雅思核心话题

Topic 4: Nature, the environment and energy

1）Topic Vocabulary

climate change = the change in global climate

patterns which appeared from the mid to late 20th

century onwards, caused mainly by the increased

levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere

The climate around the world has been changing

rapidly over the last decade.

Climate change is one of the most serious problems

that the world is facing today.

Q:What do you think are the effects of climate change

in recent years?How can we tackle the problems?

carbon dioxide (CO2) = the gas formed when

carbon is burned, or when people or animals breathe

out

The burning of fossil fuels releases large amounts of

carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which leads to

global warming.

Trees absorb carbon dioxide.

fossil fuels = a natural fuel such as coal, gas, or oil

formed in the geological past from the remains of

living organisms

Some people do not believe that humans' reliance on

fossil fuels is to blame for global warming.

global warming = a gradual rise in the world's

temperatures caused by polluting gases such as

carbon dioxide which are collecting in the air around

the Earth and preventing heat from escaping into

space

Deforestation is contributing to global warming

because trees absorb carbon dioxide.

Q: What are the results of global warming? What are

the causes?

deforestation = cutting down and clearing areas of

forest

Deforestation is destroying animal habitats.

ecosystem = all the living things in an area and the

way they affect each other and the environment

The world has a delicately balanced ecosystem, and

pollution can damage this.

The marine (= related to the sea) ecosystem was

badly damaged by the oil spill.

biodiversity = the variety of plant and animal life in

the world or in a particular habitat, a high level of

which is usually considered to be important and

desirable

The rich and diverse biodiversity of our planet must be

protected.

toxic/toxin = poisonous / a poisonous substance

The dumping (= disposing of something in a careless

way) of toxic waste has contaminated the area.

Leaded fuel from cars releases toxins into the air

which can affect the brain.

sustainable = causing little or no damage to the

environment and therefore able to continue for a long

time

Countries need to promote sustainable development

in order to protect the environment from further

damage.
contamination = pollution by poisons or dangerous elements

The atmosphere in large cities is often contaminated by smog, as we

can see in China.

the biosphere = the relationship between all living things on

the planet

Children should be educated on the biosphere through field trips and

practical experiments.

emissions = gases entering the atmosphere

Scientists spend their whole careers studying the effect of emissions

on the climate.

pollutant particles = microscopic elements of pollution

I remember going to a factory and seeing the snow covered with

pollutant particles.

run-off = water that runs from the ground into rivers and lakes

We should try to collect and use more run-off water, to avoid having

to recycle water so much.

the water cycle = the natural process of water moving from

clouds to rain and seas

Scientists believe the water cycle is responsible for various natural

events, especially in coastal areas.

aquifers = underground, natural water stores

My family have a well which connects to an aquifer, giving very

pure water.

filtration = the process of filtering and removing impurities

Water filtration might be a solution to water shortages in very hot

countries.

water table = the layer of water below ground

In my town, the water table is very high, and water will appear in

even a small hole.

tainted = polluted or contaminated

The Mediterranean is badly tainted in some areas by sewage

pollution.

soil erosion = the loss of soil by wind and rain activity

Deforestation has increased soil erosion seriously in Brazil.

logging = cutting down trees for timber and industrial use

Logging has endangered many species throughout the world.

dumping = leaving waste deliberately without storing or treating

it

In most countries, dumping rubbish is a criminal offence.

waste = any material not wanted or needed after a process

In my country, we use waste from cotton manufacture for lighting

fires.

landfills = organised areas where waste is buried in the ground

Surprisingly, Britain still sends most of its domestic waste to landfill

sites.

waste processing = recycling or reducing waste into

manageable forms

My brother has a waste processing company, which is subsidised by

the local authority.

poaching = illegally hunting and killing animals

Elephant poaching should be a much higher priority for the world

authorities, as elephants are an endangered species.

habitat loss = destruction or disappearance of an animal’s

natural home

Logging has caused substantial habitat loss for wildlife in many

countries.

Q: What are the causes of animal habitat loss?

Results? Solutions?

food chain = the natural system of animals eating other animals

and plants

The food chain has been disrupted by the loss of certain species,

with widespread impacts on all animals.

dwindling numbers = (to dwindle = to steadily decline in

quantity)
States seem to have dwindling funds to pay for animal sanctuaries,

although they are still able to pay for government officials and their

perks.

extinction = the final death of all animals in a species

Dinosaur extinction may have been caused by a meteor or volcano,

but scientists seem unsure about this.

famine = a situation where there is a lack of food in an area for a

long time

Many singers help make charity songs to raise funds for famine

relief.

drought = similar to famine, but a lack of water

Drought in central Africa can continue for many years, apparently.

irrigation = supplying water to land for agriculture

If we want quick solutions to famine, better irrigation and farming

methods would probably be the first step.

catastrophe = a great disaster affecting many people

The continuing destruction of the rain forests is a catastrophe for the

global biosphere.

exacerbated (= to exacerbate = to make an existing problem

worse, accidentally or deliberately)

Famine in Africa has been exacerbated by civil war and political

instability.
Common Idioms and phrases for IELTS speaking:

a drop in the ocean = a very small amount compared to what is

needed

Unplugging unused appliances may seem like a drop in the ocean in

terms of reducing electricity consumption, but it would make a big

difference if we all do that.

a hot potato = a problem that is controversial and difficult to solve

Scientists say energy pollution in developing countries is a hot

potato due to the lack of investment in low-carbon infrastructure in

these places.

Earth is literally heating up, just like a hot potato.

a voice in the wilderness = a person or group with an unpopular

opinion or making a suggestion or plea that is ignored

The scientist’s warnings about rising global temperatures as a result

of human activity were a voice in the wilderness in the 80s, but

governments around the world have now realised the danger and

are taking steps to fight climate change.

can’t see the wood for the trees = to be unable to understand a

situation clearly because one is too involved in it

Policymakers who are worried about job losses from coal mine

shutdowns simply can’t see the wood for the trees, and should

instead invest in renewable energy.

sands of time are running out = a limited amount of time before

something happens; not much time left to do something

The sands of time are running out – we need to achieve zero net

greenhouse gas emissions within the next 10 years to prevent the

worst effects of climate change.

set alarm bells ringing = to make people start to feel worried and to

suspect that something is wrong

Irrefutable evidence on the effects of greenhouse gas emissions from

burning fossil fuels has set alarm bells ringing and citizens are

finally pushing world leaders to address the climate emergency.

tip of the iceberg = only a small part of a much larger problem

Disasters due to climate change are just the tip of the iceberg.

Experts say rising global temperatures are putting at least 1 million

plant and animal species at risk of extinction around the world.

2）Ideas/Opinions
Global warming
Gases such as carbon dioxide trap heat from the sun
This causes global temperatures to rise
This process is known as the greenhouse effect
Human activity is a major factor in the rise of the greenhouse gases
Factories and vehicles produce emissions and exhaust fumes
Many developing countries are becoming industrialized
The number of cars on our streets is growing
Cheap air travel is allowing more people to fly

Effects of Global Warming

Global warming will have a significant impact on our planet
Rising temperature will cause melting of the polar ice caps
Sea levels will rise
We can expect more extreme weather conditions
Flooding and droughts may become more common

Impacts of humans on the environment

The increasing world population is putting pressure on natural
resources
Fossil fuels like oil and gas are running out
We are destroying wildlife habitats
We have cut down enormous areas of rainforest
This has led to the extinction of many species of animals and plants

Solutions to environment problems

Governments could introduce laws to limit emissions from factories
They should invest in renewable energy from solar, wind or water
power
They could impose “green taxes” on drivers and airlines companies
Government campaigns should promote recycling
Natural areas and wild animals should be protected
Individuals should also try to be greener
We should take fewer flights abroad for holidays
We should take public transport rather than driving
We should choose products with less packaging
We should recycle as much as possible

Waste/rubbish
The amount of waste we produce has increased
This problem is a result of our consumer culture
Products are not made to last
If something breaks, we throw it way and buy a new one
Advertisers encourage is to buy the newest fashions
Packaging is an important part of selling
Most foods are sold in non-biodegradable plastics packaging
The amount of household waste is growing
This waste ends up in landfill sites

Litter
People do not think about the consequences of dropping rubbish
They assume that somebody is pad to clean the street
Plastic packaging does not break down easily
Most of the litter seen on streets is fast food packaging

Recycling and other solutions

Companies should make goods that last longer
They should not use so much packaging
Governments should be stricter, about waster produced by
companies
They should put legal limits on packaging
Consumers should avoid buying over-packaged products
We should recycle and reuse useful materials.
There are collection banks for glass, paper and plastic bottles
Households can use several rubbish bins to separate waste
Recycling saves energy and raw materials.

Nuclear Power: Positives

There are several benefits to build more nuclear power stations
Fossil fuel like oil and gas are running out
Nuclear power is a sustainable energy source
It can be used to produce electricity without wasting natural
resources
It could be replace the use of natural resources like coal, oil or gas
Nuclear power stations are cleaner than fossil fuel power stations
They could help to reduce carbon emissions that cause global
warming
The risks of accidents are being reduced

Nuclear Power: negatives

Opponents of nuclear power worry about the safety of power
stations
The building of new nuclear power stations is unpopular
Nobody wants to live near one
Nuclear waste disposal is a significant problem
There is currently no way to decontaminate radioactive material
People worry that terrorists could steal radioactive materials
It is safer to produce energy from solar, wind or water power.