雅思阅读 097: Europes Deadly Heat and Drying Soils

Adapted from 'Europes heat waves are killing thousands and wringing its soils dry', Scientific American, July 2026.

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Europes climate-change-driven summer of extreme heat has hit the continent with a one-two punch: the heat wave has killed thousands and sucked water out of rivers, lakes, soils and plants, fueling destructive wildfires.

Repeated heat led Western Europe to its warmest June on record. The second half of the month had a heat wave so intense it broke all-time temperature records across several countries. An analysis by World Weather Attribution found these extreme temperatures would have been virtually impossible without global warming and are now about 10 times more likely than in 2003. Heat waves are also hotter than decades ago: conditions have become up to 2.5 degrees Celsius warmer. The event exposed 327 million people to climate-intensified heat.

The human toll is severe. A European mortality monitoring network recorded more than 16,000 excess deaths across 27 countries during the week of June 22-28 alone, with over 14,000 among people aged 65 and older.

These tallies are likely undercounts. In 2022, the World Health Organization estimated about 15,000 heat-related deaths, but a later study put the true figure above 61,000. Heat deaths are typically logged only when a death certificate names heatstroke directly, missing the larger toll of heart attacks and respiratory failures triggered by extreme temperatures.

A study found that repeated exposure to extreme heat accelerates the bodys aging process, with an effect comparable to regular smoking or alcohol consumption.

The heat is also drying up water supplies. Hotter air holds more moisture, so it pulls harder on available water. Record heat has evaporated water from rivers, lakes and soils, making drought up to 80 times more likely in Western Europe. By desiccating vegetation, the drought has fueled wildfires: 116,000 hectares burned in Spain and 42,000 in France.

France is on track for its lowest maize harvest in 50 years. Low river levels are disrupting cargo transport. The Rhine River at Lobith in the Netherlands saw its flow drop to 715 cubic meters per second, the lowest for July on record, breaking a 1976 record.

What is most alarming is that these conditions are happening at just 1.4 degrees of warming. If emissions push temperatures to 2.8 degrees as predicted, these conditions could double in likelihood.

Questions 1-5

Choose the correct letter, A, B, C or D.

1. How many excess deaths were recorded in the week of June 22-28? A. 61,000 B. 16,000 C. 14,000 D. 327 million
2. How many of those deaths were among people aged 65+? A. About 1,600 B. About 14,000 C. About 16,000 D. About 61,000
3. Why are heat deaths undercounted? A. Deaths are only counted if the certificate names heatstroke directly B. No one monitors deaths C. People do not report deaths D. Deaths are counted twice
4. How many hectares burned in Spain? A. 42,000 B. 715 C. 116,000 D. 15,000
5. The Rhine River flow dropped to what record low? A. 715 cubic meters per second B. 116,000 cubic meters C. 2.5 degrees D. 1.4 degrees

Questions 6-10

Do the following statements agree with the information? Write TRUE, FALSE or NOT GIVEN.

6. Heat waves are now about 10 times more likely than in 2003.
7. Repeated heat exposure accelerates aging.
8. The drought has caused wildfires only in Spain.
9. France expects its best maize harvest in 50 years.
10. Current warming is 2.8 degrees.

Questions 11-13

Complete the summary. Choose ONE WORD ONLY.

Hotter air holds more 11, so it pulls water from rivers and soils. Drought has desiccated 12, fueling wildfires. At 2.8 degrees warming, these conditions could double in 13.

Answers

1. B 2. B 3. A 4. C 5. A
2. TRUE 7. TRUE 8. FALSE 9. FALSE 10. FALSE
3. moisture 12. vegetation 13. likelihood

Key Vocabulary

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