世界气象组织（ World Meteorological Organization ）称，全球各国对新冠肺炎疫情危机的应对措施对大气中二氧化碳浓度持续上升的影响甚微。

One of the key qualities of carbon dioxide is its staying power. Molecules emitted by the burning of coal at the start of the Industrial Revolution in the 1700s are still in the atmosphere warming our planet today.

二氧化碳的一个重要特性是它在大气层中的持久力。在18世纪工业革命初期燃烧煤炭所释放出的二氧化碳分子仍存在于大气层中，使我们的星球变暖。

So, while the global lockdown saw carbon emissions from transport and industry drop by as much as 17% at their peak, large amounts of the gas were still being produced, adding to the overall total. In fact, since 2015, the levels of CO2 in the atmosphere have surged. According to Dr Oksana Tarasova from the World Meteorological Organization, the speed of this change hasn’t been seen before.

因此，虽然在全球各国封锁期间，运输和工业碳排放量峰值下降了17%，但大量气体仍在生成，增加了大气层中二氧化碳的总含量。事实上，自2015年以来，大气层中的二氧化碳含量急剧上升。来自世界气象组织的奥卡萨纳·塔拉索娃博士表示，这种变化的速度前所未有。

While researchers agree that the overall impact of the pandemic on the amount of carbon in the atmosphere will be limited, they argue that the experience of lockdown shows that major changes to transport and energy production are feasible and affordable. The real question is whether there is sufficient political will and public support to make these type[s] of changes permanent.

虽然研究人员一致认为新冠肺炎疫情对大气中碳含量的整体影响是有限的，但他们认为，疫情封锁的经验表明，对运输和能源生产进行重大改革是可行的，而且可以负担得起。真正的问题是：是否有足够的政治意愿和公众支持，来确保这种变化的持久性。

词汇表

qualities 特性，属性
carbon dioxide 二氧化碳
molecules 分子
coal 煤
carbon emissions 碳排放
peak 最高值，峰值
atmosphere 大气层
surged 急剧上升，剧增
feasible 可行的
affordable 负担得起的
sufficient 充足的

阅读理解：请在读完上文后，回答下列问题。

1. True or false? Since 2015, the levels of CO2 in the atmosphere have dropped.

2. What is one of the key qualities of CO2?

3. How much did carbon emissions from transport and energy industry drop during the global lockdown?

4. According to Dr Oksana Tarasova, what is significant about this change?

答案

1. True or false? Since 2015, the levels of CO2 in the atmosphere have dropped.
False. On the contrary, the levels of CO2 in the atmosphere have increased drastically.

2. What is one of the key qualities of CO2?
One of the key qualities of CO2 is its staying power.

3. How much did carbon emissions from transport and energy industry drop during the global lockdown?
They dropped as much as 17% at their peak.

4. According to Dr Oksana Tarasova, what is significant about this change?
According to Dr Oksana Tarasova, the speed of this change hasn’t been seen before.