Unit 4: Environment

ENVIRONMENT

UNIT OBJECTIVES

At the end of this unit, students will be able to:

• Use vocabulary relating to the topic (features
of environment, environmental problems,
green issues).
• Pronounce sound link and stress within word
families
• Develop listening, reading and speaking skills via
practical exercises relating to this topic.

OVERVIEW

1 2 3
WARMING UP GRAMMAR VOCABULARY
• How green are you? • Passive voice Vocabulary about environment
• Activities that help to protect • Changing from active to pas-
our environment sive voice

4 5 6
PRONUNCIATION READING LISTENING
• Sound link • Are you SAD? • Medical plants
• Stress within word families • Save the elephants • Recycling

7 8 9
SPEAKING WRITING KEY
• Threats to our environment • Save the dolphins
• Saving the environment • Save the elephants fund.

DURATION (12 PERIODS)

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A. How green are you?

If you want to save the planet, ecology begins at home- try this quiz and see how environmentally
aware you are.

1 Which form of household heating is generally considered most environmentally-

friendly?

a. electric b. coal c. wood d. natural gas

2 Which household appliance consumes the most electricity?

a. freezer c. television
b. electric cooker d. washing machine

If you leave your TV on “stand- by”- switched on but with no picture or

3
sound- how much electricity will you use?
a. 5% b. 10% c. 20%

4 In which room do you use most water?

a. kitchen b. bathroom c. laundry

5 Which of the following is a renewable resource?

a. oil b. iron ore c. trees d. coal

6 Which of the following household materials is considered hazardous waste?

a. plastic packaging b. glass c. batteries d. food
7 What happens to most household waste after it leaves the home? It is...
a. buried b. burned c. recycled

8 How long would it take for Americans to throw away enough rubbish to fill a
line of trucks reaching the moon?
a. 2 years b. 10 years c. 100 years

9 How much of your life will you spend opening and reading junk mail?
a. 2 weeks b. 1 month c. 8 months

10 You can save one tree by recycling a pile of newspapers that is how tall?
a. 1m b. 5m c. 10m

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B. Tick () the activity that help to protect our environment

No. Activity
1. Plant trees
2. Hunt animals
3. Recycle waste
4. Donate money to protect endangered animals
5. Go to work by private cars
6. Use public vehicles such as bus, underground

1 PASSIVE VOICE
FORM
We form the passive voice with the auxiliary verb to be and the past participle of the main
verb.

S + to be + Past participle (PII)

TENSES POSITIVE NEGATIVE QUESTION

S + am/is/are + (PII) S + am/is/are + not + Am/Is/Are + S + (PII)?

Simple present Example:
(PII) Example: Is rice grown in
Rice is grown in China Example: Rice isn’t grown China?
in China
S + am/is/are + S + am/is/are + not + Am/Is/Are + S +
Present being + (PII) being + (PII) being + (PII)?
continuous Example: The patients Example: The patients Example: Are the patients
are being examined right aren’t being examined right being examined right now?
now. now.
S + was/were + (PII) S + was/were + not + Was/Were + S + (PII)?
Simple past Example:
(PII) Example: Was this photo-
This photograph was Example: This photograph graph taken last summer?
taken last summer. wasn’t taken last summer.

S + was/were + S + was/were + not + Was/Were + S +

Past continuous being + (PII) being + (PII) being + (PII) ?
Example: The letter Example: The letter wasn’t Example: Was the letter
was being typed when I being typed when I arrived. being typed when I aiirived?
arrived.

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TENSES POSITIVE NEGATIVE QUESTION

S + has/have + been S + has/have + not + Has/Have + S + been +

Present perfect + (PII) been + (PII) (PII)?
Example: All the deci- Example: All the decisions Example: Have all the de-
sions have been made. haven’t been made. cisions been made?

S + had + been + S + had + not + been + Had + S + been + (PII)?

Past perfect (PII) (PII) Example: By the time we
Example: By the time Example: By the time we arrived, had all the seats
we arrived, all the seats arrived, all the seats hadn’t been taken?
had been taken. been taken.
S + will + be + (PII)) S + will + not + be + Will + S + be + (PII)?
Future with Will Example: (PII) Example: Will the emails
The emails will be sent Example: The emails be sent?
as soon as possible. won’t sent.

S + will + have + S + will + have + not Will + S + have +

Future perfect been + (PII) + been + (PII) been + (PII) ?
Example: The work Example: The work Example: Will the work
will have been done won’t have been done have been done by
by tomorrow. by tomorrow. tomorrow?
S + must/ can/ could, S + must/ can/ could, Must/ Can/ Could, etc
Modal verbs etc + be +(PII) etc + not + be +(PII) + S + be +(PII)?
Example: Meat must be Example: Meat mustn’t be Example: Must meat be
kept in the refrigerator. kept in the refrigerator. kept in the refrigerator?

USES
We use the passive voice:
• To emphasize the action rather than the person who did it (the agent).
Example: The new library was built last year.
• When we don’t know who did the action.
Example: The window was broken last night.
• When it is easy to understand who did the action.
Example: Three people were taken to the hospital after the crash.

2 CHANGING FROM ACTIVE TO PASSIVE VOICE

We change a sentence from active to passive voice in the following way:
• The object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence.
• We use the verb to be in the same form as the verb in the active sentence.
• We use the past participle of the main verb in the active sentence.
• We use the word by if we want to say who performed the action.

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Example:
Active sentence: Carlos designs the building.
S V O

Passive sentence: The building is designed by Carlos.

S V (PII) O

Notes:
We usually include by + the agent only if it is important to the meaning of the
sentence.
Example: The glass was broken by Ann.
(by Ann emphasizes that Ann did the action, not someone else).
Rice is grown in the field by farmers.
(by farmers is not important to the meaning of the sentence, so it can be crossed out)

PRACTICE

1 Decide whether the sentences are written in Active or Passive

No. Active Passive

1. They listen to music.
2. She is reading an e-mail.
3. These cars are produced in Japan.
4. Alan teaches Geography.
5. German is spoken in Austria.
6. Lots of houses were destroyed by the earthquake.
7. Henry Ford invented the assembly line.
8. The bus driver was hurt.
9. You should open your workbooks.
10. Houses have been built.

2 Change the following sentences from the active to the passive.

1. They grow coffee in Kenya.
→ …………………………………………………………………..
2 . They publish The Times newspaper in London.
→ …………………………………………………………………..
3. They make shoes in Calatayud.
→…………………………………………………………………..
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4. They transport oranges from Valencia to Germany in special crates.

→ …………………………………………………………………
5. They are sending the parcel by sea.
→ ………………………………………………………………..
6. They are destroying the forests in Indonesia.
→ …………………………………………………………………
7. The shark ate the man.
→………………………………………………………………….
8. The arsonist started the fire.
→………………………………………………………………….
9. The police took him away.
→………………………………………………………………….
10. They've treated him very well.
→………………………………………………………………….
11. They haven't cleaned the kitchen yet.
→………………………………………………………………….
12. They didn't punish him for what he did.
→ …………………………………………………………………

3 Choose the best answer

1. Ms. Laura ……………………at the Asia Company.
a. is employing c. employing
b. employed d. is employed
2. I still can’t believe it! My bicycle …………….last night.
a. was stolen c. stolen
b. was stealing d. steal
3. Something funny ……………….in class yesterday.
a. happened c. happens
b. was happened d. is happened
4. The child’s arm was swollen because he ………………...by a bee.
a. stung c. had been stung
b. had stung d. has been stung
5. Today many serious childhood diseases ……………...by early immunization.
a. are preventing c. prevent
b. can prevent d. can be prevented
6. I ………………with you on that subject.
a. am agreed c. agreeing
b. am agreeing d. agree
7. When …………………….? - In 1928.
a. did penicillin discover c. did penicillin discovered
b. penicillin was discovered d. was penicillin discovered
8. Vitamin C …………………..by the human body. It gets into the blood stream quickly.
a. absorbs easily c. is easily absorbed
b. is easily absorbing d. absorbed easily
9. When can I have my car back? I think it’ll …………………...late this afternoon.
a. finish c. have finished
b. be finished d. be finish
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10. The rescuers…………….for their bravery and fortitude in locating the lost mountain
climbers.
a. were praised c. were praising
b. praised d. praising
11. The longest fish in the contest was eighteen inches long. It…………..by Thelma Rivers.
a. was catching c. was caught
b. caught d. catch
12. Are we about to have dinner? Yes, it ……………...in the dining room.
a. is serving c. is being served
b. serves d. served
13. Where are Jack and Jan? They ……………..the boxes you asked for into the house.
a. have been bringing c. have been brought
b. bringing d. to bring
14. Where’s the old chicken coop? - It ………………..by the windstorm last year.
a. destroy c. was destroyed
b. is destroyed d. destroyed
15. We’re still looking for Thomas. Hasn’t he………………………yet?
a. been found c. found
b. to find d. being found
16. Diana is a wonderful ballet dancer. She ……………..since she was four.
a. has been dancing c. is dancing
b. has been danced d. was danced
17. What a beautiful dress you’re wearing! - Thank you. It ……….especially for me by a
French tailor.
a. is made c. made
b. has made d. was made
18. Gold …………………..in California in the nineteenth century.
a. was discovered c. was discover
b. has been discovered d. they discover
19. All planes………………...before departure.
a. will check c. will be checked
b. will has checked d. will been checked
20. Where did you get these old dresses? We ………………...them in the old trunk.
a. were found c. found
b. finding d. have been found
21. I wanted ……………by the head of the company, but it was impossible.
a. to see c. seeing
b. to be seen d. being to seen
22. Those eggs of different colors are very artistic. Yes, they ……………...in Russia.
a. were painted c. were painting
b. were paint d. painted
23. I heard you decided to take up tennis. Yes, I have …………….every day.
a. been played c. playing
b. been playing d. play

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24. What happened to the old maid carrier? He ………...to the neighborhood to work.
a. has sent c. was sent
b. was sent d. sent

3 Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verb in brackets
1. You (notify) ………………by my secretary next week.
2. Last night I (not, remember) ………………….to lock my front door.
3. At the present time, the oldest in the town (restore) ………..by the Historical Society.
4. At one time, the entire world (rule) …………………….by dinosaurs. Some dinosaurs
(walk) ………………on their hind legs and (stand) ……………….as tall as palm trees.
5. Disneyland, a world famous amusement park in Southern (visit) …………………by
more than ten million people every year.
6. Most insects (live) …….……………...for less than a year. The common housefly (live)
……….……………..from 19 to 30 days.
7. I got into a taxi quickly because I (follow) ………………………….by two strange men.
As soon as I got into the taxi, I (feel) …………………a little safer.
8. When Alex was ten only, his father (die) ……………………..
9. Mark (influence) ………………………..a lot by his friends.
10. The exam papers are scored by machine. The students (tell) ……………………their
results next week.

A. Environment quiz

Can you answer the following general knowledge questions about the enviroment?
1. What is the highest mountain in Africa?
2. What is the longest river in Europe?
3. Where is the highest waterfall in the world?
4. Name another country, apart from Iceland, which has geysers and hot springs.
5. What is a delta and which famous river has one?
6. Where are the Straits of Gibraltar and the Cape of Good Hope?

B. Features of the environment

• There are many different words referring to features of the enviroment. Here are some
arranged on small to large scales.
Brook → stream → river Hillock → hill → mountain
Cove → bay → gulf Copse → wood → forest
Puddle → pond → lake Footpath → lane → road
• Here are some other nouns which are useful when talking about the enviroment. Check
their meanings with a dictionary if necessary.
Where land meets sea: coast/shore/beach/estuary/cliff/cape/peninsula
Words connected with rivers: source/tributary/waterfall/mouth/valley/gorge
Words connected with mountains: foot/ridge/peak/summi/glacier

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1 Complete the paragraph below about your country, or any other country that
interests you. Remember to use ‘the’ whenever it is necessary.
…………… (1) is a …………… (2) in …………… (3). The countryside is …………… (4) in
the north and …………… (5) in the south. The country’s economy is based on ……………
(6)
. The best-known river in …………… (7) is …………… (8). The most famous chain of
mountains is ………....…… (9) and the highest mountain in that chain is …………… (10).
…………… (11) is a major enviromental problem in …………… (12) today.

2 What word matches these definitions? The first letter is given in brackets.
Example: A valley with steep sides, gorge

1. A very large sea. (o) 6. A river of ice. (g)

2. Land with sea on all sides. (i) 7. The top of a mountain. (s)

3. Where a river meets the sea. (m) 8. Where land meets sea very steeply. (c)

4. A river that flows into another river. (t) 9. A small stream. (b)

5. Where a river starts. (s) 10. Land with sea on 3 sides. (p)

3 Give two nouns from the opposite page to go with the adjectives below. Try
not to repeat any of the nouns you choose.
Example: sandy beach/shore

1. sandy 2. steep 3. shallow

4. rocky 5. turbulent 6. dangerous

4 What are the opposites of the adjectives below?

1. a deep river 3. a rocky beach 5. an extinct volcano
2. a gentle slope 4. a rough sea

C. Environmental problems

There are many enviromental problems in the world today. Check with a dictionary if
you do not know any of the terms below.
air river
sea pollution overfishing
the greenhouse effect the destruction of the ozone layer
destruction of the rainforests battery farming
waste disposal overpopulation
Match the pictures with the correct environmental problems above.

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1 Match the pictures with the correct environmental problems above.

a b c

d e f

g h

2 Complete the tables

Noun Verb Noun Verb

Waste ............................... ................................... Protect

Pollution ............................... ................................... Destroy

Damage ............................... ................................... survive

3 Use the words in the box to complete this text about enviromental problems.
conditions destruction disposal farming
greenhouse heavily layer over-fishing
over-polluted polluted resources

Pollution is a major problem of our times. Air, water and land are all polluted. Poor waste
(1)
....……… is to blame for many of the problems and the situation is particularly acute in
(2)
...……….. industrialised and (3)………….. regions. Pollution of the atmosphere has led
to the destruction of the ozone (4)…………….. and to the (5) …….. effect. Other enviromental
problems have been caused by too rapid a use of (6) ………. There are far fewer fish in the
sea because of (7)…….. and the (8)……….. of the rainforests is having unforeseen ecological
consequenses. Battery (9) ……… provides a lot of food but involves keeping animals in un-
natural and unhealthy (10) ……………

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4 Complete the sentences below using words from the box.

acid alternative fossil greenhouse

ozone layer pollution public rainforest
recycling solar species warming

1. The tropical rain forest is being cut down.

2. By ........................ glass, metal and paper, we save energy.
3 Scientists have detected holes in the ........................, which will allow harmful radiation
to reach the surface of the Earth.
4. Some gases trap heat in the Earth’s atmosphere, causing the so-called ‘ ...............effect’.
5. One result of global ........................ is likely to be a disastrous rise in sea levels.
6. Heavy industry causes a great deal of air .........................
7. Solar energy and wind energy are sometimes called ‘........................’ energy because
they are used instead of coal, oil and gas.
8. ........................ panels use the sun’s energy to heat water.
9. Human activity has destroyed many animal ........................
10. People still prefer their own cars to ........................ transport.
11. Coal, oil and gas are known as ........................ fuels.
12. Damage has been caused to forests by ........................ rain.

5 If we want to look after the enviroment, there are certain things we shouldn’t do
and certain things we should do. Complete these sentences with suitable verbs.
Example: We shouldn’t
1. throw away paper, bottles and cans; we should……………………… them.
2. ……………. water and energy; we should ……………………… them.
3. ……………….. rainforests; we should ………………. them from human damage.

D. Green issues

1 How green are you?

Give each item in the quiz a number from 1 – 5.
1=always 2=often 3=sometimes 4=hardly ever 5=never

HOW GREEN ARE YOU?

............................
............................
............................
............................
............................
1. Avoid throwing things away if they can be reused, repaired or recycles
2. Use recycled paper
3. Recycle paper, glass and cans
4. Avoid products from nonrenewable sources
5. Avoid buying overpackaged products

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HOW GREEN ARE YOU?

............................ 6. Walk or use a bike when traveling shot distances

............................
............................
............................
............................
............................
............................
7. Use public transportation when traveling long distances
8. Avoid using the air-conditioning in the summer
9. Make sure the heat isn’t turned up too high in the winter
10. Use low-energy light bulbs
11. Turn off the lights when you leave a room
12. Avoid using more water than you need

Add up the numbers from the quiz above.

The interpretation of your quiz score is:

Score

12-23 You’re so green, it’s unbelievable! Are there even more things you do to
protect the environment?
24-35 You’re very environmentally aware. You care about and respect the
world around you.
36-47 You do some things to protect the environment, but there’s always
room for improvement.

48-60 You’re not green at all. Be aware of the things you can do and try.
Everything you do will help.

2 Energy
Based on the pictures, fill the missing words in the chart below. What are nonrenewable and
renewable energy?
Water Nonrenewable Biomass Oil
Geothermal Uranium Coal Wind
Renewable Gas Solar

………………… ENERGY ………………… ENERGY

............................. .............................

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………………… ENERGY ………………… ENERGY

............................. .............................

............................. .............................

............................. ............................

.............................

3 Complete the sentences with the correct words from the box.

Artificial Concrete Crops Endangered

Energy Polluted Enviroment Factory
Free range Fuel Organic Pesticides
Public transport Traffic Veal wildlife
1. Rhinos are an endangered species. We have to protect them or they will become extinct.
2. It’s amazing how much ................... you can find in a city garden: foxes, hedgehogs,
frogs and lots of birds and insects.
3. There’s too much ................... in modern cities. Why can’t we have more parks and open
spaces instead of all these skyscrapers?
4. We need stricter laws to protect the ................... from the smoke and gases released by
cars and factories.
5. I don’t usually eat sweets. The ................... colourings and flavourings give me a
headache.
6. This apply juice is ............................ That means the fruit trees weren’t sprayed with
chemicals.
7. I only eat .......................... chicken and eggs. I don’t approve of chicken farms where
the animals are kept in small cages.
8. Most farmers spray their ................... with ................... to stop insects eating them.
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9. This farm is like a................... The animals are treated like machines.
10. In order to produce ..................., farmers take calves from their mothers when they are
two weeks old and keep them in small, dark cages.
11. Oil is the main source of ................... in this country. It would be good to use cleaner
sources like the wind and the sun.
12. There would be less................. on the roads if the government made ................... cheaper.
13.Our new car is very economical on .................... It can do 100 kilometres on six litres.
14. A ship carrying oil crashed on the rocks here last year and now a lot the coasts is
...................

E. Word Search

How many words can you find? They all have something to do with NATURE and the
ENVIRONMENT
The words have been placed horizontally, vertically, or diagonally or backwards. When
you locate a word, draw a circle around it.

A. Sound link

1 In connected speech, if a word begins with a vowel sound, the previous con-
sonant sound often ‘links on’. Listen to these time phrases.
for about six months a minute ago
since April for a while

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a long time ago since eight o’clock

Practice saying the sentences, paying attention to the words that link together

2 Listen and write down the six sentences. Then practice saying them.

B. Stress within word families

The stress in shown in dictionaries like this: ‘record (n) and re’cord (v). Use a
1 dictionary to mark the stress in the following word families. Then listen and
check.

1. Imagine (v) Imagination (n) Imaginary (adj)

2. Organize (v) Organized (adj) Organization (n)

3. Politics (n) Politician (n) Political (adj)

4. Psychology (n) Psychologist (n) Psychological (adj)

5. Satisfy (v) Satisfaction (n) Satisfactory (adj)

2 Practice saying the words, paying attention to the different stress patterns.

Reading 1: ARE YOU SAD?

The weather affects everyone, but some people react to changes in the weather more than
others. For several years, doctors have been studying people who become depressed when
the seasons change. These people suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder, of SAD. Some
people have a mild form of SAD, which does not affect lives very much. But, other people
have a more serious form. When the season change, they become very depressed.
Who suffers from SAD? there is less sunlight. Another
Millions of people have cause is related to the
SAD. It affects more women changes in body temperature
than men, usually adults that occur during the winter.
between the ages of 20 The effects of SAD
and 40. However, SAD can SAD can affect people in
affect children, too. People several ways. First of all, it
who live in cold climates are can affect how you feel, or
more likely to have SAD your mood. Most people
than people who live in cause is related to seasonal with SAD get depressed
warm climates. changes in the amount of for several months every
Why do people get SAD? sunlight. That’s why the year. Other effects include
Scientists are trying to most common form of SAD how much you eat and sleep,
understand the causes of occurs during the winter and how well you deal with
SAD. They think the main when the days are shorter and stress. For example,

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in the winter, some people
feel tired all the time and want
to be alone. They can’t con-
centrate very well on work.
Treating SAD
A long walk in the middle of
the day usually helps fight
the effects of SAD. Bright
lights in the home and office
also help. Some people buy
special lights that give off ar-
tificial sunlight. When
spring comes, most SAD
sufferers feel fine again.
SAD in the summer
Some people suffer from
SAD in the summer, but it is
not very common. People
with summer SAD may not
be able to sleep or eat well.
These people may feel better
if they stay in air-conditioned
places.

Study these words from the article. Complete the chart. Write each word next
1
to the correct definition.

artificial concentrate depressed mild stress

2 Check the topics discussed in the article.

1. Not natural; made by people

2. Very sad
3. The feeling of being worried because of difficulties in your life
4. To think very carefully about something you are doing
5. Not too strong or serious

3 Complete the sentences with the causes and effects of SAD

 1. which people are affected by SAD

 2. How people with SAD may feel

 3. The treatments for SAD

 4. The causes of SAD

 5. How teachers help children with SAD

 6. The history of SAD

Causes of SAD include...

1. Seasonal changes in........................................................
2. Changes in ......................................................................
Effects of SAD include...
3. The way we.....................................................................
4. How much we........................................and....................
5. How well we....................................................................

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Reading 2: SAVE THE ELEPHANTS

1 Read the title and the first paragraph of the letter. Then answer these questions
1. Who was the letter to? Who is the letter from?
.................................................................................
2. What do you think the writer of the letter wants?
.................................................................................

SAVE THE ELEPHANTS FUND

2354 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 01012
October 14, 2004
Dear friend of SAVE THE ELEPHANTS
FUND,
Thank you for your generous donation
last year. Your money helped us to open a wildlife park in Kenya as
part of our work to help protect the 500,000 elephants left in Africa.
Unfortunately, elephants are endangered in other parts of the
world, too, and we need your help again. This time we need you
to help us in Thailand.
One hundred years ago, millions of wild elephants lived in Asia.
Today, there are only 30,000 Asian elephants. The situation in Thai-
land is especially serious. Thailand now has only 1,800 to 2,000
elephants. Experts believe that by the year 2010, elephants in Thai-
land will be extinct.
Why are elephants in Thailand endangered?
● They don't have enough food to eat
Paper companies cut down banana trees and bamboo. These
plants are native to Thailand, and they are eaten by elephants.
The companies plant eucalyptus trees instead. The eucalyptus

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SAVE THE ELEPHANTS FUND

● Hunters kill hundreds of wild elephants every year.
Hunting elephants is not legal in
Thailand, but many hunters kill
these animals anyway. These ille-
gal hunters make a lot of money
from selling elephant tusks. The
only way to get the tusk off the
elephant is to kill the animal. The
hunters sell the tusks to people
who make furniture, jewelry, and
art from the ivory in the tusks.
What can we do?
With your help and donation, this year we will:
● Teach companies in Thailand about trees that are good for
business and good for elephants
● Pay for game warders to protect the elephants from illegal
hunting
● Convince people around the world not to buy things made of
ivory
● Help hunters to find other way to make money
Last year you helped Kenya’s elephants. This year Thailand’s
elephants need your help. Please send your donation today.
Thank you.
Sincerely,

2 Read each statement. Decide if it is true or false. Write T (True) or F (False)

next to it.

............................
............................
............................
............................
............................
............................
1. Last year Save the Elephants Fund used donations to open a
wildlife park in Kenya.
2. There are more than 2,000 wild elephants in Thailand now.
3. Paper companies in Thailand find banana trees useful for boxes
and other paper products.
4. In Thailand, it is illegal to hunt elephants.
5. Save the Elephants Fund wants the paper companies to leave
Thailand.
6. Save the Elephants Fund wants to help hunters in Thailand to
find other jobs.

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 Unit 4: Environment

A. Medical plants

First read the article, and try to guess the missing words. Then listen and check your
answers.
MEDICINAL PLANTS
When settlers in the United States spread west in the 1800s, they
thought nothing of cutting down forests and killing .................1 to
develop their country.
Today, developing countries are cutting down their forests because
their people want a better life. But ...............2 say that this a disaster.
The rain ..........................3 are home to half the world’s species.
Undiscovered rain-forest plants could be used as ...............4 drugs to
treat diseases like AIDS and cancer. Two of today’s most powerful
anti-cancer medicines come from a single rain-forest ...............5.
Many kinds of plants, which could be the sources of tomorrow’s
cures, are being destroyed at the rate of ...............6 to ................7
everyday.
Developing countries think that it is wrong for people who
...............8 their own forests long ago to tell them not to develop.
They also feel that when a drug company discovers a ...............9 in
their rain forest, the company should share its profits with them.

B. Recycling

Five people are talking about recycling these items. Write down the item each person
is talking about. Then write one way the item can be recycled.

a used envelope empty containers a chipped cup

used aluminum foil old reports

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 Unit 4: Environment

Item One way to recycle

1. old reports Use them for note paper
2.
3.
4.
5.

A. Threats to our environment

Which of these problems do you think will cause the most damage to the world? Why? Rank
them from 1 (the most serious) to 6 (the least serious)

............................ More and more people are living in cities

............................ Rivers, lakes, and oceans are becoming more polluted
............................ The air in our cities is becoming more polluted
............................ The greenhouse effect is causing the earth’s temperature to rise
............................ The population of the world is growing too quickly
............................ Holes are developing in the earth’s ozone layer, the part of the atmos-
phere that protects the earth from dangerous radiation
Example: I think water pollution will cause the most damage because it will kill fish and other wildlife

B. Saving the environment

1 Look at the photos and then discuss the questions below.

• What is happening in each photo?

• What benefits to the environment do you see in each photo?
Example: The wind is creating energy. It’s good because it’s a clean form of energy.

Why do environmentalists say we should avoid spray cans, practice organic

2
farming and use unleaded petrol, recycled paper and bottle banks? What else
are they in favour of?

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 Unit 4: Environment

Look at the following letter from Save the Dolphins. Complete the sentences
1
using the words in the list below. Three of the words are not used.

by the year donation illegal logger protect

convince hunter ivory native wild

SAVE THE DOLPHINS

1452 Battery St., Suite 200

San Francisco, CA 941111
January 17, 2010
Dear Friend of the Dolphin,
Chinese white dolphins are
(1).............................. to the area near Hong
Kong. They are endangered because the
water near Hong Kong is becoming very dirty.
If we don’t (2)...................... these dolphins,
they might become extinct (3)........................... 2020.
We need to (4) ........................... companies to stop putting chemicals
and garbage in the water. We are also working to make it
(5)............................................... to catch the Chinese white dolphins
and put them in aquariums. Dolphins are (6).....................................
animals- they never live very long in aquariums.
Your (7)......................................... will help us start a Hong Kong Har-
bor water cleanup project. Please send a check today so that we can
save the Chinese white dolphins.
Sincerely,
John Jackson

Sarah is getting married. She and her future husband are very active in Save
2 the Elephant Fund. Sarah just received a wedding gift of ivory- handled knives
and forks from her grandmother. She is writing a letter to her grandmother to
tell her why she cannot accept the gift.

convince endangered hunter ivory protect wild

donation extinct illegal logger save

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 Unit 4: Environment

May 30, 2010

Dear Grandma,
The wedding gift you sent is really
beautiful. You are very kind, but I cannot
accept this gift. I wanted to write this
letter to tell you why. I hope that you
understand.
The knives and forks have handles made
of ivory.............................................................................
........................................................................................
........................................................................................
........................................................................................
........................................................................................
........................................................................................
........................................................................................
........................................................................................
........................................................................................
........................................................................................
........................................................................................

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WARMING UP
A.
1. a 2.b 3. c 4. b 5. c
6. c 7. a 8. a 9. c 10. a

No. Activity
1. Plant trees 
2. Hunt animals
3. Recycle waste 
4. Donate money to protect endangered animals 
5. Go to work by private cars
6. Use public vehicles such as bus, underground 

GRAMMAR
1

No. Active Passive

1. They listen to music. 
2. She is reading an e-mail. 
3. These cars are produced in Japan. 
4. Alan teaches Geography. 
5. German is spoken in Austria. 
6. Lots of houses were destroyed by the earthquake. 
7. Henry Ford invented the assembly line. 
8. The bus driver was hurt. 
9. You should open your workbooks. 
10. Houses have been built. 

2
1. Coffee is grown in Kenya.
2. The Times newspaper is published in London.
3. Shoes are made in Calatayud.
4. Oranges are transported from Valencia to Germany in special crates.
5. The parcel is being sent by sea.
6. The forests of Indonesia are being destroyed.
7. The man was eaten by the shark.
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8. The fire was started by the arsonist.

9. He was taken away by the police.
10. He's been treated very well.
11. The kitchen hasn't been cleaned yet.
12. He wasn't punished for what he did.
3
1d 2a 3a 4c 5d 6d
7d 8c 9b 10a 11c 12c
13a 14c 15a 16a 17d 18a
19c 20c 21b 22a 23b 24b

4
1. will be notified 2. didn't remember 3. is restored
4. was ruled/ walked/ stood 5. is visited 6. have lived/ lives
7. was followed/ felt 8. died 9. is influenced
10. will be told
VOCABULARY
A.
1. Mount Kilimanjaro 2. The Volga
3. Venezuela 4. New Zealand
5. A delta is at the mouth of a river where the river divides and flows into the sea in a number of
different channels. The River Nile has one.
6. The Straits of Gibraltar are at the western entrance to the Mediterranean and the Cape of Good
Hope is at the southern tip of Africa.
B.
1
Possible answers:
1. Scotland 5. flatter 9. the Western Highlands
2. country 6. agriculture 10. Ben Nevis
3. the north of Britain 7. Scotland 11. Overfishing
4. mountainous 8. the Clyde 12. Scotland
2
1. ocean 2. island 3. mouth 4. tributary 5. source
6. glacier 7. summit 8. cliff 9. brook 10. peninsula
3
1. sandy beach/shore 3. shallow brook/bay 5. turbulent river/sea
2. steep gorge/hill 4. rocky coast/mountain 6. dangerous cliff/current

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 Unit 4: Environment

1. shallow 2. steep 3. sandy 4. calm 5. active (dormant)

C.
1
a. Battery farming e. destruction of the rainforests
b. Overfishing f. air pollution
c. Greenhouse effect g. the destruction of the ozone layer
d. Overpopulation h. waste disposal
2

Noun Verb Noun Verb

Waste waste protection Protect

Pollution pollute destruction Destroy

Damage damage survival survive

3
1. disposal 2. heavily 3. overpopulated 4. layer
5. greenhouse 6. resources 7. overfishing 8. destruction
9. farming 10. conditions
4
1. rain forest 2. recycling 3. ozone layer 4. greenhouse 5. warming
6. pollution 7. alternative 8. solar 9. species 10. public
11. fossil 12. acid

5
1. recycle 2. waste; save/conserve 3. cut down/destroy; protect

D.
2

Nonrenewable ENERGY Renewable ENERGY

GAS SOLAR

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 Unit 4: Environment

Nonrenewable ENERGY Renewable ENERGY

OIL WIND

COAL BIOMASS

URANIUM WATER

. GEOTHERMAL

3
1. endangered 2. wildlife 3. concrete 4. environment
5. artificial 6. organic 7. free range 8. crops, pesticides
9. factory 10. veal 11. energy
12. traffic, public transport 13. fuel 14. polluted
E

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PRONUNCIATION

1. Imagine (v) Imagination (n) Imaginary (adj)

2. Organize (v) Organized (adj) Organization (n)

3. Politics (n) Politician (n) Political (adj)

4. Psychology (n) Psychologist (n) Psychological (adj)

5. Satisfy (v) Satisfaction (n) Satisfactory (adj)

READING
Reading 1:
1

1. artificial 2. depressed 3. stress

4. concentrate 5. mild
2

1 2 3 4
3
Causes of SAD include....
1. Seasonal changes in the amount of sunlight
2. changes in body temperature
Effects of SAD include....
3. the way we feel
4. how much we eat and sleep
5. how well we deal with stress

Reading 2:

A.

• The letter was to friends of SAVE THE ELEPHANTS FUND

• The letter is from Mark Grow, executive director of SAVE THE ELEPHANTS FUND
2

The writer wants to call for donation.

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 Unit 4: Environment

B.

1. T 2. F 3. F
4. T 5. F 6. T

LISTENING
A.
1
1. wildlife 2. scientists 3. forests
4. medicinal 5. flower 6. 50
7. 100 8. destroyed 9. cure
2.

Item One way to recycle

1. old reports Use them for note paper/reuse the other side

2. a chipped cup Put pens and pencils in it (and keep it on your

desk)/put flowers in it (and use it as a vase)
3. a used envelope Get a new label and put it on top of the old address,
and then buy a bigger stamp and put it on top of the
old stamp

4. empty containers Put leftovers in it/put cookies in it

5. used aluminum foil Wrap your food with it/wrap your lunch in it/cover a
saucepan with it

SPEAKING
B.
1
What the photo shows Benefits to the environment

A wind farm Wind can be used to create electricity. It’s a renewable

energy source that causes little or no pollution

People planting a tree Trees produce oxygen for us to breathe; the roots of a tree
keep the soil from eroding (washing away); trees create shade
from the sun and help people stay cool without having to use
extra energy
People recycling newspaper The newspapers can be used for making recycled paper
instead of taking up space in landfills or being burned

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2
Some possible answers:
Spray cans destroy the ozone layer.
Organic farming means that fewer chemicals pollute the land – and our bodies.
Unleaded petrol causes less air pollution than leaded petrol.
Recycling paper means that fewer trees need to be cut down.
Using bottle banks means that glass is re-used rather than thrown away. There is, thus less wastage
of resources.
Environmentalists are also in favour of using solar or wind energy, of using as little plastic as pos-
sible (because it is not bio-degradable) and of planting new trees instead of simply increasing the
amount of land given over to agriculture.

WRITING
A.
1. native 2. protect 3. by the year 4. convince
5. illegal 6. wild 7. donation

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English words Pronunciation Part of speech Vietnamese equivalents

Alternative /ɒl’tɜː.nə.tɪv/ Adj,n Khác, có thể chọn để

thay thế một vật khác
B

Battery farming n Trại gà chuồng

Bay /beɪ/ n Vịnh
Biomass /’baɪ.əʊˌmæs/ n Năng lượng sinh khối
(vật liệu sinh học được lấy
từ cơ thể sinh vật, hay vừa
mới tồn tại trong cơ thể
sinh vật (chất thải))
Brook /brʊk/ n Suối

Cape /keɪp/ n Mũi đất nhô ra biển

Cliff /klɪf/ n Vách đá (nhô ra biển)
Concrete /’kɒŋ.kriːt/ Adj,n Làm bằng bê tông
Copse /kɒps/ n Bãi trồng cây
Cove /kəʊv/ n Vịnh nhỏ

Delta /’del.tə/ n Vùng châu thổ

Destruction Dɪˈstrʌk.ʃən/ n Sự phá hủy
Disastrous /dɪˈzɑː.strəs/ adj Tai hại, thảm khốc

Ecological /,iː.kə’lɒdʒ.ɪ.kəl/ adj (thuộc) sinh thái học

Endangered /ɪn’deɪn.dʒəd/ adj (động vật) có nguy cơ
tuyệt chủng

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Estuary /’es.tjʊə.ri/ n Cửa sông
Extinct /ɪk’stɪŋkt/ adj Tắt (núi lửa), tuyệt chủng

Foil /fɔɪl/ n Lá (kim loại)

Footpath /’fʊt.pɑːθ/ n Đường nhỏ
Fuel /fjʊəl/ n Nhiên liệu

Geothermal /,dʒiː.əʊ ˈθɜː.məl/ adj Địa nhiệt

Geyser /’giː.zər / n Mạch nước phun
Glacier /’glæs.i.ər / n Sông băng
Global warming n Sự nóng lên toàn cầu
Gorge /gɔːdʒ/ n Hẻm núi, đèo
Greenhouse effect n Hiệu ứng nhà kính
Gulf /gʌlf/ n Vịnh

Hillock /’hɪl.ək/ n Đồi nhỏ

Lane /leɪn/ n Đường nhỏ

Medicinal /mə’dɪs.ɪ.nəl/ adj (dùng để) chữa bệnh

Mouth /maʊθ/ n Cửa (sông, hang)

Nonrenewable /nɒn- rɪˈnjuː.ə.bl/ adj Không thể hồi phục,

không thể thay mới

Organic /ɔːˈgæn.ɪk/ adj Hữu cơ

Overfishing /,əʊ.və.’fɪʃ.ɪŋ/ n Đánh bắt quá nhiều cá
Overpopulation /’əʊ.və,pɒp.jʊˈleɪ.ʃən/ n Dân số quá đông
Ozone layer n Tầng ozon

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Panel /’pæn.əl/ n Ván ô, panen

Peak /piːk/ n Đỉnh (núi)
Peninsula /pə’nɪnt .sjʊ.lə/ n Bán đảo
Pesticide /’pes.tɪ.saɪd/ n Thuốc trừ sâu
Puddle /’pʌd.l ̩/ n Vũng nước nhỏ
Recycle /,riː’saɪ.kl ̩/ v Tái chế

Renewable /rɪˈnjuː.ə.bl ̩/ adj Có thể hồi phục, có thể

thay mới
Ridge /rɪdʒ/ n Ngọn, đỉnh (núi)

Shallow /’ʃæl.əʊ/ adj Nông, cạn, không sâu

Solar /’səʊ.lər/ adj (năng lượng) mặt trời
Species /’spiː.ʃiːz/ n Loài
Steep /stiːp/ adj Dốc, dốc đứng
Stream /striːm/ n Dòng suối
Summit /’sʌm.ɪt/ n đỉnh, điểm cao nhất
Survive /sə’vaɪv/ v Tiếp tục tồn tại, sống sót

Tributary /’trɪb.jʊ.tər.i/ n Nhánh (sông)

Turbulent /’tɜː.bjʊ.lənt/ adj Thay đổi bất thường

Veal /viːl/ n Bê, thịt bê

Waste disposal n Xử lý rác thải

Waterfall /’wɔː.tə.fɔːl/ n Thác nước
Wildlife /’waɪld.laɪf/ n Những thú vật,
chim muông … hoang dã

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