The dawn of the st century witnessed the melting glaciers oscillating between giving too much and too little to billions of people who depend on them for fresh water. The UN climate report estimates that without deep cuts to man-made emissions, at least of the northern hemisphere’s surface permafrost could melt by the end of the century. Given this situation of imminent global exodus of billions of people displaced by rising seas, nation-states need to rethink their carbon footprint for political concerns, if not for environmental ones.
Which one of the following statements can be inferred from the given passage?
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Answer: D
The correct option is D.
We can infer this directly from the first sentence of the passage:
"The dawn of the 21st century witnessed the melting glaciers oscillating between giving too much and too little to billions of people who depend on them for fresh water."
Additionally, the passage mentions the "imminent global exodus of billions of people displaced by rising seas" caused by melting ice. Both statements confirm that billions of people are affected by melting glaciers.
Why other options are incorrect:
- A: The phrase "if not for environmental ones" implies environmental concerns may exist, so we cannot conclude they do not.
- B: The text says people depend on glaciers for water, not that nation-states are responsible for providing it.
- C: The passage mentions "man-made emissions" but does not attribute the responsibility specifically to the billions of affected people.
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