There is mounting evidence that the frequency and magnitude of landsliding is changing in many parts of the world in response to climate change. This is not surprising, given that precipitation is one of the two external triggering mechanisms--the other being seismic activity--involved in the formation of landslides. Evidence from the past clearly indicates that cycles of elevated landslide activity have been followed by cycles of low activity, and that these are correlated with climate fluctuations over a variety of timescales.
What sets current changes in landslide activity apart is the likely influence of anthropogenic [i.e., human-caused] factors, either acting alone or in concert with climate, which can further modify the process of landsliding and the nature of ecosystem responses. Among these factors, deforestation and land-use change have the potential to influence the frequency and magnitude of landsliding because of their direct effects on vegetation attributes that influence slope stability. The extent and conditions under which mountain ecosystems are resilient to these changes--that is, the amount of disturbance they can absorb before changing into states with different structure and function--are not known. Addressing this issue is crucial for the long-term conservation of mountainscapes.
1. The author of the passage cites “evidence from the past” in order to
A. support a partial explanation
B. concede a potential objection
C. dismiss an apparent counterexample
D. highlight a scientific consensus
E. account for a historical anomaly
答案：D
2. The passage makes which of the following claims?
A. A rise in precipitation resulting from human factors has increased the frequency and magnitude of landsliding.
B. Human factors have led to greater changes in landsliding activity than have cyclical climate fluctuations.
C. Decreases in landsliding activity have historically been accompanied by changes in climate.
D. Slope stability is more influenced by seismic activity than it is by human factors
E. Changes in land-use patterns in mountain ecosystems are generally correlated with changes in climate.
答案：C
Consider each of the choices separately and select all that apply.
3. The author of the passage suggests which of the following about the role of human factors in landsliding activity?
A. Human factors can intensify or alter the effects of climate change on landsliding activity.
B. It is likely that human factors affect landsliding activity more than climate change does.
C. Until recently, human factors did not have much impact on landsliding activity.
答案：AC
解析見下。
【第一段】There is mounting evidence that the frequency and magnitude of landsliding is changingin many parts of the world in response to climate change.
第1句：越來越多的證據表明，響應氣候的變化，世界許多地區的滑坡發生的頻率和程度正在發生變化。
in response to表明氣候變化是原因，它造成了世界許多地區的滑坡發生的頻率和程度正在發生變化。注意，不是造成了滑坡，而是造成了滑坡發生的頻率和程度正在發生變化——潛臺詞是，滑坡一直都有，只是現在因為氣候的變化，滑坡【發生的頻率和程度】在變化。
This is not surprising, given that precipitation is one of the two external triggering mechanisms--the other being seismic activity--involved in the formation of landslides.
第2句：考慮到降水是涉及滑坡形成的兩個外部觸發機制之一——另一個是地震活動——這並不奇怪。
兩個外部活動會觸發滑坡：降水、地震活動。這句話的意思是：顯然氣候變化會導致降水的變化，降水又是造成滑坡的因素，所以氣候的變化導致滑坡【發生的頻率和程度】發生變化就並不奇怪了。
Evidence from the past clearly indicates that cycles of elevated landslide activity have been followedby cycles of low activity, and that these are correlated with climate fluctuations over a variety of timescales.
第3句：來自過去的證據清楚地表明，滑坡活動增加的週期之後是低活動週期，並且在各種時間尺度上，這些週期都與氣候波動有關。
滑坡活動增加的週期之後是低活動週期——滑坡是存在週期的，一段時間低谷一段時間高潮，交替變化。
並且，滑坡的週期和氣候變化（的週期）是吻合的。更加說明了氣候的變化導致了滑坡【發生的頻率和程度】發生變化。
更巧的是，這種吻合在許多種時間尺度上都是成立的。也就是說，從比較短的時間尺度（比如說，幾天、幾周）或者從比較長的時間尺度（比如說，很多很多年）來看，都能發現滑坡的週期和氣候變化（的週期）是吻合的。
【第二段】What sets current changes in landslide activity apart is the likely influence of anthropogenic [i.e., human-caused] factors, either acting alone or in concert with climate, which can further modify the process of landsliding and the nature of ecosystem responses.
第1句：導致當前滑坡活動的變化（與其他情況）不同的是人為（由人造成的）因素可能的影響，無論是單獨作用還是與氣候協同（作用），這可能進一步改變滑坡的過程和生態系統反應的性質。
文章前面費了那麼多心思，想說明的就是：滑坡本來是個自然界的正常現象，是降水、地震活動造成的，所以和氣候變化之間有相關性。滑坡本不奇怪。
但是，現在的滑坡不算是正常狀態下自然的滑坡。因為：有人類的影響。
人類的影響可能是單獨發揮作用的，也可能是與氣候協同作用的。
Among these factors, deforestation and land-use change have the potential to influence the frequency and magnitude of landsliding because of their direct effects on vegetation attributes that influence slope stability.
第2句：在這些因素中，砍伐森林和土地利用變化有可能影響滑坡的頻率和規模，因為它們直接影響到影響邊坡穩定性的植被屬性。
根據上一句anthropogenic [i.e., human-caused] factors可以看出，有許多人為因素。也不是每一個都能影響到滑坡。本文作者認為，砍伐森林和土地利用變化這兩個因素比較有潛力影響到滑坡。道理很簡單，這兩個因素改變了土地上的植被的情況。植被被改變，往往是往壞的方向改變吧？那麼，這地方就不穩定了，當然更容易發生水土流失、以至於發生滑坡了。
The extent and conditions under which mountain ecosystems are resilient to these changes--that is, the amount of disturbance they can absorb before changing into states with different structure and function--are not known.
第3句：山地生態系統能抵抗這些變化的程度和條件，也就是說，在轉變為具有不同結構和功能的狀態之前，它們能夠吸收的干擾的總量，還不得而知。
人類對土地/生態系統有擾動；滑坡是對山地來說的。那麼，山地生態系統有多強的抗性，能扛住人類的擾動呢？山地生態系統能扛住什麼程度的擾動呢？在什麼條件下，山地生態系統能扛住擾動呢？換句話說，山地生態系統在被轉變成另一種樣子之前，能吸收掉的干擾的最大值是多少呢？我們目前還不知道。
Addressing this issue is crucial for the long-term conservation of mountainscapes.
第4句：解決這個問題對於長期保護山是至關重要的。
人類對山有擾動，人類的行為可能造成山地滑坡。但是顯然不是任何微小的擾動都會造成滑坡，山地應該能扛住一定程度的擾動。那麼，我們需要搞清楚山地能承擔的擾動的最大值是什麼，才能知道山地被擾動的底線在哪，才知道怎麼樣更好地保護山地。
1. The author of the passage cites “evidence from the past” in order to
文章的作者引用“過去的證據”以便
作者在討論人類對滑坡的影響之前，首先解釋清楚：滑坡本身是個自然現象。然後才能解釋說，現在的滑坡不正常，因為人類參與了。引用“過去的證據”就是為了說明滑坡本身是個自然現象。選D。
D. highlight a scientific consensus
D.突出科學共識
這是個學界的共識，但是我們普通讀者並不一定知道，所以作者先給我們講清楚。
看錯誤選項。
A. support a partial explanation
A.支持一個不完全的/局部的解釋
哪有什麼不完全的/局部的解釋。如果說這個解釋指的是“滑坡本身是個自然現象”的話，那不應該叫做partial，這個詞可是明顯有貶義的。就算不管這個貶義，“滑坡本身是個自然現象”也是個大前提，“人類對滑坡也有影響”是個隸屬於大前提之下的特殊情況，那麼就不該把“滑坡本身是個自然現象”叫做“不完全/局部的的解釋”。
B. concede a potential objection
B.承認潛在的反對意見
根本不存在“反對意見”，就更加談不上“承認”了。
C. dismiss an apparent counterexample
C.駁回一個明顯的反例
不存在什麼反例。
E. account for a historical anomaly
E.解釋一個歷史異常
哪有異常？
2、3題解析略，需要請留言。
