全球变暖导致花粉季节提前

安徽 周艳霞

受全球变暖的影响，从1990年到现在，在美国和加拿大两国，花粉季节大约提前了20天到来，给人们造成了多种危害。

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40 years ago,when Dr.Stanley Fineman started as an allergist（过敏症专家）,he told patients to start taking medications and preparing for the pollen（花粉）season in the middle of March.Today,he tells them to start it around the middle of February because since 1990,the pollen season across the United States and Canada has been starting about 20 days earlier.The amount of pollen released by plants is 21 percent higher.

The main reason for this is global warming.Studies have shown that North America's allergy season is getting longer and worse.But the new study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America has the most complete information coming from 60 reporting stations.It is the first study to make scientific connections between an earlier and more intense pollen season with human-caused climate change.The study says the warmer the Earth gets,the earlier spring starts for animals and plants,especially plants that release pollen.Additionally,plants produce more pollen when they get carbon dioxide.

Bill Anderegg is the lead writer of the study.He said,“Climate change is here and it's in every breath we take.”The University of Utah scientist told the Associated Press(AP),“Clearly,warming temperatures and more carbon dioxide are putting more pollen in the air.”

Since 1990,about half of the earlier pollen season has been linked to climate change—mostly from warmer temperatures.But plant-feeding carbon dioxide,Anderegg said,played a part.However,since the 2000s,he said,about 65 percent of early pollen seasons can be blamed on warming.And about 8 percent of the increased pollen load can be blamed on climate change.

For Amir Sapkota,this is not just a matter of sneezing and watery eyes.There are more serious health concerns.The University of Maryland scientist said the pollen is a risk for other diseases including asthma（哮喘）.She told the AP,“Asthma costs the USeconomy an estimated$80 billion per year in terms of treatment and loss of productivity.”So,a longer pollen season is a threat to both“individuals suffering from allergies and the USeconomy”.

1.What does the underlined word“it”in Para.1 mean?

A.A pollen season.

B.The coming of March.

C.The amount of pollen released by plants.

D.Taking medications and preparing for the pollen season.

2.Which word can best describe the new study compared to other studies?

A.Latest. B.Original. C.Comprehensive. D.Research-based.

3.What does Bill Anderegg think of climate change?

A.Positive. B.Helpless. C.Indifferent. D.Concerned.

4.What does the last paragraph mainly focus on?

A.The current condition of Amir Sapkota.

B.The multiple effects of a pollen season.

C.The solution to a longer pollen season.

D.The huge influence of asthma.

Difficult sentence

1.But the new study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America has the most complete information coming from 60 reporting stations.但发表在《美国国家科学院院刊》上的新研究有来自60个报告站的最完整的信息。

【点石成金】句中published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America为过去分词短语作后置定语，修饰名词study；coming from 60 reporting stations为现在分词短语作后置定语，修饰名词information。

2.The study says the warmer the Earth gets,the earlier spring starts for animals and plants,especially plants that release pollen.研究表明，地球越温暖，动植物的春天就越早开始，尤其是对于那些释放花粉的植物。

【点石成金】本句使用的是“the+比较级……,the+比较级……”结构，意为“越……，越……”。