Conversation questions :

 Do you think cars should be banned from city centers?

 What are some things that can be recycled? What are some things which you recycle?
 What are some types of pollution? What can you do to help reduce pollution?
 Who do you think is more responsible for pollution, individual people or the government?
 What are some ways energy is wasted?
 Do you think to stop global warming that the amount of car driving should be limited or changed? For
example, should there be some kind of encouragement to use public transportation or to do carpooling?

VOCABULARY SHEET:
 TOPIC: “ THE ENVIRONMENT”
Nouns Verbs Adjectives
 pollution  to pollute  environmentally-friendly
 the environment  to save ± to waste  harmful ± harmless
 an oil refinery  to preserve  wasteful habits
 a nuclear plant  to dump  a throwaway society
 chemical industries  to endanger  overcrowding
 chemical fertilizers  to threaten ± to protect  renewable energy
 industrial waste  to become extinct  sustainable
 household rubbish  to alter weather patterns  endangered
 water pollution  to develop alternative energy  under threat
 an oil spill sources  responsable
 air pollution  to ban traffic  green
 acid rains  to carpool  ecological balance
 exhaust fumes  to recycle
 the greenhouse effect  to feel concerned about
 the ozone layer  to care about
 global warming  to be aware of
 the weather  to get involved in
 the climate  to take measures
 preservation  to fight for sth
 an awareness-building  to support
campaign
 a heat wave
 a hurricane
 a flood
 a drought
 a forest fire
 deforestation
Phrases:
 Environmental issues are the priority of the Greens.
 Some species may well become extinct soon.
 Acid rains are caused by the smoke from factories.
 Chemicals are responsible for the hole in the ozone layer.
 The greenhouse effect is the consequence of the heat trapped by pollution.
 Global warming alters weather patterns.
 The environmentalists have launched an awareness-building campaign in favour
of the preservation of whales.
 One of the solutions would be either to develop alternative energy sources or to
ban traffic altogether.

Essay topics:
1) Explain why the protection of animals has become such a popular cause. Don't you think such militancy can lead to
some excesses?
The protection of animals has become a very popular cause.
People are more conscious of the problem thanks to awareness-building campaigns led by environmentalist organisations.
The role of the media is also essential: pictures of whales or elephants being slaughtered are everywhere in the papers, on
television.
This may be due as well to movies dealing with the issue of endangered species, such as Gorilla in the mist.
Nevertheless it is true that such militancy can sometimes lead to excesses.
It can lead to a kind of witch-hunt against people wearing fur, or hunters for instance.
Some environmentalists are in favour of banning hunting. However it is undeniable that hunting contributes to the ecological
balance, since some species are too numerous compared to others.
 Therefore, as with any type of militancy, the protection of animals has to remain reasonable in order to avoid excessive
actions.

2) Do you think teenagers nowadays are more aware of the state of the planet? What are they willing to do to protect
it?
Teenagers are more aware of the state of the planet than their parents, thanks to the role played by the media.
We can see in the papers, on television, on the internet, images of the state of the planet, of species threatened of extinction,
of seas drying up.
Teenagers are therefore often willing to contribute to the preservation of the earth.
Most of them willingly perform simple gestures, such as sorting out the waste, not letting the water run while brushing their
teeth.
Some teenagers get more actively involved and take part in the cleaning of beaches and ski resorts after the holidays.