The carbon-dioxide effect can also change the preferred patterns

The carbon-dioxide effect can also change the preferred patterns of atmospheric circulation, which can exacerbate extremes of heat, drought, or rainfall in some regions, while reducing them in others. The problem is that a reduction in those extremes to which we are already well-adapted provides only modest benefits, whereas the new extremes to which we are not adapted can be devastating, as recent events in Pakistan show. (from Project Syndicate Aug. 16,2010)
【正确答案】：二氧化碳效应也能改变大气循环的更可取的模式，这会在某些地区加剧热浪、干旱或强降雨等极端天气，而在另一些地区又使极端天气得到缓和。问题在于，我们已然很适应的那些极端天气的缓和只能带来些微的益处，而我们尚未适应的新的极端天气却可能是毁灭性的，正如最近发生在巴基斯坦的水灾所显现的那样。（选自《英语文摘》2010年第10期，黄景睿 译注，有改动）