10. UNIT 10. The ecosystem
UNIT 10.
The ecosystem
A. Pronunciation
• Intonation in question tags
Identify the intonation of the question tags based on the context, and complete the suitable Yes/No responses. Then practise saying them in pairs.
1. A: (You 've known Mai will grow some young trees in the school garden tomorrow.)
Mai will grow some young trees in the school garden tomorrow, won’t she?
B: __________________________________________________________________________.
2. A: (You 're not sure whether your class are going to Cue Phuong National Park next week or not. Actually, the class are going there next month.)
We’re going to Cue Phuong National Park next week, aren’t we?
B: __________________________________________________________________________.
3. A: (You know fossil fuels will be used up soon.)
Fossil fuels will be used up soon, won’t they?
B: __________________________________________________________________________.
4. A: (You know there wasn 't any announcement about the maths test.)
You didn’t hear an announcement about the maths test, did you?
B: __________________________________________________________________________.
5. A: (You 're not sure whether yourfriend's father worked as a forest ranger, and he didn’t.)
Your father worked as a forest ranger, didn’t he?
B: __________________________________________________________________________.
6. A: (You know for sure that Nam hasn't been to Cat Tien National Park.)
You have never been to Cat Tien National Park, have you?
B: __________________________________________________________________________.
7. A: (You don't know U Minh Thuong National Park is a region with the richest biodiversity in the Mekong River Delta, and actually it is.)
U Minh Thuong National Park is a region with the richest biodiversity in the Mekong River Delta, isn’t it?
B: __________________________________________________________________________.
8. A: (You don't know whether the leaders of the world have worked together to solve the problem of global warming or not, but actually they do.)
The leaders of the world have worked together to solve the problem of global warming, haven’t they?
B: __________________________________________________________________________.
B. Vocabulary
• Words and phrases related to ecosystems
I. Complete the sentences with the words given.
1. It is important to encourage environmental __________________ and awareness.
2. The motivation for the control policy is to reduce the negative impacts of __________________.
3. Plants obviously do not have minds; nor __________________ do things like tables and rocks.
4. Humans, dogs, elephants, and dolphins are all __________________, but birds, fish, and crocodiles are not.
5. Pollution can have disastrous effects on the delicately balanced __________________.
6. Many plant and animal __________________ are found only in the rainforests.
7. Tourism is damaging the __________________ of the island.
8. The country can undertake conservation measures to build up or maintain its __________________.
9. There are many examples of resource decline and low production, particularly in the humid __________________.
10. All living __________________ have to adapt to changes in environmental conditions.
II. Complete the sentences with the adjectives given.
1. Bone is actually made up of living tissue and __________________ matter.
2. If we continue to deplete the earth’s __________________ resources, we will cause serious damage to the environment.
3. The problem needs to be addressed both at a(n) __________________ and international level.
4. The cost of our __________________ materials has risen significantly.
5. The country has vast oil reserves and __________________ deposits of other minerals.
6. In cool climates you have to grow __________________ plants under glass.
7. Government support will be __________________ if the project is to succeed.
8. Henderson Island in the Pacific has more than 55 species of __________________ flowering plants.
9. During surgery, doctors sometimes use a laser beam to vaporize __________________ blood vessels.
10. The garden was full of __________________ and fascinating flowers.
• Vocabulary for Reading
III. Complete the sentences with the words given.
1. With so many areas of woodland being cut down, a lot of wildlife is losing its natural __________________.
2. __________________ is a plan for avoiding the unnecessary use of natural materials such as wood, water, or fuel.
3. The __________________ are home to a large variety of wildlife.
4. The __________________ also brings fish and shrimp to this land.
5. Many habitats such as __________________ and wetlands are disappearing fast.
6. The use of pesticides is killing off birds, fish and __________________.
7. __________________ transport plays a key role in the Mekong River Delta.
8. They stopped at the top of the hill to admire the __________________.
9. In the past, several natural streams and rivers flowed from west to east; now, these streams and rivers have been replaced by a system of canals flowing through the __________________.
10. Scientists and local authorities have campaigned to preserve __________________ values of Tram Chim National Park.
• Prepositions
IV. Complete each sentence with the correct preposition.
1. Ecosystems __________________ a lot of biodiversity are generally stronger and more resistant to disaster than those with fewer species.
2. The horse is not native __________________ America - it was introduced by the Spanish.
3. The region is rich __________________ mineral and coal deposits.
4. Water is essential __________________ living things.
5. That rainforest has been home __________________ many endangered species.
6. When the biodiversity of an ecosystem is interrupted or destroyed, the economic impact __________________ the local community could be enormous.
7. Scientists have studied only a small percentage of rainforest species their search __________________ cures.
8. The house is surrounded __________________ trees, so it’s not overlooked at all.
9. Rhinos, tigers, elephants, lions are __________________ the list of endangered species.
10. The man was described __________________ tall and dark, and aged about 20.
C. Grammar
• Compound nouns
I. Match each noun 1-10 with a noun a-j to make compound nouns. (Four of them are written as one word.)
1. basket _______ a. teacher
2. swimming _______ b. work
3. week _______ c. tennis
4. home _______ d. pool
5. sweat _______ e. shirt
6. shopping _______ f. end
7. head _______ g. game
8. pop _______ h. ball
9. computer _______ i. centre
10. table _______ j. music
II. Complete the sentences with the compound nouns from Exercise I.
1. I never listen to ___________________ on the radio.
2. ‘Is Tom watching TV?’ - ‘No, he’s playing a ___________________ in his bedroom.’
3. There’s a really good ___________________ in the town centre. You can buy almost everything there.
4. ‘Where did you learn to swim?’ - ‘I had lessons at the ___________________.’
5. Is the ___________________ of your school a man or a woman?
6. ‘What are you doing at the?’ - ‘I’m going to stay with my cousin.’
7. If you’re hot, take off your ___________________.
8. Our teacher gave us a lot of ___________________ last night. It took me three hours to finish it.
9. I played ___________________ with my sister this morning. She won 21-18.
10. I think the Chicago Bulls is the best ___________________ team in the USA.
III. Complete the sentences with the words below.
1. At the airport, they provide that number along with photo identification to receive a boarding ___________________.
2. That airliner offers a telephone ___________________ facility for first and economy passengers with hand baggage.
3. The man was stopped at the door by a security ___________________.
4. The cabin ___________________ on an aircraft are the people whose job is to look after the passengers.
5. She had never flown first ___________________ before because she couldn’t afford them.
6. The mayor also started a ___________________ camera programme so the police can monitor the most heavily trafficked areas of the city.
7. Moments before boarding, I caught a glance of a TV set in the departure ___________________.
8. There were long queues of passengers because only two passport ___________________ booths were open.
IV. Match the words in A to the words in B to make compound nouns. Then complete the sentences.
1. This shirt hasn’t got a ___________________. I don’t know how much it is.
2. In the past, slaves worked in the ___________________ of the USA.
3. If you set the ___________________ at 24°C instead of 18°C, you’ll cause less harm to the environment.
4. ___________________ often do quite repetitive jobs.
5. ___________________ have to spend a lot of money on transport.
V. Match 1-10 with a-j to make compound nouns.
1. solar ______ A. species
2. GM (genetically modified) ______ B. rain
3. carbon ______ C. effect
4. global ______ D. layer
5. endangered ______ E. disposal
6. greenhouse ______ F. emissions
7. acid ______ G. forest
8. waste ______ H. foods
9. ozone ______ I. power
10. rain ______ J. warming
VI. Complete the sentences with compound nouns from Exercise V.
1. Many forests have been damaged by __________________.
2. The __________________is causing the earth’s atmosphere to heat up.
3. __________________will cause the icebergs to melt.
4. The Amazon __________________is in the Amazon Basin of South America.
5. The __________________helps to protect the earth from harmful radiation from the sun.
6. Coal-burning power stations are a source of __________________.
7. Some __________________can only be seen in zoos.
8. __________________is a renewable source of energy.
VII. Complete the sentences with the compound nouns below.
1. A __________________ is a tall building containing apartments or offices.
2. Many tennis players prefer __________________ with a grass surface.
3. The game will be played under __________________.
4. The two teams, will play a big match at the world-famous Wembley __________________.
5. She takes her inspiration from shells and stones she finds on the __________________.
6. A __________________ is the one that is put below people performing at a great height to catch them if they fall.
7. The outdoor __________________ is open during the summer months.
8. They tried to climb up the great __________________ of the Alps.
VIII. Complete the compound nouns in the sentences with the nouns below. There are two nouns that you do not need.
1. We stayed at a great little-__________________ site near our house.
2. Stevie Wonder was the __________________ act at the Glastonbury Festival in 2010.
3. The roads leading to the festival were jammed with festival __________________.
4. The-__________________ up at the Rock Werchter festival this year was amazing.
5. We caught a __________________ bus from the station to the festival.
6. We’re going to take our holiday on __________________ Europe this year.
7. You don’t have to be a music __________________ to enjoy a music festival. There are a lot of other things to see and do.
D. Reading
I. Read the following passage, and decide the statements are true (T) or false (F).
Once there were lots of pandas in the mountain of Western China. Today they are becoming extinct. The reason is that they cannot find enough food. Pandas eat bamboo leaves. They do not like another food. The bamboo grows very slowly. It can take 10 years for a bamboo cane to grow from a seed to a big plant. Some types of bamboo have seeds every 60 years. Pandas must wait many years for their food to grow. While the bamboo is growing, pandas do not have enough leaves to eat.
Farmers are using more and more of the land on the mountain side to grow food for man. The farmers cut down the bamboo. Bamboo leaves become less plentiful. Pandas cannot find enough food to eat. They starve and die.
China and World Wildlife Fund (WWF) are trying to save the panda. In 1979 they began to set up special parks where pandas live. One such park is the Wolong Reserve in Sichuan. The Wolong Reserve has the highest number of pandas in the world. Scientists come here to study the panda’s eating and mating habits. By learning more about the panda’s habits, scientists can save it from extinction.
1. There are many pandas in China nowadays. _________
2. Some kinds of bamboo grow quickly. _________
3. The favourite food for pandas is the bamboo leaves. _________
4. The Wolong Reserve is the World Wildlife Fund Organization. _________
5. Setting panda reserves in the mountains of China is a good way to save pandas. _________
II. Read the passage, and choose the correct answer A, B, C or D for each question.
Conservation is the sensible use and protection of natural resources including plants, animals, mineral deposits, soils, clean water, clean air, and fossil fuels such as coal, petroleum, and natural gas to ensure an adequate supply for future generations.
Natural resources are grouped into two categories, renewable and nonrenewable. A renewable resource is one that may be replaced over time by natural processes, such as fish populations or natural vegetation, or is inexhaustible, such as solar energy. The goal of renewable resource conservation is to ensure that such resources are not consumed faster than they are replaced. Nonrenewable resources are those in limited supply that cannot be replaced or can be replaced only over extremely long periods of time. Nonrenewable resources include fossil fuels and mineral deposits, such as iron ore and gold ore. Conservation activities for nonrenewable resources focus on maintaining an adequate supply of these resources well into the future.
1. What is the purpose of conservation mentioned in the passage?
A. To make use of natural resources
B. To ensure an adequate supply of natural resources for future generations
C. To replace renewable resource
D. To maintain an adequate supply of water for future
2. The word ‘inexhaustible’ in paragraph 2 is similar in meaning to _________.
A. unlimited B. bottomless C. boundless D. never-ending
3. Natural vegetation is an example of _________.
A. nonrenewable resources
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B. the resource to feed fish populations
C. the resource that may be replaced by natural processes
D. inexhaustible resources
4. Conservationists work to ensure that _________.
A. fish are consumed faster than fossil fuels
B. people consume resources more economically
C. nonrenewable resources are consumed faster
D. renewable resources are replaced
5. Gold ore is mentioned as _________.
A. a kind of mineral B. a renewable resource
C. an example of fossil fuels D. an adequate supply for future
III. Read the passage carefully, and then choose the correct answer.
Yellowstone National Park was established in 1872. Located in northwestern Wyoming and extending into Montana and Idaho, the park is known for its spectacular geysers, hot springs, canyons, and fossil forests. Yellowstone was the world’s first national park.
Yellowstone National Park encompasses a large area of unspoiled wilderness that is almost entirely forested. The most common tree is the lodgepole pine, but other varieties of pine, as well as spruce, fir, and juniper are also found in Yellowstone.
The park is one of the largest wildlife sanctuaries in the United States. Among the more than 300 animal species found here are grizzly bears, elk, deer, antelope, moose, bighorn sheep, coyotes, and lynx. During summer, thousands of wapiti or American elk graze in the park. More than 1,300 bison, which almost became extinct in the park, roam the eastern sections. Wolves, once thought to be a menace, were reintroduced to the park in 1995 after being hunted and trapped to the brink of extinction early in the 20th century. Nearly 300 species of birds, including bald eagles, osprey, white pelicans, California gulls, and Canada geese, either live in or visit the park. The rare trumpeter swan also frequents the area and is protected within the park.
1. Which statement is NOT true according to the passage?
A. Yellowstone was established in 1872.
B. Yellowstone was the world’s first national park.
C. Yellowstone is located totally in northwestern Wyoming.
D. Yellowstone is famous for its spectacular geysers, hot springs, canyons, and fossil forests.
2. What do wapiti do during summer?
A. They roam in the park. B. They visit the park.
C. They graze in the park. D. They frequent the park.
3. Which kind of animal almost became extinct early in the 20th century?
A. bison B. bald eagles C. trumpeter swan D. wolves
4. What is the purpose of the passage?
A. To discuss the dangers the flora of the park has to face
B. To discuss the dangers the fauna of the park has to face
C. To show the bad condition of the park
D. To give information about the park
5. What is the word ‘encompasses’ in paragraph 2 closest in meaning to?
A. surrounds B. includes C. has D. contains
IV. Choose the item among A, B, C or D that best answers the question about the passage.
California has 8 national parks and 20 national forests, more than any other state. Yosemite National Park is one of the most visited parks. It is famous for its waterfalls and granite cliffs. Many rock climbers go to Yosemite to climb a rock wall named El Capitan. Point Reyes National Seashore is on a peninsula north of San Francisco. It is a good place to see harbour seals, sea lions, and many kinds of birds. Disneyland in Anaheim is another California tourist attraction. This large amusement park was created by cartoonist Walt Disney. It features a fairyland castle, a haunted mansion, a jungle safari, and many other attractions and rides.
San Diego has a world-famous zoo. As you wander through its Rain Forest Aviary, brightly coloured tropical birds fly by. You will think you are on safari in its outdoor Wild Animal Park, north of San Diego. Sea World in San Diego is a great place to watch whales and dolphins perform. California’s sunny climate, long coastline, and natural beauty have made It the most popular tourist state in the United States.
1. Yosemite National Park _________.
A. is famous for its kinds of birds
B. is one of the 20 national parks in California
C. interests rock climbers with its El Capitan, a rock wall
D. is created by a cartoonist
2. San Francisco _________.
A. is famous for its Point Reyes National Seashore
B. has its special waterfalls and granite cliffs
C. has more wildlife than anywhere else in California
D. attracts lots of young children
3. Anaheim attracts many tourists with its _________.
A. El Capitan B. Wild Animal Park C. Sea World D. Disneyland
4. San Diego is worth visiting if you are _________.
A. a newly-married couple B. an animal lover
C. an enthusiastic rock climber D. a movie fan
5. Which of the following statements is true about California?
A. It has the most national parks and forests of the US states.
B. Its Disneyland with the fairyland castle is the most famous national park.
C. It attracts lots of tourists with its modern life.
D. It is a peninsula north of the United States of America.
V. Choose the item among A, B, C or D that best answers the question about the passage.
During the 19th century, it was common to hear people in Europe and America say that the resources of the sea are unlimited. For example, a noted biologist writing in the mid-19th century commented that none of the great sea fisheries is to be exhausted. Today though, there is evidence that the resources of the sea are as seriously endangered as those of the land and the air, and that the endangered species include Herring and Carp as well as the African Elephant, Indian Tiger, and the American Eagle.
Furthermore, the threats to fish are more alarming in some ways than the threats to animals and birds.
This is because fishes are a much needed food resources and people throughout the world depend on fish as an important part of their dish, and the decline in the fish supply could have extensive effects on hunger and population. Fishermen in the North Atlantic alone annually harvest 20 billion pounds of fish to satisfy food demands, but it is important to recognize that these practices cannot continue without depleting fish storage within the next few years. Sea resources are rapidly declining in many parts of world, and the problem cannot be ignored.
We can predict that food supplies in the sea cannot last forever.
1. According to the author what was the attitude in the 19th century toward resources of the sea?
A. declined B. depleted C. limited D. unlimited
2. What is the range of the decline in fish supply?
A. Europe and Asia B. the whole world
C. America D. Asia and America
3. What purpose does the author mention the endangered species for?
A. environment protection B. the protection of African Elephant
C. the protection of Indian Tigers D. none of the above
4. What does the author believe about sea resources?
A. Sea resources can last forever.
B. None of the great sea fisheries is to be exhausted.
C. Fish supply has no effects on people.
D. Sea resources are important to people.
5. Which of the following titles best describes the purpose of the lecture?
A. Unlimited Sea Resources B. Threats to Animals and Birds
C. Sea Resources on the Decline D. Protection of Fish
VI. Read the following passage, and then choose the best answer.
The warming of the Pacific Ocean creates weather patterns that affect the world. When the waters warm, the amount of rainfall in Indonesia and the surrounding regions decreases. Australia could even experience a drought. On the other hand, Chile, which borders the Pacific Ocean, is preparing for severe rainstorms. In Pakistan and northwestern India, the weather pattern makes the monsoon season weaker and makes the area much drier.
This phenomenon is called El Nino and is used by weather forecasters to make long range weather predictions. Forecasters know that El Nino will bring unusually heavy rains to southwestern part of the United States and make the central part of the country drier.
El Nino itself used to be predictable. It would occur every two or seven years. But now, the weather pattern is becoming more constant. Scientists are unsure of the reason of this change.
1. What would characterize the effects of El Nino?
A. They’re widespread. B. They’re beginning.
C. They’re short-lived. D. They’re decreasing.
2. What phenomenon defines El Nino?
A. the rainstorms in Australia B. the drought in Chile
C. the warming of the Pacific Ocean D. the dryness of southwestern US
3. Which region will be abnormally wet?
A. Pakistan B. Australia C. Central US D. Southwestern US
4. The word ‘predictable’ in paragraph 3 means _________.
A. that can be known in advance B. that can be serious
C. rare D. special
5. Which is not an effect of El Nino?
A. droughts B. heavy rainfalls C. weak monsoons D. global warming
E. Speaking
• Everyday English
I. Choose the correct response. Then practise the short exchanges in pairs.
• Ways to protect local biodiversity
II. Complete the dialogue with the phrases below. There is one extra that you do not need.
A. damage the ozone layer
B. the overuse of natural resources
C. have eco-labels
D. energy conserving light bulbs
E. without the use of chemicals and pesticidesF. eco-friendly appliances
F. the percentage of the ingredients
Phong: Our team is going to present ways to protect our local biodiversity. Can you contribute your ideas to the speech?
Nick: I think we can practise protecting biodiversity by being aware of the things we buy, consume and use. We should buy products that 1 ____________________________________________ because these labels allow consumers to learn exactly what products are made from and 2 ________________
_________________________________ in an item.
Mai: In my opinion, we should recycle all plastic and glass products. This process prevents 3 _________
_____________________________ in making them, as well as protects trees and forests used in paper products.
Jane: Besides that, we should also reduce or eliminate the use of products that come in aerosol cans. These products 4 ___________________________________, the environment and add to air pollution.
Nick: We should purchase 5 ___________________________________for our home and office. There are many brands and types of appliances that are designed to use less energy and to reduce utility costs.
Phong: We use 6 ___________________________________around our house. It is possible to buy LED light bulbs to improve efficiency and protect the environment. And I think that’s enough for our presentation now.
• Expressing likes and dislikes
III. Choose the correct answers.
1. “How would you like your tea?” - “_______”
A. With milk, please. B. Thank you very much.
C. Yes, please. Thanks. D. It’s fantastic.
2. “Do you like rock music?” - “_______”
A. It’s not quite well. B. I’m very interested in them.
C. I do love it so much. D. That’s understandable.
3. “I love strawberries. How about you? Do you like them?” - “_______”
A. I’m pretty fine, thanks. B. No, I can’t stand them.
C. No, they always stand there. D. No, I’m standing here.
4. Nick: “I enjoyed myself so much at your birthday party.” Patrice: “_______”
A. Oh, that’s kind of you. B. Oh, I’m glad to hear that.
C. Congratulations! D. It’s my pleasure.
5. Mary: “Why do you like red colour?” Tom: “_______”
A. You make me feel more confident. B. It’s the colour of love and passion.
C. You didn’t do anything for me. D. It’s a good idea, thank you.
6. Mother: “Watching television is a waste of time, Tom.” Tom: “Mum, _______.”
A. I enjoy watching cartoons B. I don’t think so, either
C. I love your new hairstyle D. I have no taste for news
7. Kim: “We should use visual aids to make our presentation more effective.” Daisy: “_______”
A. There’s no doubt about it. B. I think we need to practise more.
C. Don’t mention it. D. Have you ever done it before?
8. "Did you enjoy the movie yesterday?" - "_______"
A. Certainly, I'd be glad to. B. Yes, it is warmer than today.
C. Not really. I couldn't follow the story. D. No, I dislike moving.
F. Writing
• An opinion essay about spending more money on restoring local ecosystems
I. Complete the essay about how to protect the ecosystem with appropriate supporting ideas below. There is one extra phrase that you do not need.
A. consume a great deal of money from governments
B. the environmental problems, the poor management of our natural resources
C. no longer available, industrial and daily activities will face a lot of difficulties
D. dealing with the present problems on our Earth to keep on living here
E. no wars, hunger, or social problems
F. to live and new ways to exploit natural resources there
In the future it seems to be more difficult to live on the Earth. Some people think more money should be spent on researching other planets to live on.
On the one hand, finding other planets to live on is a good idea. Firstly, there are limited natural resources that we will use up soon. Once these resources are 1 _________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________.
Secondly, setting a goal of settling down on a new planet will make sciences and space exploration develop faster. Scientists will find out new places 2 __________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________. and communicate with aliens to exchange universal knowledge.
On the other hand, the discovery of new planets should not be the only solution for our future. The Earth is facing 3 ______________________________________________________________________. We still have enough time to take action now to solve these problems. Moreover, the cost for discovery and settling on new planets is much higher than protecting and regenerating our planet. Spaceships, research projects, space exploration programmes will 4 ______________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________.
In conclusion, it is necessary to research for new planets to live on in the future, but 5 _______________
______________________________________is a promising answer to the question.
II. Complete the essay about how to protect oceans with appropriate supporting ideas below. There is one extra sentence that you do not need.
A. Over 90% of the additional heat caused by global warming is stored in the oceans.
B. We should carry out campaigns to prevent pollution of the coastal environment and reduce the use of plastics so that less of it ends up in our oceans.
C. They host 80 percent of the planet’s biodiversity, and they are the largest ecosystem on Earth.
D. Scientists have discovered that marine life, such as horseshoe crabs, seaweeds, provide many herbs and medicines.
E. Better management of the ocean resources is crucial to ensuring global food security.
F. Everything we need, such as water, air, land, minerals, comes from nature.
G. Devices are being developed to generate electricity from waves and tides, as well as offshore wind farms.
Oceans are an essential part of the Earth’s ecosystem. They are a source of biodiversity, food, and life. According to FAO, over 40 percent of the world's population lives within 100 kilometres off the coast. 1 __________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________.
It is not early to start their restoration because of the benefits our oceans provide.
Oceans are an important source of food. 2 _________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________.
Oceans provide vital renewable energy. 3 __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________.
Oceans absorb a quarter of all the carbon dioxide that humans put into the atmosphere. 4 ___________
________________________________________________________________. Oceans also affect our weather. The water cycle from oceans brings us our drinking water.
5 __________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________.
It’s high time that we needed to take action. 6 ______________________________________________
_______________________________________________________. We should take part in beach clean-ups, and involve others, especially the youth.