[C] Environmental Problems I

LET'S UNDERSTAND 1 📚

The Problem and Causes

A. globalization noun

the increase of trade around the world; increasing business and cultural contacts between countries

Example:

Globalization is a term to describe increased international trade

B. acid rain noun

rain which contains harmful chemicals as a result of burning substance such as oil and coal

Example:

The acid rain is now threatening the world environment.

C.air pollution noun

damage caused to the air by harmful substances or waste

Example:

Air pollution is a serious health and environmental hazard.

D. global warming noun

rise in the world's temperature

Example:

We are all experiencing global warming due to the enhanced greenhouse effect.

E. hazardous waste noun

material that can damage the environment and be harmful to health.

Example:

The disposal of hazardous waste is a serious problem in our environment.

F. ozone depletion noun

reduction in the ozone layer

Example:

Ozone depletion has until now centered on its effects on humans, for instance through increased skin cancers.

G. smog noun

air pollution found in the cities caused by a mixture of smoke, gases, and chemicals

Example:

The city was affected by the pollutant smog.

H. water pollution noun

is the contamination of water sources by substances which make the water unusable for drinking, cooking, cleaning, and swimming

Example:

Sewage was considered to be the major cause of water pollution.

I. overpopulation noun

the condition of being populated with excessively large numbers

Example:

Overpopulation is one of the country's most pressing social problems.

J. rainforest destruction noun

destroying of a forest in a tropical area which receives a lot of rain

Example:

Rain forest destruction benefits only businesses, but only for a short time.

K. greenhouse effect noun

is the way in which heat is trapped close to Earth's surface

Example:

Deforestation is contributing to the greenhouse effect.

L. gas noun

substance in a form that is neither solid nor liquid

Example:

These factories are releasing toxic gases into the atmosphere.

M. polar ice cap noun

ice covering the areas at the North and South Poles

Example:

As our climate warms up, the polar ice caps will begin to melt.

N. climate change noun

is a change in the usual weather found in a place.

Example:

Climate change could have disastrous and alarming effects on Earth.

O. species noun

a group of living organisms consisting of similar individuals capable of exchanging genes or interbreeding.

Example:

Many species are doomed to extinction because of some environmental reasons.

P. endangered adjective

very few in numbers, at risk of becoming extinct, example is the Siberian Tiger found in southeastern Siberia and northeastern China.

Example:

Populations of endangered animals continue to increase.

Q. extinct adjective

(of a species, family, or other group of animals or plants) having no living members; no longer in existence

Example:

These birds are becoming extinct as their habitat disappears.

LET'S TRY IT!

A: Answer each question below using the words or expression that you learned above.

globalization	water pollution
air pollution	global warming
polar ice caps	hazardous waste
acid rain	endangered species
rainforest destruction	smog

1. What is the contamination of air due to the presence of substances in the atmosphere?

2. What word can be used to describe the increasing contact between countries that has a major impact on life today?

3. What causes problems because it is difficult to dispose of safely?

4. What have scientists shown to be melting worryingly fast at the North and South Poles?

5. What has been happening in the Amazon area and in other tropical areas that receive a lot of rain?

6. What problem is a type of air pollution?

7. What can cause harm to plants or other life when it falls on the land and sea?

8. What is the Siberian Tiger an example of?

9. What has caused much plant and animal life in rivers in industrial areas to die out?

10. What is the term for the phenomenon describing the rise in the Earth's average temperature?

B: Match each definition using the words in the box.

ozone depletion	climate change
greenhouse effect	overpopulation
extinct	species
gas

1. It is the gradual thinning of the earth's ozone layer present in the upper atmosphere.

2. It is the state whereby the human population rises to an extent exceeding the carrying capacity of the ecological setting.

3. It is a process that occurs when gases in Earth's atmosphere trap the Sun's heat.

4. A substance or matter in a state in which it will expand freely to fill the whole of a container, having no fixed shape.

5. It is the global phenomenon of climate transformation characterized by the changes in the usual climate of the planet.

6. It is a set of animals or plants in which the members have similar characteristics to each other and can breed with each other.

7. It means no longer in existence; lost or especially having died out leaving no living representatives.

LET'S UNDERSTAND 2 📚

Dealing with Problems

A. worldwide adjective

extending or reaching throughout the world

Example:

The story has been known worldwide.

B. green party noun

an environmentalist political party

Example:

The Green Party is dedicated to protecting the environment for the future.

C. ecological policy noun

any measure that is designed to prevent or reduce harmful effects of human activities on ecosystems

Example:

Ecological policy predicts that a day of reckoning will come.

D. protect noun

keep safe from harm or injury

Example:

It's everyone's duty to love and protect the environment.

E. reserve verb

refrain from using or disposing of (something); retain for future use

Example:

I reserved a room for the future family guests.

F. environmental friendly adjective

not harmful to the environment, or trying to help the environment

Example:

This material is a kind of economical and environmentally friendly material.

G. dispose verb

get rid of by throwing away or giving or selling to someone else

Example:

Everyone is encouraged to be careful to dispose of litter properly.

H. recycle verb

convert (waste) into reusable material

Example:

In a healthy world, we would be able to recycle everything.

I. reduce verb

make smaller or less in amount, degree, or size

Example:

They petitioned the people to reduce the use of plastics.

J. fossil fuel noun

a natural fuel such as coal or gas, formed in the geological past from the remains of living organisms

Example:

Fossil fuel is one of the most important natural resources and it cannot be replaced.

LET'S PRACTICE!

Direction: Complete the sentences using the words that you learned.

The prime concern of these environmentalists is to the environment.
We have to our waste properly to help maintain cleanliness.
We are encouraged to our waste instead of throwing them away.
People are expected to the use of fossil fuels to balance our natural resources.
Scientists are trying to some species by taking good care of them.
Clean-ups should be done not just in a country but also .
Companies should create and non-toxic products.
The is campaigning on the need to save our planet.
addresses issues that focus on achieving benefits from the non-human ecological world.
are non-renewable resources.

LET'S RECAP! 📝

Which three words/phrases were the most challenging to understand or remember?