| YES | if the statement agrees with the views of the writer |
| NO | if the statement contradicts the views of the writer |
| NOT GIVEN | if it is impossible to say what the writer thinks about this |
A. Global warming is causing the Greenland ice cap to disintegrate far faster than anyone predicted. A study of the region's massive ice sheet warns that sea levels may - as a consequence - rise more dramatically than expected. Scientists have found that many of the huge glaciers of Greenland are moving at an accelerating rate - dumping twice as much ice into the sea as five years ago - indicating that the ice sheet is undergoing a potentially catastrophic breakup. The implications of the research are dramatic given Greenland holds enough ice to raise global sea levels by up to 21 feet, a disaster scenario that would result in the flooding of some of the world's major population centres, including all of Britain's city ports. Satellite measurements of the entire land mass of Greenland show that the speed at which the glaciers are moving to the sea has increased significantly over the past ten years with some glaciers moving three times faster than in the mid-1990s.
B. Scientists believe that computer models of how the Greenland ice sheet will react to global warming have seriously underestimated the threat posed by sea levels that could rise far more quickly than envisaged. The latest study, presented at the American Association for the Advancement of Science in St Louis, shows that rather than just melting relatively slowly, the ice sheet is showing all the signs of a mechanical breakup as glaciers slip ever faster into the ocean, aided by the lubricant' of melt water forming at their base.
C. Eric Rignot, a scientist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, said that computer models used by the UN's International Panel on Climate Change have not adequately taken into account the amount of ice falling into the sea from glacial movements. Yet the satellite study shows that about two-thirds of the sea-level rise caused by the Greenland ice sheet is due to icebergs breaking off from fast-moving glaciers rather than simply the result of water running off from melting ice. 'In simple terms, the ice sheet is breaking up rather than melting.
It's not a surprise in itself but it is a surprise to see the magnitude of the changes. These big glaciers seem to be accelerating, they seem to be going faster and faster to the sea,' Dr Rignot said. "This is not predicted by the current computer models. The fact is the glaciers of Greenland are evolving faster than we thought and the models have to be adjusted to catch up with these observations,' he said.
D. The Greenland ice sheet covers an area of 1.7 million sq km - about the size of Mexico - and, in places, is up to 3km thick. It formed over thousands of years by the gradual accumulation of ice and snow but now its disintegration could occur in decades or centuries. Over the past 20 years, the air temperature of Greenland has risen by 3*C and computer models suggested it would take at least 1,000 years for the ice sheet to melt completely. But the latest study suggests that glaciers moving at an accelerating rate could bring about a much faster change. The behaviour of the glaciers that dump ice into the sea is the most important aspect of understanding how an ice sheet will evolve in a changing climate,'
Dr Rignot said. It takes a long time to build and melt an ice sheet but glaciers can react quickly to temperature changes. Climate warming can work in different ways but, generally speaking, if you warm up the ice sheet, the glacier will flow faster,' he said.
E. The ice 'balance sheet' of Greenland is complex but - in simple terms - it depends on the amount of snow that falls, the amount of ice that melts as run-off and the amount of ice that falls directly into the sea in the form of icebergs 'calving' from moving glaciers.Satellites show that the glaciers in the south of Greenland are now moving much faster than they were ten years ago. Scientists estimate that, in 1996, glaciers deposited about 50 cubic km of ice into the sea. In 2005 it had risen to 150 cubic km of ice. Details of the latest study, published in the journal Science, show that Greenland now accounts for an increase in global sea levels of about 0.5 millimetres per year - compared to a total sea level rise of 3mm per year. When previous studies of the ice balance are taken into account, the researchers calculated that the overall amount of ice dumped into the sea increased from 90 cubic km in 1996 to 224 cubic km in 2005.
F. Dr Rignot said that there are now signs that the more northerly glaciers of Greenland are beginning to adopt the pattern of movements seen by those in the south. The southern half of Greenland is reacting to what we think is climate warming. The northern half is waiting, but I don't think it's going to take long,' he said.
AI explanationShows the answer. Tap to open.
Question Focus: Writer opinion versus specific quantity claim about ice deposition
Correct Answer: NO
Why this is correct: The writer clearly states that glaciers are dumping twice as much ice, not three times as much. Because the statement changes the number and exaggerates the claim, the writer disagrees with it.
Passage Reference: Scientists have found that many of the huge glaciers of Greenland are moving at an accelerating rate - dumping twice as much ice into the sea as five years ago - indicating that the ice sheet is undergoing a potentially catastrophic breakup. The implications of the research are dramatic given Greenland holds enough ice to raise global sea levels by up to 21 feet.
Common Mistake: Answering YES because of number confusion - Partial truth trap
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'dumping twice as much ice into the sea as five years ago' = Statement: 'depositing three times as much ice into the sea as five years ago'
Tips: Always check numbers carefully. In YNNG, a small change in quantity often turns YES into NO.
Key Vocabulary:
- dumping = releasing
- accelerating = speeding up
Question Focus: Writer opinion showing disagreement with earlier predictions
Correct Answer: NO
Passage Reference: Scientists believe that computer models of how the Greenland ice sheet will react to global warming have seriously underestimated the threat posed by sea levels that could rise far more quickly than envisaged. The latest study, presented at the American Association for the Advancement of Science in St Louis, shows that rather than just melting relatively slowly, the ice sheet is showing all the signs of a mechanical breakup.
Why this is correct: The writer reports that scientists think earlier models seriously underestimated the threat, which means past predictions were not accurate. This directly disagrees with the statement.
Common Mistake: Choosing NOT GIVEN because predictions are mentioned but missing the clear opinion - Not Given trap
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'seriously underestimated the threat' = Statement: 'more or less accurate'
Tips: Look for opinion words like 'seriously underestimated'. These show the writer's view clearly.
Key Vocabulary:
- underestimated = thought was smaller than it really is
- envisaged = expected
Question Focus: Writer confirms how the ice sheet was formed
Correct Answer: YES
Passage Reference: The Greenland ice sheet covers an area of 1.7 million sq km - about the size of Mexico - and, in places, is up to 3km thick. It formed over thousands of years by the gradual accumulation of ice and snow but now its disintegration could occur in decades or centuries.
Why this is correct: The writer clearly agrees with this idea by stating that the ice sheet formed over thousands of years through the gradual accumulation of ice and snow. This directly supports the statement.
Common Mistake: Overthinking and choosing NOT GIVEN even though the sentence is clearly stated - Not Given trap
Paraphrasing: Passage: 'gradual accumulation of ice and snow' = Statement: 'gradually formed by snow and ice'
Tips: If the passage directly states the same idea, even with different words, the answer is YES.
Key Vocabulary:
- accumulation = slow build-up
- formed = created
Question Focus: Missing topic and missing writer opinion
Correct Answer: NOT GIVEN
Passage Reference: Climate warming can work in different ways but, generally speaking, if you warm up the ice sheet, the glacier will flow faster,' he said. The ice 'balance sheet' of Greenland is complex but - in simple terms - it depends on the amount of snow that falls, the amount of ice that melts as run-off and the amount of ice that falls directly into the sea in the form of icebergs.
Why this is correct: The passage discusses ice sheets and glaciers, not crops. The writer never gives any opinion or information about how global warming affects crops, so the statement is not mentioned at all.
Common Mistake: Answering NO because crops are not discussed - Context shift trap
Paraphrasing: Passage: no reference to crops = Statement: 'global warming can affect crops'
Tips: If the topic itself is missing from the passage, the answer is always NOT GIVEN.
Key Vocabulary:
- run-off = water flowing away
- calving = ice breaking off
Question Focus: Specific year and figure not stated by the writer
Correct Answer: NOT GIVEN
Passage Reference: Scientists estimate that, in 1996, glaciers deposited about 50 cubic km of ice into the sea. In 2005 it had risen to 150 cubic km of ice. Details of the latest study, published in the journal Science, show that Greenland now accounts for an increase in global sea levels of about 0.5 millimetres per year.
Why this is correct: The writer gives figures for 1996 and 2005, but says nothing about the year 2000 or 100 cubic km. Because this exact claim is never expressed, the answer is NOT GIVEN.
Common Mistake: Calculating or guessing the number from nearby years - Not Given trap
Paraphrasing: Passage: '1996...50 cubic km' and '2005...150 cubic km' = Statement: 'in the year 2000...about 100 cubic km'
Tips: Never guess or calculate new data. If the writer does not state it, choose NOT GIVEN.
Key Vocabulary:
- deposited = released
- estimate = rough calculation
General Tips:
- YNNG tests the WRITER'S VIEW, not just facts. Always ask: does the writer agree, disagree, or stay silent?
- Statements follow passage order. Use the previous answer location to move forward.
- Be very careful with numbers and quantities. Small changes often mean NO.
- NOT GIVEN means the writer does not express this view at all. Do not use your own logic or calculations.
- Look for opinion signals like 'believe', 'underestimated', 'most important' to identify YES or NO.
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