A. Discuss the questions in
pairs.

1 Can man influence the
climate? If the answer is yes, explain how?

2 Which human activities are
responsible for increasing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere?

3 How can trees help save our
environment?

Now read the text below and
find answers to the above questions.

Humans can neither change the sun’s radiation nor the earth’s orbit
around the sun. But they can control the increase in the amount of greenhouse
gases and its effect on the atmosphere. Only during the last hundred years the
carbon dioxide concentration has been raised alarmingly in the atmosphere and
we humans can be held responsible for this.

The main cause of the increase in carbon dioxide level in the
atmosphere is the burning of fossil fuels. Since the end of the 19th century,
industrial activities increased rapidly giving rise to many factories. These
factories required energy, which was produced through the combustion of coal.
Besides coal, other sources of energy such as mineral oil and natural gas were
also burned to heat our houses, run cars and airplanes or to produce
electricity. Nowadays, about 85 million barrels of crude oil are burned daily.
Every time a fossil raw material is burned, it releases carbon dioxide into the
air.

Therefore, it is clear that more and more greenhouse gases like carbon
dioxide are being generated worldwide by humans. Moreover, we are also
strengthening the greenhouse effect by deforestation, which means cutting down
trees. Every year enormous areas of forests are destroyed by people to obtain
wood and to clear regions for mining and to create pasture. This loss of the
forest causes dual problems. Trees that are burned up release large volumes of
carbon dioxide gas into the air. On the other hand, as forests absorb a lot of
carbon dioxide from the air and deliver oxygen instead, we also destroy an
important storehouse of carbon dioxide when we clear forests.

B. Read the statements below
and say if they are true/false. If false, give the correct information.

1 Fossil fuels are burned at an alarming rate due to industrialization.

2 Coal is the only fuel used for generating energy.

3 At present, nearly 85 million barrels of crude oil are used weekly.

4 Deforestation is caused by nature.

5 Forests help consume carbon dioxide gases from the air.

C. Match the meanings in column
B and the words/phrases in column A.

A

B

1 Sun’s radiation

2 Fossil fuels

3 Combustion of coals

4 Crude oil

5 Raw materials

6 Deforestation

7 Photosynthesis

a. energy that is transmitted from the sun in the

form of rays or waves or particles

b. the process used by plants to convert light

energy captured from the sun to chemical

energy

c. a basic material or substance used in the

production or manufacturing of goods

d. non-renewable sources of energy that come

from the remains of plants and animals

e. intentional destructions or removal of trees

and   other   vegetations   for agricultural,

commercial, housing or firewood use

f. a naturally occurring, unrefined petroleum

product that can be refined to produce usable

products such as diesel, gasoline, heating oil,

jet fuel, kerosene.

g. burning of coal usually in industrial plants.

D. Write a letter to the Editor
of a newspaper expressing your concern about growing deforestation in your
area. Describe how deforestation is changing your environment. Also suggest
what actions could be taken to stop cutting down trees. Follow the clues below.

• dangers caused by deforestation

• increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere

• the greenhouse effects

• making people aware of the adverse effect of deforestation

• making an action plan to stop deforestation

E. Look at these posters below.
They are made to make people aware of the dangers of deforestation. In groups,
design a poster to show the dangers caused by deforestation. Then write a
slogan for the poster.

If you want to read the next lesson of this unit please click the link below:

Lesson: 4 | Putting our fish in hot water