62 pages • 2 hours read
Al GoreAn Inconvenient Truth
Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2006A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
Summary
Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Key Figures
Themes
Symbols & Motifs
Important Quotes
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Reading Check, Multiple Choice & Short Answer Quizzes
Reading Check questions are designed for in-class review on key plot points or for quick verbal or written assessments. Multiple Choice and Short Answer Quizzes create ideal summative assessments, and collectively function to convey a sense of the work’s tone and themes.
Sections 1-3
Reading Check
1. In which year did humans first take a picture of the Earth from outer space?
2. Why is the photo of Earth that was taken in 1972 so remarkable?
3. Which famous author does Gore quote in Section 1?
4. Who is Roger Revelle?
5. Who is Lonnie Thompson?
6. When did the 10 hottest years on Earth occur?
7. What happens to the wind when the water temperature increases?
8. Gore states that global warming is causing more precipitation as well as more what?
Multiple Choice
1. Which of the following best describes the effect of greenhouse gases on the earth’s atmosphere?
A) They have a positive effect only when they are abundant and concentrated.
B) They have a positive effect in moderation but can be harmful if concentrated.
C) They have a negative effect in moderation but can be cooling to Earth if concentrated.
D) They have only a negative effect and must be eliminated from the Earth’s atmosphere.
2. Which of the following best describes why Gore shares examples of different glaciers that are melting?
A) to emphasize that global warming is causing a stark difference in temperatures between the northern and southern hemisphere
B) to argue that glaciers are the only ecological component affected by the increase in carbon dioxide
C) to exemplify the effects that melting glaciers will have on local populations
D) to refute the work of climate scientists on global warming
3. Which of the following best describes the correlation between carbon dioxide and temperature?
A) There is a positive correlation since they are both increasing steadily.
B) There is a negative correlation since as carbon dioxide increases, temperature decreases.
C) There is a negative correlation since as temperature increases, carbon dioxide decreases.
D) There is a positive correlation since they are both decreasing steadily.
4. Which of the following best describes the consequences that soil evaporation has on people living in the U.S.?
A) increased storms from the Atlantic
B) increase in humanitarian aid from Europe
C) decrease in the amount of rainfall in the Midwest
D) decrease in overall production in the farming regions
Short-Answer Response
Answer each of the following questions in a complete sentence or sentences. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.
1. Why is the atmosphere the most vulnerable part of the Earth’s ecological system? How has global warming changed this?
2. Describe the image that first piqued Gore’s interest in global warming. What does the image depict? Where did Gore learn about this image?
3. Describe the personal story Gore shares in Section 2. What happened? How did this event change Gore’s thinking?
4. In Section 3, Gore talks about Hurricane Katrina. Where did this hurricane hit? What was the effect of this hurricane on the local population?
Sections 4-5
Reading Check
1. Which two regions of Earth are “canaries in the coal mine” (Section 4)?
2. Which fuel is the “ultimate clean fuel of the future” (Section 4)?
3. Which animal is particularly affected by the melting of the Arctic ice caps?
4. How has global warming affected coral reefs?
5. What is a sign in Antarctica that global warming is occurring?
6. By how many feet would the sea level rise if Greenland melted?
Multiple Choice
1. Which of the following statements is true regarding the increase of melting ice caps in the Arctic?
A) 90% of the sun’s rays are absorbed by the ice, causing it to melt.
B) 90% of the sun’s rays are absorbed by the surrounding water, causing the ice to melt.
C) 90% of the sun’s rays are absorbed by surrounding glaciers, causing an increase in flooding.
D) 90% of the sun’s rays are absorbed by modern technology, causing the Arctic to remain cool.
2. Which of the following best explains why Gore uses the examples of cities in Africa?
A) to illustrate the importance of changing ecological niches
B) to share a personal observation regarding melting glacier caps
C) to argue that the cooling temperatures in these cities is reducing the presence of mosquitoes
D) to question research that states global warming is present in these urban centers
3. Which of the following best describes why the maps would need to be “redrawn” around the world?
A) The increased deaths of species would lead to widespread famine.
B) The decrease in fresh water would lead to a global water crisis.
C) The rising sea levels would make certain cities and countries uninhabitable.
D) The widespread drought and famine would lead to a worldwide war.
Short-Answer Response
Answer each of the following questions in a complete sentence or sentences. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.
1. What is the Ocean Conveyor Belt? How does it work and what is the effect of global warming on this system?
2. Summarize the personal anecdote that Gore shares in Section 5. Why does he continue his work in politics?
Sections 6-7
Reading Check
1. Which country has the largest carbon emissions?
2. What are the three factors causing a “collision” between Earth and civilization?
3. Which new type of technology in warfare does Gore discuss in Section 6?
4. What is one way that lobbyists and companies cause confusion in the general public?
5. What are the missing words in this quote: “___ ___ is a renewable resource.”
Multiple Choice
1. According to Gore in Section 6, which of the following best summarizes the effect of population changes?
A) The increasing population in developed countries puts a strain on water resources.
B) The decreasing population in developed countries puts a strain on the workforce.
C) The increasing population in developing countries puts a strain on natural resources.
D) The decreasing population in developing countries puts a strain on remittances.
2. Which of the following best describes why the border between Haiti and the Dominican Republic is a political issue?
A) Both countries agreed to develop a plan for climate action.
B) While Haiti is working on fighting deforestation, the Dominican Republic does not have any policies regulating forest burning.
C) Water resources are stark on the Haitian border, compared with the Dominican Republic.
D) Haiti and the Dominican Republic have different policies regarding deforestation.
3. Why is choosing between wealth and Earth a false choice?
A) because prioritizing the planet will lead to businesses finding alternatives that will benefit humanity
B) because wealth is the most important objective in the fight against global warming
C) because big business will inevitably become poor if they observe global warming action plans
D) because the Earth is irreversibly doomed
Short-Answer Response
Answer each of the following questions in a complete sentence or sentences. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.
1. What is the relationship between human behavior and technology? What caution does Gore provide on this subject?
2. What analogy does Gore use to explain our thinking about global warming? What does this analogy mean?
3. Describe the personal anecdote that Gore shares in Section 7. What lesson does Gore draw from it?
Sections 8-9
Reading Check
1. Which treaty does Gore mention the U.S. has not ratified in Section 8?
2. Which example does Gore share of a climate problem on which the U.S. took leadership in supporting global action efforts?
3. Which type of carbon hurts the ozone layer?
Multiple Choice
1. Which of the following best describes why Gore uses examples from U.S. history in Section 8?
A) to remind readers of the impact of global warming on major historical events
B) to reassure readers that governments will not change their habits no matter what
C) to invite readers to consider previous obstacles that Americans fought and overcame
D) to discourage readers from participating in public service
2. Which of the following phrases best summarizes how individuals can take “effective action”?
A) recycling plastics
B) conserving resources
C) eliminating meat consumption
D) reducing saltwater usage
3. Which of the following tones does the book end on?
A) despair
B) concern
C) frustration
D) hope
Short-Answer Response
Answer each of the following questions in a complete sentence or sentences. Incorporate details from the text to support your response.
1. What are some of the ways that Gore says individuals can fight global warming?
2. In what ways can individuals be catalysts for change in their communities?
3. Gore notes some of the misconceptions about global warming in Section 9. What are some of these misconceptions?
Quizzes – Answer Key
Sections 1-3
Reading Check
1. 1968 (Section 1)
2. because the sun was behind the spacecraft and Earth is fully illuminated (Section 1)
3. Mark Twain (Section 1)
4. the first person to suggest measuring carbon dioxide in the earth’s atmosphere (Section 1)
5. a scientist who studies ice from extracted ice cores (Section 2)
6. in the last 14 years (Section 3) (relates to the theme of The Reality)
7. The wind velocity also increases. (Section 3) (relates to the theme of The Reality)
8. drought (Section 3) (relates to the theme of The Reality)
Multiple Choice
Short-Answer Response
1. The atmosphere is the most vulnerable because it is very thin. Due to greenhouse gases, the Earth’s atmosphere is thickening, which is ultimately leading to global warming. (Section 1) (relates to the theme of The Reality)
2. The image is a red line that, although it oscillates between up and down movements, is overall moving upwards. The image depicts the level of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere, which has been increasing steadily since the mid-1950s. Gore learned about this image from his professor, Roger Revelle. (Section 1) (relates to the theme of The Reality)
3. In this anecdote (one that illustrates how The Personal is Political), Gore’s 6-year-old son was hit by a car and placed on a ventilator in the hospital. Although he recovered, this event had a profound impact on Gore’s role as a public servant, particularly in fighting for what he believes in. (Section 2)
4. Hurricane Katrina damaged several states in the southeastern U.S. in 2005. First, it hit Florida as a Category 1 storm; then it hit New Orleans with increased intensity. It devastated the community by destroying infrastructure and leading to many deaths. (Section 3) (relates to the theme of The Reality)
Sections 4-5
Reading Check
1. the Arctic and Antarctica (Section 4)
2. hydrogen (Section 4)
3. polar bears (Section 4) (relates to the theme of The Reality)
4. coral bleaching (Section 5) (relates to the theme of The Reality)
5. breaking of ice shelves from the Antarctica peninsula (Section 5) (relates to the theme of The Reality)
6. 18-20 feet (Section 5) (relates to the theme of The Reality)
Multiple Choice
Short-Answer Response
1. It is the name of the ocean current system, with the most well-known being the Gulf Stream. An influx of fresh water can stop the current system and cause a quick climate transition, such as another ice age. (Section 4) (relates to the theme of The Reality)
2. This “Personal-is-Political” anecdote addresses how Gore became a politician in the U.S. He notes the importance of American democracy, and how the spirit of freedom must be “ignited.” (Section 5)
Sections 6-7
Reading Check
1. the United States (Section 6)
2. population, technology, our thinking (Sections 6 and 7)
3. Nuclear warfare (Section 6)
4. doubt (Section 7)
5. “political will” (Section 7)
Multiple Choice
Short-Answer Response
1. If humans use old habits with new technology, it will greatly alter the Earth, and the net effect of these changes will be decidedly negative. (Section 6)
2. Gore uses an analogy of a frog sitting in a pot of lukewarm water as the water is slowly brought to a boil. The point of this analogy is that we may not notice the problems getting worse around us until it is too late. (Section 7)
3. The anecdote Gore shares (one that illustrates how The Personal is Political) is about his sister, Nancy, who died of lung cancer after smoking. Gore shares this story as an example of how companies can be aware of scientific evidence of harm they are doing and choose to ignore that evidence. (Section 7)
Sections 8-9
Reading Check
1. the Kyoto Treaty (Section 8)
2. the hole in the Ozone layer (Section 8)
3. chlorofluorocarbons (Section 8)
Multiple Choice
Short-Answer Response
1. Individuals can save energy, use hybrid cars and transportation alternatives, and consume less and conserve more. (Section 9) (relates to the theme of the Opportunity and Danger)
2. Individuals can take Political Action, as well as use their financial and social positions to fight against global warming. (Section 9)
3. Some possible answers include: global warming is the result of a hole in the ozone layer, warmer conditions are due to the trapping of heat, and winters will become milder from global warming. (Section 9)
