Writing Explanation Part 2: Well-Written Explanation

Try It Part 2

Click Show Answer below to see an example of a well-written explanation based on the text and claim, evidence and reasoning identified in “The Warmest Years Yet” section of the article "Climate change confirmed? Last year called the warmest on record"opens in new window

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Sample Explanation:

Climate scientists are troubled by the trend in rising temperatures on the Earth’s surface. NOAA and NASA found that temperatures in 2014 were higher than average temperatures in the 1900s.

NOAA reported that December 2014 was the warmest month on record. In addition, May, June, August and September saw record monthly highs. Sometimes, El Nino, a change in ocean temperatures, can warm the Earth. However, El Nino was not the cause of record highs in 2014. Furthermore, record temperatures in 2014 continued a trend where 9 out of the 10 hottest years on record were between 2002 and 2014.

Climate scientists blame human activity for these record highs, particularly our burning of fossil fuels, which release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Because we continue to release greenhouse gases, experts predict even more record highs in the future.

Based on these trends, it is not surprising that 2014 was the warmest year ever measured.

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