Question 419
HardOriginal questionAround the world, the level of the sea is rising, and it is rising faster than before. As the oceans and the air continue to warm, the sea is likely to keep rising for centuries, at a faster rate than in the current century.
This matters to a great many people. Eight of the world's ten largest cities stand near a coast. Where many people live close to the sea, the level of the water plays a part in flooding, in the wearing away of the , and in the damage done by storms.
But the sea does not rise by the same amount everywhere. Just as the land is not flat, neither is the surface of the ocean. In some places the sea rises more than the average, and in others less. The land itself may be slowly sinking or rising, rivers may be controlled , the coast may be wearing away, and ocean currents may push water towards or away from a shore.
That is why scientists measure sea level in two ways. Tide stations along the coast record how high the water is at one place, compared with a fixed point on land. Satellites, measuring from above, give a picture of the whole ocean at once. Together, they show both the global and what is happening on each stretch of coast.
What do tide stations measure, according to the passage?
Show the answer and explanation
Correct answer: A
Explanation
The last paragraph says tide stations "record how high the water is at one place, compared with a fixed point on land".
Worth noting
Measuring the whole ocean at once is what the satellites do.
- Concept
- Telling apart two methods
- Typical timeTypical
- 50 s
- Your timeYours
- —
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