1 only a small amount or hardly any of something - There's little doubt in my mind that he's guilty. - I paid little attention to what the others were saying. - Little is known about the causes of the problem. - Changes in the law have done little to improve the situation. little of - Little of their wealth now remains. - There's very little money left. - Many of the students speak little or no English. - He knew little or nothing (=almost nothing) about fixing cars. - My lawyer advised me to say as little as possible . - He did precious little (=very little) to help. - The laboratory tests are of little real value. see usage note few
原文是 minimal ice,而c是little polar ice,两者还是有意思上的差别的。B 有little (part) of polar ice的意思。应该是北极冰的很小一部分融化。
我不认同版主以这样的理由去反驳C,“原文是 minimal ice”,暂且不管原文的意思是什么,原文就是用的little polar ice。little作量词(与不可数名词连用),指“不多的,少量的not much”,used with uncountable nouns to mean "a small amount"。
分析一下if it were to do so中it的指代,(to do so是指melt during summer)
1 如果it 指代little of the polar ice, 则意思与原句意相反
2如果it指代the polar ice, 因为没有说明how much polar ice融化,是大量,中等,还是少量,这直接影响到是否能得到结果the water levels of the oceans would rise 250 feet and engulf most of the world’s great cities.
因此用otherwise更准确,little的反面是large amount,只有在large amount of polar ice融化的时候,才能有上述结果出现
therefore, 如果此题中is so reflective中is该省,而or else=otherwise, 则答案应该是C