ENVIRONMENT

environmentalist – a person who chooses a lifestyle that is designed to

minimise their impact on the natural environment and who campaigns for
environmental issues.
- Plans to build a new road alongside the lake drew fierce oppositions
from environmentalists.
environmentally-friendly – not harmful to the environment.
- There are many environmentally-friendly cleaning products on the
market that don’t contain chemicals that damage the environment.
environmental hazard – a substance or an event which has the potential
to threaten the surrounding natural environment.
- The illegal storage of toxic waste presents a significant environmental
hazard.
environmental disaster – a catastrophic event affecting the environment
due to human activity.
- When the oil tanker ran aground, it caused an environmental
disaster from which it took the local wildlife many years to recover.
•wildlife conservation – the protection of wildlife.
•endangered species – a species that is in serious danger of extinction.
•threatened species – a species that is likely to become endangered in
the near future.
•extinct species – a species of which there are no more alive.
•ecosystem – all the living things in an environment and the complex
relationship between each of them and that environment.
- Coral reefs have a delicately balanced ecosystem which can be
seriously damaged by overfishing.
 Fill in the gaps – there are 2 extra words
environmentalists extinct
hazard ecosystem
conservation environmental
climate change ozone layer

1. Pandas could become _________________ in the wild.

2. The rainforest is a self-supporting _______________.
3. Schools are crucial in helping to raise ____________awareness.
4. _______________are working to improve the quality of our lakes and rivers.
5. Polluted water sources are a _____________ to wildlife.
6. More woodland is needed for wildlife____________________.
 Fill in the gaps – there are 2 extra words
environmentalists extinct
hazard ecosystem
conservation environmental
climate change ozone layer

1. Pandas could become ______extinct___________ in the wild.

2. The rainforest is a self-supporting ______ecosystem_________.
3. Schools are crucial in helping to raise ___environmental_____awareness.
4. ____environmentalists_are working to improve the quality of our lakes and
rivers.
5. Polluted water sources are a _____hazard________ to wildlife.
6. More woodland is needed for wildlife__________conservation__________.
habitat – the natural home or environment of an animal, plant or other
organism.
- The loss of their natural habitat through deforestation is a serious
threat to the orangutan in Borneo.
thrive – to grow and develop well or quickly.
- The leopard seal is well adapted to the cold and thrives in the fish-
rich waters of the Arctic.
dying out – to become increasingly less common, almost to the point
of extinction.
- Tigers are in serious danger of dying out in the wild.
climate change – a change in global or regional temperature patterns.
- Climate change has led to the melting of the polar ice caps.
combat climate change – to stop or reverse the effects of climate change.
- It is only by countries working together to combat climate change that we will
save our planet.
fossil fuels – a fuel, such as coal, oil and gas, that is formed in the earth from
dead plants and animals.
- Fossil fuels give off large amounts of carbon when burned which is damaging
to the atmosphere.
ozone layer – a layer of the colourless gas ozone that exists high above the
Earth's surface and which prevents harmful ultraviolet light from the sun from
reaching the Earth.
- Without the ozone layer, it would be very difficult for anything to survive on
Earth.
 Upgrade the following sentences – focus on the underlined structures.

1. Watching monkeys in their natural home or environment

is so fun to watch.
2. Most herbs need direct sun all day in order to grow and
develop well or quickly.
3. The wild population of koalas is in danger of
disappearing.
Upgrade the following sentences – focus on the underlined structures.

Watching monkeys in their natural habitat is so fun to

watch.
Most herbs need direct sun all day in order to thrive.
The wild population of koalas is in danger of dying out.
carbon dioxide – a gas formed when carbon is burned, or when people
or animals breathe out.
- Trees absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen which helps to keep
our atmosphere healthy.
greenhouse effect – the gradual warming of the surface of the Earth due
to greenhouse gases being trapped in the atmosphere above the Earth.
-The greenhouse effect is believed by many to be responsible for
climate change.
deforestation – the cutting down or burning of all the trees in an area.
- Deforestation results in the loss of habitat for millions of species, leads to
soil erosion and, according to scientists, is a major cause of climate change.
pollution – damage to water, air or land by harmful substances and waste
materials.
- In some cities, the air pollution is so bad that people have to wear face
masks when they go out.
carbon footprint – the amount of carbon dioxide released into the
atmosphere as a result of the activities of a particular individual or
organization.
- I have reduced my carbon footprint by cycling to work instead of
driving.
global warming – a gradual increase in world 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.
- It’s not too late to reverse the effects of global warming but we
must act right now.
•to fight / to combat / to
tackle global warming –
take action to reverse the
effects or promote the
issue of global warming.
smog – a mixture of smoke, gases, and chemicals, especially in cities, that makes
the atmosphere difficult to breathe and harmful for health.
- Some days the smog is so bad that people are forced to stay indoors.
poaching – the illegal hunting or capturing of wild animals.
- Elephant’s valuable tusks make them a target for poaching.
drought – a long period when there is little or no rain.
- The severe drought meant that the crops failed for the second year running and
many people faced starvation.
flooding – when an area of land that is normally dry is covered with water.
- We have been told to expect more violent storms and frequent flooding as a result
of global warming.
 Correct the mistakes in the following sentences:

1. The rhinos’ horns make them a target for hunting.

2. I have reduced my carbon fingerprint by walking to
school instead of taking a taxi.
3. In the 1950’s the smoke in London was so bad that
people were forced to stay indoors.
4. In some cities, the air poluation is so toxic that people
have to wear face masks when they go out.
 Correct the mistakes in the following sentences:
1. The rhinos’ horns make them a target for hunting poaching.
2. I have reduced my carbon fingerprint footprint by walking to
school instead of taking a taxi.
3. In the 1950’s the smoke smog in London was so bad that people
were forced to stay indoors.
4. In some cities, the air poluation pollution is so toxic that people
have to wear face masks when they go out.
 How many of these phrases are you
familiar with?
 wind turbine
 to go green
 renewable energy
sustainable – involving methods that do not use up or destroy natural
resources.
- With advances in technology, it is hoped that we will eventually be able
to replace fossil fuels with sustainable energy sources.
renewable energy – energy from a source that is not depleted when
used.
- Where I live, both solar power and wind power are important sources
of renewable energy.
solar power – power obtained by harnessing the energy of the sun's rays.
- Hussan fitted solar panels to his roof last year and is now able to
produce all the energy he needs to run his home from solar power.
energy-efficient – using only as much energy as is needed without any
waste.
- When I buy a new appliance, I look for one that is energy-efficient as it
will be cheaper to run and be more environmentally-friendly.
wind turbine – a tall structure with blades that are blown round by the
wind and produce power to make electricity.
- Many farmers in my area have installed wind turbines to provide the
electricity they need.
wind farm – a group of wind turbines.
- We were horrified when they got permission to build a wind farm in
our beautiful countryside, but we’re used to it now and understand
how important it is to generate renewable energy.
to go green – to choose an environmentally-friendly lifestyle.
- In an attempt to go green, my family is recycling everything we can
and we no longer buy bottled water.
1) Do you think pollution is a big problem nowadays?

I think it’s a massive issue. It really worries me how much damage

we are doing to the natural environment, especially how
we pollute the oceans with plastic waste and release greenhouse
gases into the atmosphere.

2) What do you do to prevent the environment

from pollution?
I recycle as much rubbish as I can and I walk when possible
rather than driving or taking public transport in order to reduce
my carbon footprint.
3) Are you worried about climate change?
Most definitely. In my country, the weather is changing because
of global warming and we get more droughts and scorching heat than
before. Governments and individuals need to do more to combat
climate change.

4) Do you use renewable energy?

Not at the moment. I wanted to change my house to solar power but
the panels are too expensive for me to buy so, unfortunately, I still rely
on fossil fuels.
 5) What do you consider to be the most serious environmental
issues in the world today?
I’d say that global warming and climate change have to come
top of the list because these threaten the very future of life on our planet.
There are many contributing factors such as the burning of fossil
fuels, deforestation, and large-scale livestock farming.
Another serious concern is for the marine life in our oceans which is
under serious threat from pollution, especially plastic waste. These kill
or injure thousands of sea creatures every day.
Many species of wildlife are also being pushed to the verge
of extinction by poaching. It’s shocking to think that stunning animals
such as the tiger are dying out in the wild because of the actions of
human beings.
There are many other environmental problems that we need to solve
but these are the ones I believe to be the most serious and absolutely
urgent.