Earth's Warm Blanket
Reading (閱讀)
Our Earth has a special, invisible blanket. You cannot see it. This blanket is made of different gases in the air. When the sun shines on the Earth, this blanket helps to trap some of the heat. This is the greenhouse effect. It is a natural and important process. Without it, the Earth would be too cold for people, animals, and plants to live.
One of the main gases in this blanket is carbon dioxide, or CO2. Animals and people breathe out CO2. Plants use it with sunlight to make their food. This is a normal part of nature.
The problem starts when there is too much CO2 in the air. Human activities, like driving cars and running factories, burn a lot of fuel. Burning fuels, such as coal and oil, releases extra CO2. This extra CO2 makes the Earth's blanket thicker.
When the blanket becomes thicker, it traps more heat. This causes the Earth's temperature to rise. This is often called global warming. Global warming can lead to climate change, which means big changes in our weather. We might see more very hot days or stronger storms. Understanding this helps us think about using cleaner energy to protect our Earth.
Vocabulary (字彙)
blanket n. [ˋblæŋkɪt] 毯子
Something that covers a large area.
Ex: This extra CO2 makes the Earth's blanket thicker. (這些額外的二氧化碳使地球的「毯子」變得更厚。)
climate n. [ˋklaɪmət] 氣候
The usual weather conditions in a particular place or region over a long period.
Ex: Global warming can lead to climate change. (全球暖化可能導致氣候變遷。)
trap v. [træp] 困住；吸收
To keep something in a place and not let it escape.
Ex: This blanket helps to trap some of the heat. (這個毯子有助於吸收一些熱量。)
fuel n. [fjʊəl] 燃料
A material that is burned to produce heat or power.
Ex: Burning fuels, such as coal and oil, releases extra CO2. (燃燒如煤和石油等燃料，會釋放額外的二氧化碳。)
factory n. [ˋfæktərɪ] 工廠
A building where people use machines to make things.
Ex: Human activities, like driving cars and running factories, burn a lot of fuel. (人類的活動，像是開車和營運工廠，會燃燒大量的燃料。)
release v. [rɪˋlis] 釋放
To let something go or set it free.
Ex: Burning fuels... releases extra CO2. (燃燒燃料...會釋放額外的二氧化碳。)
temperature n. [ˋtɛmprətʃə] 溫度
How hot or cold something is.
Ex: This causes the Earth's temperature to rise. (這導致地球的溫度上升。)
Sentence (句型)
1. S + V + O (主詞 + 動詞 + 受詞)
這是描述事實的基本句型。
Animals and people breathe out CO2. (動物和人類會呼出二氧化碳。)
Plants use it with sunlight to make their food. (植物利用它和陽光來製造食物。)
2. S + V + O + to V (主詞 + 動詞 + 受詞 + 不定詞)
用來表達「導致/使某人(事物)去做某事」。
This causes the Earth's temperature to rise. (這導致地球的溫度上升。)
3. 時間副詞子句 (Adverbial Clause of Time)
使用 When 引導子句，說明主要事件發生的時間點。
When the sun shines on the Earth, this blanket helps to trap some of the heat. (當太陽照射地球時，這個毯子有助於吸收一些熱量。)
Grammar (文法)
1. 現在簡單式 (Simple Present Tense)
本文主要使用現在簡單式來描述科學事實和自然現象。動詞通常使用原形，或在主詞為第三人稱單數時加上 -s 或 -es。
This blanket helps to trap some of the heat.
Human activities... burn a lot of fuel.
It traps more heat.
Phrase (片語)
made of (由...製成): This blanket is made of different gases...
breathe out (呼出): Animals and people breathe out CO2.
a lot of (許多的): ...burn a lot of fuel.
lead to (導致): ...can lead to climate change...
Countable & Uncountable Nouns
[C] (可數名詞): gases, people, animals, plants, cars, factories, days, storms
[U] (不可數名詞): air, heat, sun, food
