Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to choose the word or phrase that best fits each other numbered blanks. 

     As Earth’s climate has warmed, a new pattern of more frequent and more intense weather events has unfolded around the world. Scientists identify these extreme weather events based on the historical (39) ________ of weather in a particular region. They consider extreme weather events to be those (40) _______ produce unusually high or low levels of rain or snow, temperature, wind, or (41) _______ effects. Typically, these events are considered extreme if they are unlike 90% or 95% of similar weather events that happened before in that same area. 

     A warmer and more moist atmosphere over the oceans makes it likely that the strongest hurricanes will be more intense, produce more rainfall, and possibly be larger. In addition, global warming causes sea level to (42) _________, which increases the amount of seawater, along with more rainfall, that is pushed on to shore during coastal storms. That seawater, along with more rainfall, can result in destructive flooding. (43) ______ global warming is likely making hurricanes more intense, scientists don't know yet if global warming is increasing the number of hurricanes each year. The effect of global warming on the frequency, intensity, size, and speed of hurricanes remains a subject of scientific research.