Page 73 - BB_Textbook

“Climate, Weather, and Environment”
As you listen to this story, take notes, follow the script below, and identify the author’s main points.
Climate. Because of climate change in Cần Thơ, new challenges are emerging— heat waves, stronger typhoons, rising sea water, increased flooding, salinity in the aquifer and surrounding rice paddies, and a sinking Delta due to over-pumped groundwater. Can people drink salt water? Can rice grow in salt water?
Climate change refers to significant
global shifts over time in temperature, precipitation, wind patterns, sea levels, ice pack, and other measures. And climate change affects people, animals, plants, and nature. Scientists examine climate in terms of several decades or centuries. How much time do humans and nature have for adaptation to present climate change?
Weather. By contrast, weather is the state of the atmosphere at a distinct time and place. The atmosphere is the surrounding conditions and gases of Earth (or
any planet). The Cần Thơ weather report, for example, measures today’s heat, dryness, sunshine, cloudiness, wind, or rain ... as well as polluting gases or emissions from motorcycles, industry, and farming. Day-by-day, week-by- week, and year-by-year, we experience the weather.
But over a longer period of time, we measure the severity of climate change affecting Cần Thơ. The World Bank
has studied across decades Vietnam’s weather patterns, topography (a flat delta), geology (coastline and river), and living situation (location of agricultural and industrial production). It concludes that Vietnam is one of five countries worldwide most likely to bear the brunt of climate change since most of its 96 million people and major cities, as well as its agricultural and industrial production, are beside a coastline or river, and are in low- lying deltas.
As people living in the city and rural communities desire better livelihoods, yet face climate change, how can they build resilience? What can city and rural people do—together—to improve the resilience of both contexts?
Environment. This includes the conditions in which humans, animals, plants, and all of nature live and
die. Nature and humans share and shape the same environment. Humans play an active role—for better or for worse—in its well-being. We exercise good care and stewardship, or we waste resources and pollute without
concern for the future. Nature, too, is active. Nature adapts to climate change, just as humans must mitigate and accommodate this change. Understanding this human- nature relationship is key to living with resilience.
Pair. Square. Share
Answer the following three questions with a partner. Then square up with another pair. And finally, call on one member of your square to share your answers with the class.
1. The author’s main point about climate is: ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________
2. His definition of weather is: ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________
3. And the author’s argument concerning the environment is: ______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________
VOCABULARY
aquifer bear the brunt environment geology living situation mitigate over-pumping severity stewardship topography typhoons weather
BENDING BAMBOO
CLIMATE | CHAPTER 2 73