Creating Opportunity Worldwide

Upper Intermediate Self Study Programme : Environmental Change

Name ___________________________ Class_____________ Teacher ____________________

A. Introduction

You will read an article about climate change.

Look at the pictures. What types of environmental change can you see? What do you think can cause them?

B. Vocabulary

Look at the following words but do not use your dictionary. How many do you know the meaning of?

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stunning trekker booming coverage intemperate

contaminated stricken glacier soil erosion landfill site

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Now try to match them to the sentences below. You can use your dictionary now.

1. __________________ is the attention that the media give to a particular subject or the way that it is reported.

2. If something is described as __________________, it is extremely impressive.

3. __________________ language is unreasonable and shows a lack of control.

4. If a person is __________________, they are affected by serious problems such as illness or injury.

5. A __________________ is someone who travels a long distance over rough ground and on foot, often as a holiday.

6. If a country, region or industry is __________________, it is experiencing a period of economic success.

7. A __________________ is a very large mass of ice that moves very slowly.

8. If a watercourse is __________________, it has been made dirty, polluted or poisonous by the addition of a chemical, waste or infection.

9. A __________________ is a large hole in the ground where waste is buried.

10. __________________ is the process by which the surface of land is gradually damaged by water, wind etc and begins to disappear.

Check your answers on the last page of this study-pack.

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The United Kingdom’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations. We are registered in England as a charity.

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Answers

stunning trekker booming coverage intemperate

contaminated stricken glacier soil erosion landfill site

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C. Reading : Test your knowledge

Which of these do you think are true (T) or false (F)?

1. Everest was first climbed in 1853.

2. Kenton Cool was the first man to reach the summit of Everest.

3. It can cost climbers $85,000 to climb Everest.

4. Kathmandu is the capital of Nepal.

5. The west ridge of Everest was first climbed in 1963.

6. It is not possible to reach the summit of Everest in the hours of darkness.

Now look at the text on the next two pages and find the answers.

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The United Kingdom’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations. We are registered in England as a charity.

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© The British Council, 2014

The United Kingdom’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations. We are registered in England as a charity.

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D. Reading : Looking for specific information

Choose the best answer according to the text.

1. What is causing new stresses on the Everest region?

a. the disappearance of glaciers

b. a combination of climate change and tourism

c. human waste

2. Why are glacial lakes described as “a constant threat”?

a. because they obstruct climbers on their way to the summit of Everest

b. because the water in them has become contaminated

c. because they could burst and flood the surrounding area

3. Why is the rapid spread of the road network in Nepal a cause for concern?

a. because it could lead to soil erosion and landslides

b. because it could lead to the closure of Lukla Airport

c. because it will bring even more tourists to the region

© The British Council, 2014

The United Kingdom’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations. We are registered in England as a charity.

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4. How does the present situation on Everest differ from the 1950s?

a. climbers no longer need ropes and oxygen

b. Everest is now much more commercialized and the environment has been damaged

c. climbers can now fly directly to the helipad on the South Col

Check your answers on the last page of this study-pack.

E. Vocabulary : Word formation

Now, complete the sentences using the correct form of the word in brackets at the end of each sentence. Try not looking at the text again.

Think of whether the sentence needs a verb, noun or adjective.

Check your answers on the last page of this study-pack.

Check your answers on the last page of this study-pack.

F. Online resources

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The United Kingdom’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations. We are registered in England as a charity.

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http://www.bbc.co.uk/skillswise/topic-group/word-grammar

To help you understand the different types of words.

Answers

Answers

1. Kenton Cool’s climb was a remarkable physical ____ achievement _______. [ACHIEVE]

2. Alan Byers is a mountain geographer and __________________. [ENVIRONMENT]

3. Building cheap roads could have __________________ consequences. [DISASTER]

4. Ueli Steck’s physical condition had reached an ________________ level. [ASTRONOMY]

5. Conservationists are introducing rainwater __________________. [HARVEST]

6. The Western Cwm is a __________________ valley. [GLACIATE]

Answers

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As some of these websites are not controlled by British Council, if you find that any of these links don’t work please do let us know so that we can update this

study-pack.

G. Speaking : environmental problems.

Look at the following example of an IELTS speaking question. Spend one minute thinking about what you would say if you saw this question, then record yourself speaking about it.

Speak for about two minutes.

Listen to what you recorded. Did you repeat yourself or hesitate too often?

Try again, this time talking about a different environmental problem.

© The British Council, 2014

The United Kingdom’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations. We are registered in England as a charity.

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http://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/en/word-games/wordshake

A fun interactive game where you have to form as many words as you can with given letters.

Describe an environmental problem. You should say:

what it is

how long it has existed

how it affects people’s lives

and explain how you think the problem will develop in the future.

http://www.english-grammar.at/online_exercises/word-formation/word-formation-index.htm

Lots of activities to help form words by looking at their position in the sentences. Try the Advanced ones for an extra challenge!

Other websites

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H. Academic writing.

The diagram below shows various effects humans are having on climate change.

Use the diagram to help you describe how humans are harming the environment. Feel free to use your own examples too!

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© The British Council, 2014

The United Kingdom’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations. We are registered in England as a charity.

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Creating Opportunity Worldwide

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If you want a teacher to check this writing, please put it in the ‘Blue Box’ marked SELF STUDY PROGRAMME at the Self-Study zone.

© The British Council, 2014

The United Kingdom’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations. We are registered in England as a charity.

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Creating Opportunity Worldwide

Answers page.

Section B

1. coverage2. stunning3. intemperate4. stricken5. trekker6. booming7. glacier8. contaminated9. landfill site10. soil erosion

Section C

1. F2. F3. T4. T5. T6. F

Section D

1. b2. c3. a4. b

Section E

1. achievement2. environmentalist3. disastrous4. astronomic; astronomical5. harvesting6. glaciated

© The British Council, 2014

The United Kingdom’s international organisation for educational opportunities and cultural relations. We are registered in England as a charity.

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