▶ Your Answer : In the reading passage there is ample support for the author’s claim that the Little Ice Age was caused by some reliable theories. However the professor, in the lecture, gives several reasons as a rebuttal to the author’s point. First, the professor contends that it is less likely that solar radiation declines when there are fewer sunspots. In recent observation, solar radiation did not diminish despite of decreased the dark spots. That is, the amount of solar radiation is not related to the number of sunspots. This casts doubt on the reading passage’s claim that the Little Ice Age occurred since solar radiation weakened when reduced sunspots displayed a dwindled solar activity. Next, the professor insists that a volcanic eruption is not sufficient to generate the Little Ice Age. It does not take long time that the ash and dust become removed. However, the Ice Age continued more than 500 years. This counters the reading passage’s assertion that a mass amount of ash and dust made solar radiation more difficult to reach the Earth. Finally, the professor argues that the larger amount of snow cannot increase the reflectivity. Cloud leads to the reflectivity as well. However, the increased snow and glaciers allow cloud to disappear. As a result, the total amount of reflectivity cannot be risen considerably. This refutes the reading passage’s suggestion that the global cooling resulted in augmented reflectivity and it prevented sunlight from reaching the Earth.
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