Reading Graphs: How to read a graph

What is the horizontal axis showing, and what is the range of values?

The horizontal axis is showing calendar years and the range of values (from when to when the data was collected is from 1979-2000.

Is present day on the right, or the left?
Present day(11 years ago) is on the right.

What is the vertical axis showing, what are the units, and what is the range of values?
 The vertical axis is showing degrees C˚.  The range of values is -0.6˚ -  0.8˚ C.  The horizontal axis is showing calendar years
The graph was created from data that was gathered.  Does the web page state where the data came from?
The web page (nasa) states that the information comes from surface temperatures in the tropospheric  layer.

Do I Believe What I Read?

After reading the two articles about global warming, I came to the conculution that I did not believe or agree with either of the two.  Actually saying that I did not agree would be a false statement because I could agree with both.  National Geographic, I personally think, is not a bias website.  On the other hand, I could not decipher whether or not the other one was bias or not.  I don't think that they both gave all the information and I think any information they had was accurate for the entire globe.