Environment and conservation ‘You probably already know a lot of words for talking about the environment, pollution, and so on. In this unit we look at words that are often used together (collocations). Try to - | 4 learn some of these expressions and use them in your writing. Threats and potential threats to the environment Shrinking habitats! are a threat to both plants and animals, and endangered species? need legal protection if they are to survive. Meanwhile, global warming? will produce rising sea levels and climatic changes‘, and carbon dioxide emissions from the burning of fossil fuels* are contributing to the greenhouse effect”. In addition, population growth exerts severe pressure on* finite resources’, and the ecological balance? may be upset by uncontrolled deforestation! !. Demographic projections’? suggest the world population will ‘grow before it begins to stabilise. One of the worst case scenarios" is that there will be no ‘tropical forests left by the year 2050, Our only hope is that pristine environments'* such as Antarctica can be protected from development and damage. places where animals live and breed which are decreasing in size types of animals/plants which are in danger of no longer existing steady rise in average world temperatures changes in the weather/climate carbon dioxide gas from factories, cars, etc. warming of the Earth’s surface caused by pollution a a s * coal, oil, etc. ® formal: puts pressure on limited resources ' destruction/clearing of forests forecasts about the population '2 the worst possibilities for the future perfectly clean/untouched/unspoilt areas balance of natural relationships in the environment Responses to environmental issues and problems Look at these newspaper headlines and note the useful phrases. GOVERNING PARTY IN BID TO IMPRO' _GREEN CREDENTIALS* * jeputation for positive support of the environment SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT* ‘THE ONLY ANSWER FOR EMERGING COUNTRIES, SAYS UN COMMISSION * development of industry, etc. which does not threaten the environment or social and economic stability English Vocabulary in Use (advanced) PROPHETS OF DOOM AND GLOOM* SHOULD LISTEN TO SCIENTIFIC @ EVIDENCE, SAYS PRIME MINISTER * people who always make the most depressing or pessimistic forecasts for the future PIECEMEAL CONSERVATION* INEFFECTIVE - NATIONAL POLICY NEEDED, SAYS NEW REPORT * carrying out conservation one bit at a time, with no overall plan38.1 38.3 38.4 Exercises ‘Make these sentences formal by using words and phrases from A opposite instead of the underlined words. Make any other necessary changes to produce a correct sentence. 1 Allthar carbon-whar's-it-called gas pur our by cars and factories is a major problem. 2. These flowers here are a type there’s not many left of, so it's illegal to pick them. 3. A lot of wild animals have to survive in smaller and smaller areas where they can live. 4 Most of Patagonia is a completely spotless arca that's never been touched. 5 We have to look after the things we use on this planet because they won't last forever. 6 If the cutting down of trees continues, there will be no forest left ten years from now. 7 Burning coal and oil and stuff like that causes a lot of pollution. 8 The sea will get higher if this heating up of the world continues. 9 Increasing population puts really big pressure on economic resources. 10 The way things all balance one another in nature is very delicate. Complete the following table, using a dictionary if necessary. Do not fill the shaded boxes. noun verb adjective adverb climate demography Project sustain _ Correct the mistakes in this paragraph. Profits of boa ond doom ort alioys soyig that we ort hadkng for on eniicrenental catastrophe, ond that unless we adopt a peliy of attainable devloprmint we will couse ‘reparable.daevage to the planet. The worst place sunary is of a weld cholad by crpeption, the gueahasse office and traffic gidlodc. Much of what is daimed is aggre, but polis on nflnad Ly sth seas end ar abiys ty fo impr te ypun patents in the ews of the dtes. ‘An American newspaper recently published these statistics. Read them and answer the two questions below. 1 There is one word in the picture for a type of animal not mentioned on the opposite page. What does this new word mean? Use a dictionary if necessary. 2 Which phrase in this unit means the same as threatened species? Copyright 200, usa TOON epee with per To get more vocabulary connected with environment and conservation issues visie the websites of ‘major conservation organisations such as the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) at www.worldwildife.org for Friends ofthe Earth at wwrfoelorg English Vocabulary in Use (advanced) 95ee He « waz skit Tcould change the delivery date, they were very accommodating viling 1 Here to help: service encounters Good service Look at these comments by someone about a company they recently used, They're a good company. They always make sure you get a prompt (quick, without delay] reply to any query {/"kwrori/ question or enquiry about service] and they're very responsive to complaints [they listen, take them seriously and act]. When I rang understand and help] and got back to me [called me with an answer to my query] within ten minutes with a new date. Whenever I ring I get impeccable [100% perfect] service; they're always very helpful and obliging [willing and happy to do things for you], whatever the problem is J Bad service adjective. meaning example incompetent | ‘aling through insufficient Te wasn't just bad service; chey were completely Skil knowledge or taining _| incompetent. impersonal | lacking a personal element __| | find supermarkets s0 Impersonal shoddy poor quality (of service or | They repaired my car but the work was very of goods) shoddy. Substandard | below the standard expected | le was a substandard performance altogether (cfeen used about actions) _| for such a big company. uncooperative | not supportive, unwilling to | The secretary was very uncooperative. work together So | ended up doing it myzel There’s a huge backlog of orders and they can't deliver for three weeks. [number which are waiting to be dealt with] They never seem to have any sense of urgency when you ring them. It’s exasperating. [feeling that your request is important or urgent] ‘They have a helpline [telephone number where you can get help if you have problems], but it’ useless; they always put you on hold [make you wait] every time you ring. My TV broke down but it was still under guarantee/warranty so I didn’t have to pay to get ic repaired. {having a written promise by a company to repair or replace a faulty product] Service encounters on the Internet Some expressions you might find when using Internet websites for goods and services: Most big companies on the Internet offer a secure site [web address where no outside person can read your details] and have a privacy policy guaranteeing safe transactions {business exchanges which protect, e.g. your credit card from use by someone else]. This site has a very good FAQ [(pronounced as initials) frequently asked questions] link where you can find answers to the most important questions. This Internet bookshop is excellent: you can browse and it has a very good site index. {look at the list of goods/services offered before buying] ‘Most large Internet shopping sites offer immediate dispatch [goods will be sent at once] and a nationwide service [covering the whole country]. 96 English Vocabulary in Use (advanced)39.1 39.2 39.3 Exercises Fill the gaps with appropriate words or phrases from the opposite page. There may be more than one possible answer. 1 Trang to complain and they put me for about 15 minutes. Then T spoke to someone who promised to ring me again, but they never got me. Pl have to call them again. 2. They promised immediate osos2unnuu Of the goods I ordezed, but I've been waiting over a week now, and nothing has arrived. 3 Pve always found the company Very eevee tO complaints and inquiries. 4 Lwas expecting a .... reply to my letter, but I’ve been waiting two weeks now, and still haven’t had an answer 5 Lasked why they hadn’t dealt with my order yet and they said there was a x of orders which had built up over the Christmas holidays. 6 In my opinion, the goods and the service were both pretty now + Lwould have expected better quality from such a famous firm. 7 Staff in that shop are so ; they are genuinely helpful. 8 Tang the ecnnnnnvnnnm » but they couldn't solve my problem. Answer these questions for yourself. 1 Do you have a backlog of anything at the moment? 2. Have you had any recent experience of someone being very accommodating towards you? 3. What sort of companies or services usually have a helpline? Have you ever rung one? If so, what for, and was it successful? 4 Has anyone who has served you been uncooperative recently? What was the situation? Here are some buttons taken from current Internet shopping and service sites. Match them with the list of functions. 7 me Sacked ap @ ee s @ a) with one look you can see the whole range f) see if the goods you want can be supplie« b) look through the range before buying g) list of all the goods/services available c) rules for protecting your personal details h) the best special offers possible d) sale where you can offer a price for something i) enter the website straight away ) a further range of special offers Englsh Vocabulary n Use (eevanced) 97