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
解析见下。
【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：越来越多的证据表明，响应气候的变化，世界许多地区的滑坡发生的频率和程度正在发生变化。
in response to表明气候变化是原因，它造成了世界许多地区的滑坡发生的频率和程度正在发生变化。注意，不是造成了滑坡，而是造成了滑坡发生的频率和程度正在发生变化——潜台词是，滑坡一直都有，只是现在因为气候的变化，滑坡【发生的频率和程度】在变化。
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：考虑到降水是涉及滑坡形成的两个外部触发机制之一——另一个是地震活动——这并不奇怪。
两个外部活动会触发滑坡：降水、地震活动。这句话的意思是：显然气候变化会导致降水的变化，降水又是造成滑坡的因素，所以气候的变化导致滑坡【发生的频率和程度】发生变化就并不奇怪了。
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：来自过去的证据清楚地表明，滑坡活动增加的周期之后是低活动周期，并且在各种时间尺度上，这些周期都与气候波动有关。
滑坡活动增加的周期之后是低活动周期——滑坡是存在周期的，一段时间低谷一段时间高潮，交替变化。
并且，滑坡的周期和气候变化（的周期）是吻合的。更加说明了气候的变化导致了滑坡【发生的频率和程度】发生变化。
更巧的是，这种吻合在许多种时间尺度上都是成立的。也就是说，从比较短的时间尺度（比如说，几天、几周）或者从比较长的时间尺度（比如说，很多很多年）来看，都能发现滑坡的周期和气候变化（的周期）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：导致当前滑坡活动的变化（与其他情况）不同的是人为（由人造成的）因素可能的影响，无论是单独作用还是与气候协同（作用），这可能进一步改变滑坡的过程和生态系统反应的性质。
文章前面费了那么多心思，想说明的就是：滑坡本来是个自然界的正常现象，是降水、地震活动造成的，所以和气候变化之间有相关性。滑坡本不奇怪。
但是，现在的滑坡不算是正常状态下自然的滑坡。因为：有人类的影响。
人类的影响可能是单独发挥作用的，也可能是与气候协同作用的。
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：在这些因素中，砍伐森林和土地利用变化有可能影响滑坡的频率和规模，因为它们直接影响到影响边坡稳定性的植被属性。
根据上一句anthropogenic [i.e., human-caused] factors可以看出，有许多人为因素。也不是每一个都能影响到滑坡。本文作者认为，砍伐森林和土地利用变化这两个因素比较有潜力影响到滑坡。道理很简单，这两个因素改变了土地上的植被的情况。植被被改变，往往是往坏的方向改变吧？那么，这地方就不稳定了，当然更容易发生水土流失、以至于发生滑坡了。
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：山地生态系统能抵抗这些变化的程度和条件，也就是说，在转变为具有不同结构和功能的状态之前，它们能够吸收的干扰的总量，还不得而知。
人类对土地/生态系统有扰动；滑坡是对山地来说的。那么，山地生态系统有多强的抗性，能扛住人类的扰动呢？山地生态系统能扛住什么程度的扰动呢？在什么条件下，山地生态系统能扛住扰动呢？换句话说，山地生态系统在被转变成另一种样子之前，能吸收掉的干扰的最大值是多少呢？我们目前还不知道。
Addressing this issue is crucial for the long-term conservation of mountainscapes.
第4句：解决这个问题对于长期保护山是至关重要的。
人类对山有扰动，人类的行为可能造成山地滑坡。但是显然不是任何微小的扰动都会造成滑坡，山地应该能扛住一定程度的扰动。那么，我们需要搞清楚山地能承担的扰动的最大值是什么，才能知道山地被扰动的底线在哪，才知道怎么样更好地保护山地。
1. The author of the passage cites “evidence from the past” in order to
文章的作者引用“过去的证据”以便
作者在讨论人类对滑坡的影响之前，首先解释清楚：滑坡本身是个自然现象。然后才能解释说，现在的滑坡不正常，因为人类参与了。引用“过去的证据”就是为了说明滑坡本身是个自然现象。选D。
D. highlight a scientific consensus
D.突出科学共识
这是个学界的共识，但是我们普通读者并不一定知道，所以作者先给我们讲清楚。
看错误选项。
A. support a partial explanation
A.支持一个不完全的/局部的解释
哪有什么不完全的/局部的解释。如果说这个解释指的是“滑坡本身是个自然现象”的话，那不应该叫做partial，这个词可是明显有贬义的。就算不管这个贬义，“滑坡本身是个自然现象”也是个大前提，“人类对滑坡也有影响”是个隶属于大前提之下的特殊情况，那么就不该把“滑坡本身是个自然现象”叫做“不完全/局部的的解释”。
B. concede a potential objection
B.承认潜在的反对意见
根本不存在“反对意见”，就更加谈不上“承认”了。
C. dismiss an apparent counterexample
C.驳回一个明显的反例
不存在什么反例。
E. account for a historical anomaly
E.解释一个历史异常
哪有异常？
2、3题解析略，需要请留言。
