The environment

Words for talking about the world around us and the problems it faces: ⟦pollution⟧, ⟦recycling⟧, ⟦climate change⟧, and what people can do to help.

Key facts

  • Problems: ⟦pollution⟧ (harmful things in the air, water or land), ⟦litter⟧, ⟦deforestation⟧ (cutting down forests), ⟦emissions⟧ (gases sent into the air).
  • ⟦climate change⟧: long-term changes in the Earth's weather, mostly caused by burning ⟦fossil fuels⟧ such as coal, oil and gas.
  • Wildlife: a ⟦habitat⟧ is an animal's natural home; an ⟦endangered⟧ species could disappear; an ⟦extinct⟧ species has disappeared for ever.
  • Solutions: ⟦recycling⟧, ⟦compost⟧, ⟦renewable⟧ energy (wind, solar), ⟦sustainable⟧ choices that do not harm the planet, and saving (⟦conserving⟧) water and energy.
  • Weather extremes: a ⟦drought⟧ is a long time with little rain; a ⟦flood⟧ is water covering land that is usually dry.

Worked examples

Example 1

Choose the word: ⟦Solar power is a ___ source of energy.⟧ (⟦renewable⟧ / ⟦endangered⟧)

  1. Sunlight will not run out.
  2. Energy that will not run out is ⟦renewable⟧.

Answer: ⟦renewable⟧

Example 2

What is the difference between ⟦endangered⟧ and ⟦extinct⟧?

  1. Tigers are ⟦endangered⟧: a few thousand are left.
  2. Dinosaurs are ⟦extinct⟧: none are left.

Answer: ⟦endangered⟧: at risk of disappearing; ⟦extinct⟧: already gone for ever.

Example 3

Read: ⟦Plastic bags take hundreds of years to break down, so many shops now sell paper bags.⟧ Why do shops sell paper bags?

  1. Look for the word ⟦so⟧.
  2. The part before ⟦so⟧ gives the reason.

Answer: Because plastic bags take a very long time to break down.