change and environmental issues are increasingly popular due to their global relevance. Understanding how climate change influences global weather extremes remains a significant area of interest and can frequently appear in IELTS Reading materials. This guide will help you navigate an example reading passage, complete with questions and answers, aimed at replicating the IELTS Reading exam format effectively.

climate change's impact on weather extremes

Climate Change and Its Influence on Global Weather Extremes

Reading Passage: Medium Text

Climate change is increasingly becoming a major concern for scientists, policy-makers, and the general public alike. The term “climate change” refers to long-term alterations in temperature, precipitation, wind patterns, and other elements of the Earth’s climate system. One of the most alarming aspects of climate change is its influence on global weather extremes, which include hurricanes, droughts, heatwaves, and intense precipitation events.

The primary driver of these changes is the increase in greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and nitrous oxide (N2O) due to human activities like burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and industrial processes. The greenhouse effect, a natural process where certain gases trap heat in the atmosphere, is being amplified by these additional emissions, causing global temperatures to rise at an unprecedented rate.

Higher temperatures intensify the water cycle by increasing the rate of evaporation, which can lead to more frequent and severe weather events. Warmer air can hold more moisture, leading to heavier rainfall and increased risk of flooding. Conversely, regions experiencing prolonged high temperatures may suffer from severe droughts due to enhanced evaporation and reduced soil moisture.

The frequency and intensity of hurricanes and tropical storms are also being influenced by rising sea surface temperatures. Warmer waters provide more energy for storm formation, resulting in more powerful and destructive hurricanes. Additionally, the melting of polar ice caps and glaciers contributes to rising sea levels, exacerbating coastal flooding and erosion.

Scientific evidence also links climate change to an increase in the occurrence and severity of heatwaves. As average global temperatures rise, episodes of extreme heat become more frequent and prolonged, posing significant risks to human health, agriculture, and natural ecosystems.

Efforts to mitigate the impacts of climate change are crucial. Emissions reductions, renewable energy adoption, and sustainable land use are essential to limit the extent of climate change and its associated weather extremes. International agreements like the Paris Agreement aim to unite nations in the fight against global warming by setting targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions and promoting resilience in vulnerable communities.

Questions

Multiple Choice

1. What is the primary cause of the increase in greenhouse gases?
   a. Natural processes
   b. Human activities
   c. Changes in solar radiation
   d. Volcanic eruptions

2. How do increased temperatures affect the water cycle?
   a. Decreases the rate of evaporation
   b. Increases the rate of evaporation
   c. Stagnates the water cycle
   d. Has no significant effect

True/False/Not Given

3. Efforts to mitigate climate change include emissions reductions and renewable energy adoption.
   a. True
   b. False
   c. Not Given

4. Rising sea levels have no impact on coastal flooding.
   a. True
   b. False
   c. Not Given

Matching Information

5. Match the following impacts with their causes:

   • Heatwaves
   • Intense rainfall
   • Hurricane severity
   • Droughts

   Causes:

   1. Warmer sea surface temperatures
   2. Enhanced evaporation and reduced soil moisture
   3. Increased air temperature holding more moisture
   4. Rising average global temperatures

Summary Completion

6. Complete the summary with the list of words provided.
   Climate change leads to more frequent and severe due to higher air temperatures holding more moisture. Warmer sea surface temperatures result in more hurricanes, while increased evaporation contributes to prolonged ___.

   Words: (floods, intense, droughts).

Answers & Explanations

Multiple Choice

1. b. Human activities: The passage clearly states that human activities like burning fossil fuels and deforestation are the primary causes of increased greenhouse gases.
2. b. Increases the rate of evaporation: Higher temperatures increase the rate of evaporation according to the passage.

True/False/Not Given

3. a. True: The passage mentions that efforts like emissions reductions and renewable energy adoption are crucial to mitigate climate change.
4. b. False: The passage indicates that rising sea levels do impact coastal flooding.

Matching Information

5. • Heatwaves – 4. Rising average global temperatures
   • Intense rainfall – 3. Increased air temperature holding more moisture
   • Hurricane severity – 1. Warmer sea surface temperatures
   • Droughts – 2. Enhanced evaporation and reduced soil moisture

Summary Completion

6. Climate change leads to more frequent and severe floods due to higher air temperatures holding more moisture. Warmer sea surface temperatures result in more intense hurricanes, while increased evaporation contributes to prolonged droughts.

Common Mistakes in IELTS Reading

• Misinterpreting Information: Ensure you understand the nuances of the passage. Often students misinterpret specific details which leads to incorrect answers.
• Time Management: Allocate your time wisely. Spend a maximum of 20 minutes on each passage.
• Guessing Answers: Rather than guessing, make educated estimations by eliminating obviously wrong choices.

Vocabulary List

1. Greenhouse gases (n.) [ˈɡriːnhaʊs ˌɡæsɪz]: Gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect by absorbing infrared radiation.
2. Evaporation (n.) [ɪˌvæpəˈreɪʃən]: The process of turning from liquid into vapor.
3. Mitigate (v.) [ˈmɪt.ɪ.ɡeɪt]: Make less severe, serious, or painful.
4. Resilience (n.) [rɪˈzɪliəns]: The capacity to recover quickly from difficulties.

Essential Grammar

1. Passive Voice: Used to emphasize the action rather than the subject performing the action.

   • Structure: Object + be (am/is/are/was/were) + past participle
   • Example: Efforts to mitigate the impacts of climate change are crucial.

2. Relative Clauses: Used to provide additional information about a noun.

   • Example: The greenhouse effect, which is a natural process, is being amplified.

Tips for High Reading Scores

1. Practice Regularly: Regular practice with passages on current topics like climate change will enhance comprehension skills.
2. Build Vocabulary: Learn new words and their uses in context.
3. Analyze Mistakes: Review and understand why mistakes are made to avoid repeating them.

By following these guidelines and regularly practicing with relevant materials, you can significantly improve your IELTS Reading score and be better prepared for questions on topics such as the influence of climate change on global weather extremes.