ENGLISH COLLOCATIONS IN USE (ADVANCED)
UNIT 31
The environment
A
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Damaging
the environment
Read this extract from a report on
getting rid of waste.
Disposal of household waste is a daunting task for local authorities.
Towns and cities cannot just dump1 such waste
and hope it will go away. Household waste contains many materials and substances
which are extremely harmful to the
environment,
and authorities need long-term solutions. Efforts to recycle waste are only a partial solution. Meanwhile, the
problem of toxic2 waste remains. One
expert recently warned that the risks to public health are so great that we may have less than a decade
to avoid an environmental catastrophe on a global
scale.
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1 dispose of in
an irresponsible manner
2 poisonous
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B
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Climate change and its consequences
Here is an interview with Gary Prime,
an American rock star known for his support of environmental campaigns, who
is visiting London.
Interviewer:
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Would
you agree that climate change is the most urgent issue facing us today?
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Prime:
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Definitely.
You only have to look at the changing weather
patterns in many parts of the world. It’s absolutely vital that we change our ways before it’s too late. Parts of Europe which
used to be cooler now experience intense, searing heat1, and temperatures soar above the average every summer. Other
areas suffer widespread flooding
on a regular basis. We can’t continue in this way without there being dire2 consequences.
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Interviewer:
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So what can
people do in the face of this irreversible
climate change?
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Prime:
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Well, for a
start we can all reduce our
carbon footprint3 by flying less, and reduce our food miles4 by
buying local produce. Some airlines have schemes now for offsetting carbon emissions5.
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Interviewer:
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Flying’s only
one part of it, though. Most of the problems come from vehicle emissions and power stations.
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Prime:
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True, but
there are things we can do about that too. Buy a hybrid car6, develop alternative energy sources for homes, solar heating for instance,
and build more offshore7
wind farms. Oil supplies will run
dry8 within 50 years. Renewable energy can make a real difference. And
politicians shouldn’t be afraid of introducing green taxes9 and incentives to encourage eco-friendly design in
architecture. With sufficient will, we can find a solution.
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Interviewer:
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Gary Prime,
thank you for giving up your time for this interview.
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Prime:
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No problem.
I’ve got just enough time to catch my flight to Los Angeles.
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1 extreme heat
2 extremely
serious
3 amount of
carbon dioxide created by a person/business
4 distance food
has to travel between where it is grown or made and where it is consumed
5 paying for an
equivalent amount of carbon dioxide to be saved elsewhere
6 a car can
alternate between different energy sources (e.g. petrol and battery)
7 at sea, away
from the coast
8 run out
9 taxes relating
to the protection of the environment
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Common
mistakes
• We say absolutely vital, NOT very vital.
It’s absolutely vital that everyone plays their part in
combating climate change.
• We say find a solution, NOT give a solution.
We need to find a solution to the problem of energy supplies.
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EXERCISES
31.1
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Read these remarks by different
speakers, and then answer the questions.
Sylvia:
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We found that poisonous chemicals had been
thrown into the river.
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Tomas:
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We have to protect everyone from illnesses caused by environmental
problems.
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Marcos:
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We can
collect glass and plastic from homes which can then be re-used.
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Gerard:
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We are heading for a major disaster in terms of the pollution of the
oceans.
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Ulla:
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We must
stop using this chemical. It can destroy plant and animal life.
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1 Who mentions public health?
2 Who is complaining about
people dumping toxic waste?
3 Who is talking about
avoiding the use of something which is harmful to the environment?
4 Who is explaining about
recycling household waste?
5 Who is sounding a warning
about an environmental catastrophe?
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31.2
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Complete each sentence using a word
from the opposite page.
1 We looked out to sea and
spotted some ____________ wind farms.
2 Oil supplies are likely to ____________
dry within the next 200 years.
3 It’s absolutely ____________
that we all do something to reduce global warming.
4 As a green organisation we
only use architects who specialise in ____________ design.
5 Continued use of fossil
fuels will have ____________ consequences in the long term.
6 The airline has a scheme
where you can ____________ your carbon emissions.
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31.3
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Rewrite the underlined part of each
sentence using a collocation from the opposite page based on the word in
brackets.
1 How far our food travels
before we consume it should be a concern for everyone. (MILE)
2 Energy which comes from
inexhaustible sources, such as wind, is our greatest hope for the future.
(RENEW)
3 The region has experienced flooding
over large areas in recent years. (WIDE)
4 We have caused the
world’s climate to alter in a way that cannot be changed back. (CHANGE)
5 We must do something to
eliminate the problem of toxic waste. (SOLVE)
6 We should all try to reduce the
amount of carbon we emit. (FOOT)
7 Wind farms located out at
sea can provide a partial solution to the problem. (SHORE)
8 The minister chairs a
committee aiming to improve the way we get rid of rubbish from our homes.
(DISPOSE)
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31.4
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Correct the collocation errors in these
sentences.
1 Temperatures expanded during
the summer months and reached a record high.
2 We must change our way
before it is too late.
3 They now have a sun heating
system in their house; it’s very economical.
4 The desert experiences
soaring heat during the day but is cold at night.
5 The weather designs have
changed in recent years: winters are milder, summers are hotter.
6 He has one of those mixed
cars which alternates between petrol and battery power.
7 The government must present
green taxes so people who damage the environment pay more.
8 Vehicle transmissions are
the main source of pollution in big cities.
9 We need to find alternative
energy origins for private homes.
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|
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Over
to you
Go to the United Nations Environment
Programme website at www.unep.org and make a note of useful
collocations you find there connected with the environment.
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ANSWER KEY
31.1
1 Tomas 2 Sylvia 3 Ulla 4 Marcos 5
Gerard
31.2
1 offshore
2 run (we also say run out)
3 vital
4 eco-friendly
5 dire (we could also say disastrous or devastating)
6 offset
31.3
1 Food miles
2 Renewable energy
3 widespread flooding
4 irreversible climate change
5 find a solution to
6 our carbon footprint
7 Offshore wind farms
8 the disposal of household waste
31.4
1 Temperatures soared during the summer months and reached a record high.
2 We must change our ways before it is too late.
3 They now have a solar heating system in their house; it’s very economical.
4 The desert experiences searing heat during the day
but is cold at night. (Note: we say searing
heat or soaring
temperatures, but we do NOT say searing temperatures or soaring
heat.)
5 The weather patterns have changed in recent years: winters are milder,
summers are hotter.
6 He has one of those hybrid cars which alternates
between petrol and battery power.
7 The government must introduce green taxes so people
who damage the environment pay more.
8 Vehicle emissions are the main source of pollution in big cities.
9 We need to find alternative energy sources for private homes.
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