Lesson 2. Nature and the Environment » 7A-B

7. A. Use the following words from the box to make up word combi–nations denoting some of the environmental problems of the present day. Write them down. Shortage of water, glaciers melting, global warming, acid rain, climate change, greenhouse effect, population explosion, energy crisis. B. Complete the sentences with some of the word combinations from part A. 1) Global warming is a problem caused by increased quantities of gases such as carbon dioxide in the air. These gases trap the heat from the sun, and cause a gradual rise in the temperature of the Earth's atmosphere. 2) In fact, many of the environmental problems that have received the most public attention are even worse than we thought — from destruction of the rainforests to glaciers melting in the Arctic. 3) The main cause of the acid rains is the industrial burning of coal and other fossil fuels, the waste gases from which contain sulphur and nitrogen oxides which combine with atmospheric water to form acids. 4) Climate change is long–term, significant change in the climate of an area or of the Earth, usually seen as the result of human activity. 5) People have been looking for alternative sources of energy in order to avoid global energy crisis.