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World Wonders Threatened
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- Parent Category: Upper-Intermediate News Lessons
- Category: Environment Lesons
- Written by Chris Cotter
Winters are growing warmer each year. Summers are hotter and drier. Scientists say extreme weather will become commonplace in the future. Water shortages all around the world will be normal, because glaciers and glacial runoff will shrink. This will affect more than one billion people worldwide, because rich and poor alike need water. And according to new information, the news gets darker. Global warming now threatens to destroy some of the Earth's natural wonders, too.
The news comes at a time when world governments and environmental organizations are becoming a little more open to frank discussions on the changing climate. Evidence continues to mount on how much damage we have done to the environment. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in Brussels recently issued its strongest warning. It stated in a report that humankind's activities in the past fifty years are definitely the top reason for global warming.
So what will the impact of today be on the world of tomorrow? If the predictions are correct, then ocean temperatures will rise by at least 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit (or a little more than 1 degree Celsius). Coral reefs everywhere will begin to lose their color and die. Australia's Great Barrier Reef, one of the world's natural wonders, will completely disappear. In the Amazonian rain forest, many of the trees will die, and sixty percent of the area will become dry savannah. The temperatures of the Amazon River will increase by 3.6 to 5.4 degrees Fahrenheit (about 2 to 3 degrees Celsius). In Chile and Argentina, melting glaciers will bring about a drier climate. This will lead to more forest fires in the region. And that is only the tip of the iceberg.
Some of the damage is irreversible. Yet the report also indicates that the destruction of coral reefs and other ecosystems could be limited, or even prevented.
Preview some of the lesson material:
Title: Speculate and/or discuss the contents of today's article from its title: "World Wonders Threatened."
Fill in the Blanks: Fill in the blank with the correct word.
- Scientists say there will be ( ) weather in the future.
- Terrible weather will become ( ) in the future.
- Water ( ) all around the world will be normal, because glaciers and glacial runoff will shrink.
- World governments are becoming a little more open to ( ) discussions on the changing climate.
- Evidence continues to ( ) on how much damage we have done to the environment.
- So what will the ( ) of today be on the world of tomorrow?
- If the ( ) are correct, then ocean temperatures will rise by at least 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In the Amazonian rain forest, sixty percent of the area will become dry ( ).
- Some of the damage is ( ).
- Yet the report also ( ) that the destruction of coral reefs and other ecosystems could be limited.
post-Comprehension: Talk about the following questions in pairs/groups. Remember to support your answers!
- Are you concerned about the environment?
- What should you do to protect the environment? Why?
- How has the environment changed since you were a child?
- What do you think the Earth will be like in the future? Please explain.
- Have you ever seen any of the natural wonders? Do you want to see them (again) before they are gone?
Google Search: Type "world wonder" into Google. Look at the websites, and/or read additional articles on this topic. Discuss or write an essay about your findings.
