1. Read the webpage about El Niño. What is it and what effects can it have?
(Đọc một trang web về El Niño. Đó là gì và tác động nó có thể gây ra?)
El Niño
What is it?
El Niño is part of a phenomenon called El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). El Niño happens when the strong ocean winds decrease and the temperature of the ocean becomes unusually warm. The name comes from the Spanish for "child" and refers to the baby Jesus, because it often happens around Christmas. El Niño has occurred for at least the last 300 years, and it lasts between 9 months and 2 years. They occur approximately every 2-7 years.
Causes and effects
Scientists are not sure what causes El Niño, but there are various theories. One theory is that strong Pacific winds create a big area of warm water in the west. If the winds suddenly disappear, the warm water quickly moves to the east and causes El Niño. Another theory is that volcanic activity in the tropics causes it.
El Niño has a big impact on the Pacific region and affects weather all over the world. It can cause floods in some countries (such as Peru and Ecuador), but very dry conditions, forest fires and drought in others (south-east Asia and Australia). El Niño can cause typhoons and hurricanes. El Niño also affects marine ecosystems because the warm water is poor in nutrients and cannot sustain big fish populations. This causes problems for the Pacific fishing industry.