House & Grounds è il nuovo corso di inglese rivolto agli studenti degli Istituti Tecnici Tecnologici, indirizzo “Costruzioni, Ambiente e Territorio”. In linea con i nuovi orientamenti della formazione, il testo si caratterizza per la presentazione chiara e ben articolata dei contenuti, per il percorso fortemente incentrato sullo sviluppo delle abilità e per la ricca varietà dell’offerta didattica, con un’ampia selezione di materiale multimediale (video, film, collegamenti a Internet). Ulteriori materiali didattici, approfondimenti e attività per la preparazione all’Esame di Stato sono disponibili sul sito www.elionline.com.
Per lo studente
Per l’insegnante
Coursebook
Teacher’s Pack
• 2 CD audio • Flip Book
• Teacher’s Flip Book • CD-RoM Test Maker • Materiale supplementare online su www.elionline.com
e 19,50 iSBN 978-88-536-1324-0
iSBN 978-88-536-1325-7
l. P S -0 .r. ES ND 24 I s n U 13 EL s o RO 36cu &G -5 Fo SE -88 U 8 O 7 H N9 B IS
Volume + 2 CD audio + Flip Book
Questo volume, sprovvisto del talloncino a fronte, è da considerarsi SAGGIO - CAMPIONE GRATUITO: fuori campo applicazione IVA ed esente da Ddt (Art. 2, c. 3, l.d, DPR 633/1972 e Art. 4, n. 6, DPR 627/1978)
e 19,50
www.elionline.com
Contents MODULES
1
Ecology and the Environment p. 9
BUILDING in THEORY Ecology • Ecology: an overview • Sub-disciplines • The ecosystem • Human ecology and the ecosystem • Ecological crises ‘The solution to pollution is dilution’ p. 27
2 3 4 5 6
Urbanisation p. 35
Bio-Architecture p. 57
Building Materials p. 75
Design and Planning p. 93
Building and the Building Site p. 109
Environment and pollution • The human impact • Forms of pollution • Contamination and related diseases • Pollution: early environmental policies • From pollution dilution to elimination • Pollution parameters ‘Plans for UK’s ‘legacy’ of...’ p. 29
Urban growth • Urban growth • Urban land-use patterns • Choosing a place of residence • The economic life of a building • Consequences of urban growth ‘Green-based urban growth: the next wave of environmentalism’ p. 45
Urban planning • Urban economic planning • Town planning • Master Plan
Eco-building • Bio-architecture: general definitions • Eco-materials • Eco-design • Green building • Sustainable design
Eco-living • Alternative energy sources and green housing • Cohousing
Natural and man-made materials • Stone • Timber The disadvantages of timber frame • Brick • Cement and concrete
‘Sustainable urban policy’ p. 47
• Steel • Glass and metal • Plastic and synthetics • Sustainable materials
Measuring instruments • Mapping • Surveying instruments • Gps as a surveying instrument
The art of design • Sketch stage and working drawings • Autocad • Rendering
Reports • Architectural brief and drawing • Architectural report • Building report
Building elements • Foundations • Walls • Floors • Stairs • Roofs
Restoring and Renovating • Restoration • Building Renovation
On the building site • Modern methods of construction • Construction machinery • Health and safety ‘Work accidents kill one young person a month’ p. 121
7
Building Installations p. 125
House systems • Plumbing systems • Drainage • Electrical systems • Heating systems • Solar heating • Ventilation and air conditioning
‘Panta Rei: the philosophy of Feng Shui’ p. 127 ‘Concentrated solar power’ p. 133 ‘Air conditioning: use it wisely!’ p. 135
A proper use of energy • Energy saving
FOCUS on LANGUAGE Vocabulary • The world of ecology
Grammar • Present simple • Present continuous • Zero conditional
BUILD IT UP!
MOVE to the NET
The anthropological impact on environment Human impact brings Earth to dawn of new epoch
Is nuclear safe?
C lil - history Vocabulary • The world of urbanisation • Compound nouns
Grammar • Imperative • Linkers
Social sustainability Want calmer cities? Build socially sustainable communities
Las Vegas urban sprawl
C lil - geopedology Vocabulary • ‘Green’ words • Prefi xes
Grammar • The future • First conditional
Green building Building green houses for the poor
Cohousing
C lil - law Vocabulary • Materials
Grammar • Past simple • Past continuous
Natural architecture Building with earth
Stonehenge
C lil - construction Vocabulary • From surveying to design • Suffi xes
Grammar • Comparatives and superlatives • Past simple vs Present perfect
AutoCAD An overview of CAD
AutoCAD
C lil - construction Vocabulary • Building elements • Safety
Grammar • Modals (1) • Second and third conditional
Complying with guidelines Universal design guidelines
Building a shed
C lil - construction Vocabulary • House systems
Grammar • Present perfect simple vs Present perfect continuous • Past perfect simple vs Past perfect continuous
Energy saving How to save energy by encouraging new habits
C lil - geopedology
Energy saving
MODULES
8
Building Public Works p. 143
BUILDING in THEORY Engineering • Civil engineering • Earthquake engineering
‘Chile earthquake: shock effect on earth’s axis’ p. 149
9
Working in Construction p. 163
Professionals • An overview • Operatives • Building and quantity surveyors • Civil engineers
Public works • Bridges • Gardens and parks • Roads • Tunnels • Schools • Dams • Opera houses • Airports
Education • How to become an architect in the UK
How to find a job • Job ads • CV and covering letter
‘Civil engineering’ p. 167
Building Culture DOSSIERS
1
2
A Short History of Architecture p. 180
Famous Masterpieces p. 214
move to movies p. 230
MILESTONES in ARCHITECTURE • Prehistoric architecture • Roman heritage in Britain • The Middle-Ages: the Gothic period • Gothic cathedrals • British castles • Windsor castle • Half-timbered houses in the UK and USA
• A famous Tudor town: Stratford-Upon-Avon • Renaissance and classicism: two masterpieces • Georgian architecture • Gothic revival and neoclassicism • The modern movement: Walter Gropius (1883-1969) • The modern movement: Le Corbusier (1887-1965)
• The CN Tower • The Empire State Building • The Golden Gate Bridge • The Sydney Opera House • The Taj Mahal • The Dynamic Tower
• Notting Hill
Exam Practice
p. 238
Word Bank
p. 244
Conversion chart p. 251
• Life as a House
• Barry Lindon
• Slumdog Millionaire
FOCUS on LANGUAGE Vocabulary • Public works
Grammar • Modals (2) • The passive
BUILD IT UP!
MOVE to the NET
Famous Bridges London’s Millennium Bridge fi nally open to the public again
Harbour Bridge
C lil - construction Vocabulary • The CV • Professionals
Grammar • Reported speech • Relative clauses
RIBA awards A bird’s eye view of british architecture
Frank Gehry
C lil - italian
• The modern movement: Frank Lloyd Wright (1867-1959) • The postmodern movement: James Stirling and Aldo Rossi • Contemporary trends: Richard Meier (1934-) • Contemporary trends: Richard Rogers (1933-) • Contemporary trends: Norman Foster (1935-) • Contemporary trends: Frank Gehry (1929-)
GOING DEEPER
MORE THAN WALLS
Renzo Piano: the man who is reinventing architecture
Shakespeare
MOVE to the NET The Globe project
C lil - literature Gaudí’s masterpieces
Sculpture Gardens
MOVE to the NET
The Minneapolis Sculpture Garden
C lil - art
Welcome to è il nuovo corso di inglese tecnico settoriale rivolto agli Istituti Tecnici per Geometri, indirizzo Costruzioni, Ambiente e Territorio. In queste pagine troverai alcune informazioni per imparare a usare il tuo libro di testo. Il volume si articola in 9 moduli dal contenuto tecnico e settoriale e 2 dossier di architettura, organizzati in questo modo: Input teorico e attività • Ogni modulo si suddivide in diversi capitoli in cui vengono presentati testi teorici che aff rontano i temi tecnici e settoriali e articoli autentici di approfondimento. Per ognuno dei testi sono previste attività basate sulle skills. • Un’apposita icona segnala inoltre le attività di preparazione alle certifi cazioni Cambridge (PET e FCE) con un approccio graduale. • A conclusione di ogni percorso tematico è prevista un’attività di Exam practice, per preparare gli studenti all’Esame di Stato.
Box Sono presenti tre diverse tipologie di box: • il box asterisco (*) che rimanda a un termine oppure a un’espressione trovata nel testo e può spiegarne il signifi cato, le peculiarità linguistiche, l’etimologia, ecc.; • il box More about... con brevi approfondimenti o curiosità su uno dei temi presentati nel testo principale; • il box interattivo che contiene un rimando a uno o più siti internet dove gli studenti potranno trovare ulteriori informazioni e approfondimenti inerenti ai temi trattati. Il box è attivato nel FLIP BOOK e collega lo studente direttamente alla pagina del sito in questione.
La sezione Focus on language si divide in due parti: • Vocabulary, dove gli studenti potranno sviluppare e consolidare il lessico specifi co e tecnico già incontrato all’interno del modulo, così da ampliare gradualmente la quantità di termini pertinenti alla microlingua settoriale del loro corso di studi e raff orzare la capacità di usarli attivamente nel contesto adeguato. I box linguistici off rono spunti di rifl essioni su alcune caratteristiche della lingua inglese (uso dei suffi ssi, compound nouns, ecc.). • Grammar, dove vengono brevemente presentate ed esercitate diverse strutture grammaticali con un approccio graduale e di contestualizzazione in cui gli studenti troveranno esempi che riprendono il lessico e le strutture incontrati nel corso del modulo in questione. La pagina di grammatica si chiude sempre con un esercizio di traduzione dall’inglese verso l’italiano nei primi moduli e dall’italiano verso l’inglese negli ultimi.
Puoi scaricare gratuitamente dal sito www.elionline.com: materiale didattico supplementare | tutti gli audio in formato MP3 | FLIP BOOK
PET indica le attività utili per
la preparazione all’esame PET FCE indica le attività utili per la preparazione all’esame FCE A indica la tipologia di prova per la preparazione all’Esame di Stato (A, B o C)
La sezione Build it up! guida gli studenti allo sviluppo delle abilità linguistiche. Presente alla fi ne di ogni modulo (Going Deeper nei due dossier), off re un approfondimento di uno dei temi trattati. All’interno delle pagine di Build it up! si trova inoltre un box CLIL in cui viene suggerito un percorso interdisciplinare.
Una delle principali novità di House & Grounds è la pagina Move to the net che chiude ogni modulo. Qui lo studente troverà un’ampia selezione di materiale multimediale autentico e attuale. La pagina si articola in tre parti: • il Log in presenta un’attività di warm up che introduce l’argomento proposto nel video; • Passwords elenca le parole di più diffi cile comprensione presenti nel video ed è accompagnato da un esercizio che mira a consolidarne la memorizzazione; • On the net! presenta il video ed è seguito da attività di comprensione. Tutti i video di questa sezione sono inseriti nel Flip Book.
I due dossier si chiudono con la sezione More than walls in cui viene presentato un percorso (che include anche una proposta interdisciplinare CLIL) che si ricollega alla letteratura e all’arte. La pagina include inoltre la sezione Move to the net in cui viene presentato un video sul tema trattato, seguito da un’attività di comprensione.
Altra novità assoluta del corso House & Grounds è la sezione Move to movies dedicata all’analisi di fi lm contemporanei a partire da uno dei temi trattati nel testo. Si propone un lavoro graduale e completo di ricezione e produzione linguistica. Le clip analizzate si possono vedere sul Flip Book.
Exam Practice è la sezione dedicata alla preparazione della terza prova di lingua inglese prevista per la maturità. Lo studente troverà i quesiti suddivisi in base alle tre tipologie previste (A, B o C).
House & Grounds Grounds si chiude con un Word Grounds si chiude con un Word Bank Bank in cui gli studenti troveranno termini specifi ci suddivisi per modulo e per area tematica. Il glossario è infi ne completato da tre tavole illustrate e da una Conversion Chart.
Il Flip Book contiene la versione digitale dell’intero libro di testo. Per migliorare la visibilità e focalizzare l’attenzione su un singolo elemento, si possono ingrandire i singoli esercizi, ascoltare i brani registrati e svolgere attività interattive.
Il Flip Book è un supporto didattico ricchissimo di risorse e strumenti da utilizzare con la lavagna interattiva (LIM) per coinvolgere gli studenti e rendere la lezione più interessante ed effi cace, ma può essere utilizzato anche a casa dallo studente in modo autonomo e semplice. Contiene l’intero volume in formato multimediale e raccoglie tutte le risorse del corso in un unico ambiente: tutto il materiale audio, i video delle sezioni Move to the net e le clip dei film inseriti nella sezione Move to movies. Tutti i siti indicati come spunti di approfondimento sono attivati.
Il Flip Book è stato studiato e preparato nella doppia versione per l’insegnante e per lo studente. Le versioni diff eriscono nell’attivazione di funzioni specifi che utili alla preparazione delle lezioni per l’insegnante (possibilità di inserire note, allegati, link ipertestuali). La versione studente, senza le soluzioni, ha la funzione ‘Salvataggio degli esercizi’, che una volta salvati non sono più modifi cabili, ma solo verifi cabili con l’apposito tasto ‘Verifica’ che mostra le risposte esatte e quelle sbagliate. La versione insegnante del Flip Book contiene le soluzioni complete di tutti gli esercizi e un codice di sblocco che consente di eseguirli nuovamente.
La palette, ricchissima di strumenti come zoom, tools grafi ci, funzioni di stampa, esportazione e importazione di note, allegati e segnalibri, rimanda anche alla pagina Risorse, che permette di accedere ai fi le audio e video e alle risorse extra online.
Il Flip Book contiene inoltre le funzioni ‘Spotlight’ e ‘Tendina’, che permettono di oscurare parzialmente la pagina, lasciandone visibile soltanto la porzione su cui si intende focalizzare l’attenzione.
Il Flip Book è dotato al suo interno di una Guida all’uso per scoprire le risorse e gli strumenti a disposizione.
Module
1
Ecology and the Environment BUILDING in THEORY
BUILD IT UP!
Ecology Environment and pollution
The anthropological impact on environment
FOCUS on LANGUAGE
MOVE to the NET
VOCABULARY The world of ecology GRAMMAR Present simple Present continuous Zero conditional
Is nuclear safe?
9
Module
1 BUILDING in THEORY
warm up 1 Look at the pictures on these pages and try to predict what you will read in the text. What does ecology deal with according to you?
G lossary
Activities
environment: ambiente share: condividono draws on: ricorre a, attinge da aims: scopi policies: criteri
ecology Ecology: an overview Ecology is the science that studies the number of living organisms in the environment and how they are distributed. It also studies how the quantity and distribution of organisms are influenced and in turn influence their interactions with the environment. The environment of an organism includes factors such as climate, solar insulation, geology and the other organisms that share its habitat. Ecology is also called ecological science and it is multi-disciplinary: this means that it draws on other branches of science, such as biology, geology, geography, meteorology, chemistry and physics. Ecological knowledge provides a scientific basis for environmentalism, whose aims and policies are the preservation, restoration and improvement of the natural environment.
reading comprehension 2 Read the text and choose the correct option. 1 Ecology studies... A the quantity of organisms in the environment. B how organisms are distributed. C both of these. 2 Ecology is also called... A meteorology.
B ecological science.
C physics.
3 Ecology makes use of... A other sciences.
B the environment.
C solar insulation.
4 Environmentalism deals with... A the protection of the environment.
B the study of the environment.
C geographical issues.
vocabulary 3 Find the English equivalents in the text.
1 organismo vivente 2 ambiente 3 distribuiti 4 infl uenzati 5 clima
10
________________________ 6 geologia ________________________ 7 condividere ________________________ 8 settori ________________________ 9 chimica ________________________ 10 fi sica
________________________ ________________________ ________________________ ________________________ ________________________
Ecology and the Environment
Ecology has a great number of (1) ____________, some of which are more complex than others. Physiological and behavioural ecology focus on the (2) ____________ of the individual to his environment. Population ecology examines the dynamics of (3) ____________ of a single species; community ecology studies the interactions between species in an ecological (4) ____________. Ecosystem and landscape ecology are even more complex. Ecology can be studied at different (5) ____________. If you study the population level, you focus on individuals of the same species, but you can also examine communities of species, (6) ____________ or biosphere levels. The outer layer of the planet Earth can be divided into three compartments: the hydrosphere is the sphere of (7) ____________, the lithosphere is the sphere of soil and rocks and the atmosphere is the sphere of (8) ____________. Last, but not least, the biosphere is the sphere of life. In short, it is the part of our (9) ____________ occupied by life.
listening 1.02 1
PET Listen to the interview with John Hale, an ecologist, and complete the text.
G lossary outer layer: strato esterno compartments: settori
reading comprehension 2 PET Read the text and decide if the statements below are true (T) or false (F).
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
T n n n n n n n n
The sub-disciplines of ecology are all very complex. Population ecology examines the population dynamics of a single species. Ecosystem and landscape ecology are more complex than other forms of ecology. If you study the population level, you concentrate on communities of species. The outer layer of the planet Earth can be divided into four compartments. The hydrosphere is the sphere of water. The biosphere is the sphere of soil and rocks. Ecology cannot be studied at different levels.
F n n n n n n n n
3 Now answer the questions. 1 What are the sub-divisions of ecology? 2 Do physiological and behavioural ecology focus on the adaptation of the individuals to their environment? 3 What does community ecology study? 4 What do you focus on if you study the population level? 5 How can the outer layer of the planet Earth be divided? 6 What is the lithosphere? 7 What is the biosphere? 8 What is the atmosphere?
11
Activities
Sub-disciplines
| Module 1
Module 1 | BUILDING in THEORY warm up 1 Look at the picture and answer these questions. 1 Do you know what a ‘food chain’ is? 2 Do you think that you are part of it? 3 Do you think that there are any living organisms that are not part of it?
The ecosystem The first principle of ecology is that every living organism has a constant relationship with every other element in the environment. An ecosystem is a situation where there is interaction between organisms and their environment. In an ecosystem, species are connected by food chains. A food chain begins when energy from the sun is captured by plants and trees (primary producers) through photosynthesis. Then primary consumers (herbivores) eat plants and later secondary and tertiary consumers (carnivores) eat primary consumers. The energy they create by eating and digesting is lost as waste heat. When animals and plants die, very small bacteria break down their tissue (decomposition) and the chemicals that make up those living organisms are released into the soil and act as fertilisers to help green plants to grow. In this way the food chain starts all over again. An ecosystem can vary in size, it can be a pond, a field, a piece of dead wood or a rainforest.
When you study an ecosystem, the main questions to consider are: • What are the dynamics of and changes to the ecosystem? • What methods of interaction does an ecosystem use at a local, national and global level? • Is the present state of the ecosystem stable? • What is the value of the ecosystem? • How does the interaction of ecological systems benefit humans?
G lossary food chains: catene alimentari break down: decompongono tissue: tessuto make up: formano act as: fungono da
M ore about... All living things play roles in the food chain. Energy is passed from one organism to another in a complex network, like a spider’s web. Food chains show how each living thing gets food and how nutrients and energy are passed from creature to creature. Food chains usually have no more than four or five links. Most animals are part of more than one food chain and eat more than one kind of food in order to meet their food and energy requirements. These interconnected food chains form a food web. Take a look at the following website to find out more about food chains and web chains. You can also try creating a food web...
http://www.vtaide.com/png/foodchains.htm 12
| Module 1
reading comprehension 2 Read the text and match the two parts of the sentences.
1 A food chain begins... 2 An ecosystem can... 3 Carnivores are... 4 Every living organism... 5 Herbivores are... 6 In an ecosystem... 7 When they die, living organisms... 8 Species are connected... 9 The chemicals released into the soil...
a n by food chains. b n release chemicals into the soil during decomposition. c n has a continuous relationship with every other element in the environment. d n help green plants to grow. e n primary consumers. f n secondary and tertiary consumers. g n there is interaction between organisms and their environment. h n vary in size. i n when plants and trees capture energy from the sun.
vocabulary 3 Write the words in the box next to the correct definitions. carnivores • decomposition • ecosystem • environment • food chain • herbivores
1 A series of living organisms that are connected to each other because each of them eats the one below it in the series. 2 The environment and the relationship between all plants and animals living in that specific area. 3 The breaking down of plant or animal tissue by bacteria. 4 Primary consumers. 5 Secondary and tertiary consumers. 6 The world of land, sea, air, animals and plants.
__________________ __________________ __________________ __________________ __________________ __________________
4 Find the synonyms of these words in the text.
1 connection 2 component 3 habitat 4 examine 5 large scale 6 people
________________________ ________________________ ________________________ ________________________ ________________________ ________________________
speaking 5 Look at the picture of a food chain on page 12 and use your own words to explain the process. In this ecosystem there is interaction between...
exam practice _ oral exam 6 What have you learnt about ecology? Prepare a short presentation (3-5 minutes) following the guidelines.
• What is ecology? What does it study? • How is it a multidisciplinary science? What are its sub-disciplines? What are the different levels it can be studied at? • How do food chains work? • What are the main points to consider when studying an ecosystem?
13
Activities
Ecology and the Environment
Module 1 | BUILDING in THEORY
Human ecology and the ecosystem
warm up 1 Look at the
n Sometimes humans consider
pictures and answer the questions. • What do you see in the fi rst picture? Can you describe the second picture? • What do you think is the main difference between humans and animals?
themselves as a separate, unnatural component that contaminates the study of ecology. There are two reasons for this: human beings are different from other species of animal in many ways and we are the species that has the greatest impact on the changes in ecology today. So ecology often studies ecosystems without humans in them. But what does human ecology deal with? n The main difference between humans and other species is that we are conscious
G lossary deal with: occuparsi di goals: traguardi, scopi affect: influenzano behaviour: comportamento
beings and we express our ambitions and aspirations through our relationship with the natural world. Our knowledge, principles, values and goals affect our behaviour. And we are also influenced by our society, culture, communities and by their ideals and aims in relation to nature. As a consequence, cooperation and conflict between individuals and groups contribute to those interactions having an impact on our biosphere.
Activities
n Human ecology deals both with the influence of human beings on their environment and with the effect of the environment on human behaviour. It also investigates their strategies to adapt to different situations as they understand their impact on each other better. If we want to save our planet, we must try and answer some key questions: • How do social, political and cultural interactions influence nature? • How can environmental management and the conservation of biodiversity interpret and accept human ecology, human values and our diversity?
reading comprehension 2 Read the text and match each paragraph with a heading. A How human beings behave B What human ecology is about C Are human beings different?
3 Read the text again and answer the following questions. 1 Why do humans sometimes consider themselves different from other species? 2 What does ecology often study? 3 What are the main differences between human beings and other living beings? 4 What are we infl uenced by? What are the consequences? 5 What interactions have an impact on the biosphere? 6 What does human ecology deal with and investigate?
14
Ecology and the Environment
| Module 1
The human infl uence
G lossary web: rete result in: portare a
reading comprehension 1 Read the text and underline all the main points or facts. Then arrange these points/facts as a chart ordered according to importance. Justify your choice (not more than 3 lines each).
Main point or fact
Explanation
Everybody influences the human ecological web.
We influence it through our actions and behaviour.
vocabulary 2 Match the words with their defi nitions.
1 web 2 impact 3 research 4 biology 5 anthropology 6 change 7 value
a n the study of people, society and culture b n a structure with connections and relationships c n the science that describes and classifi es forms of life and living things d n an important moral principle or belief e n a difference, an alteration f n an effect g n the study of a subject
exam practice _ written exam 3 B Read the previous two articles again and answer the following questions.
• What is human ecology? • What does it investigate? • How is human ecology interdisciplinary? • In which ways does it interact with the other subjects mentioned?
15
Activities
Everybody influences the human ecological web through their actions and behaviour and we are starting to study and understand how they have an impact on the global environment. Today human ecology is not only an area of research, but also a system of methods and principles. It is interdisciplinary because it deals with a great number of different subjects, such as biology, psychology, anthropology, development studies and political ecology, and it is also experiential and reflexive. Human beings are part of the ecosystem and both we and the ecosystem change while we are studying it. Thanks to these changes we can understand our values better and consequently we can change them. And every human being can help others to understand and respect each other. This can result in advantages for both humans and non-humans.
Module 1 | BUILDING in THEORY
Ecological crises
warm up 1 Scan the text
n An ecological crisis occurs when the environment of a species or a population
and match each paragraph with a picture.
develops in a way that makes its survival more difficult. There are different reasons why this can happen: for example, the quality of the environment can change with regard to the needs of a species (which can be caused by an increase in temperature or a decrease in rainfall, for example) or the environment can become less favourable for the survival of a species because of the reduced quantity of food it offers (for example in cases of overfishing). Overpopulation is another reason why the environment can become hostile to the survival of a species. n Ecological crises can take place over both a short or a long period of time. Some
crises are of natural origin, others are caused by human beings. They can affect only one species or a number of them and they can be local or global. Their consequences can be limited to the death of a few members or lead to the extinction of a species. In many cases an ecological crisis leads to a damage in the food chain, even if its cause is the disappearance of a single species. This has further consequences on the survival of other species.
A
B
n The consequences of a global crisis
G lossary
Activities
occurs: avviene, accade survival: sopravvivenza increase: aumento decrease: diminuzione overfishing: pesca eccessiva further: ulteriori
C
can be much worse. In the past the extinction of some key species led to the disappearance of over 90% of the existing species. But some ecological crises, such as the extinction of the dinosaurs, have had positive results because they have helped biodiversity by permitting the development and diversification of other species.
reading comprehension 2 Read the text and choose the correct option.
1 An ecological crisis happens when the environment of a species or a population develops in a way that makes its … more diffi cult. A life B survival C needs
2 This can happen because the quality of the environment can change with regard to the needs of… A a population B the environment C a species
3 Another reason for an ecological crisis can be that the environment becomes less favourable for the survival of a species because of the reduced amount of … it offers. A food B rainfall C biodiversity
4 Some ecological crises are of … origin, whilst others are caused by human beings. A diffi cult B favourable C natural
5 Some ecological crises, such as the extinction of …, have had positive effects. A the dinosaurs B human beings C biodiversity
16
Ecology and the Environment
| Module 1
The consequences
G lossary stable state: stato di stabilità greenhouse effect: effetto serra hole: buco meltdown: fusione del nocciolo
reading comprehension 1 PET Read the text and decide if the statements below are true (T) or false (F).
1 2 3
No ecological crisis can be reversible. One of the results of an ecological crisis can be the extinction of a species. In the last few decades human beings have negatively infl uenced their ecosystem like no other species on Earth. 4 The greenhouse effect is related to the growing number of extreme weather phenomena and different quantities of food resources. 5 An example of a recent ecological crisis is the nuclear disaster at Chernobyl.
T n n
F n n
n
n
n n
n n
listening 2 1.03
PET Listen to the interview with Kevin Phillips speaking about the greenhouse effect and its consequences and choose the correct option.
1 The greenhouse effect takes place when certain gases in the … trap infrared radiation. A water B air C atmosphere
2 …vapour, carbon dioxide and methane are greenhouse gases. A Hot B Water C Warm
3 When the quantity of greenhouse gas in the air …, the air holds more heat. A drops B decreases C increases
4 The greenhouse effect also takes place on other planets with atmospheres, such as … for example. A Mercury B Venus C Pluto
5 Global warming is normal and important for our planet because without it the Earth’s average temperature would be about … degrees Celsius. A -18 or -19
B +18 or +19
C between -18 and +19
exam practice _ oral exam 3 Prepare a short presentation (3-5 minutes) about some of the consequences that an ecological crisis can lead to.
17
Activities
In some cases an ecological crisis can be reversible, but this is a rare phenomenon. Usually its consequences go on until a point where it is no longer possible to return to the previous stable state. One of the results of an ecological crisis can be the extinction of a species, but in most cases it can simply reduce the number of individuals and their quality of life. In the last few decades, human beings have been responsible for increasingly more ecological crises and they have negatively influenced their ecosystem like no other species on Earth. The main reasons for their strong impact on the environment are advances in technology and increasing population. Here are some examples of recent ecological crises: • global warming caused by the greenhouse effect (which is related to the growing number of extreme weather phenomena and to different quantities of food resources) • the problem of the hole in the ozone layer • deforestation and desertification, resulting in the disappearance of a great number of species • the nuclear meltdown at Chernobyl (1986) and Fukushima (2011) whose consequences were not only the deaths but also the genetic mutation of thousands of people, animals and plants.
Module 1 | BUILDING in THEORY warm up 1 Work in pairs. What do we need land for? Look at the pictures and make a list of all the types of activities you can think of.
G lossary
Activities
grow: coltivare bury: sotterrare waste: scarti, rifiuti by-products: sottoprodotti stored: immagazzinati crops: coltivazioni source: fonte pollutants: sostanze inquinanti groundwater: acqua freatica
environment and pollution The human impact
A ________________________
The quality of our land is very important. We need land to create energy, to grow fruit and vegetables and to bury waste. We also need it for mineral resources, for building houses, factories, schools and hospitals, for transportation, for free time activities and much more. Land is also a vital habitat for plants and animals. But many human activities, such as industry, agriculture and transportation, and their by-products, as well as intentional or accidental pollution, can damage the soil and harm the quality of land. B ________________________ Soil is extremely important for the environment, because water and vital substances such as vitamins, minerals and fibres are stored and regenerated in it. It is also an essential medium for growing crops. And it has another fundamental function: it acts as a barrier between the atmosphere and aquatic ecosystems. However, this barrier is lost if soil is damaged or contaminated, with the consequence that the soil becomes a source of pollutants that can enter surface or groundwater and even damage the quality of air and consequently the health of plants, animals and people. Toxic substances can be dangerous for individual species, have long-term effects on ecosystems and lead to an increase in global warming.
reading comprehension 2 Read the text and write the names of the activities under the pictures. 3 Read the text again and complete the sentences with the words from the box. atmosphere • products • contaminated • growing • important • source • warming • activities
1 We need land for a great number of ____________. 2 Land is also very ____________ for animals and plants. 3 Many human activities and their ____________ can damage the quality of land. 4 Soil is essential for the environment and for ____________ crops. 5 Soil is also a barrier between the ____________ and aquatic ecosystems. 6 If soil is ____________, its function as a barrier is lost. 7 Contaminated soil becomes a ____________ of pollutants. 8 Toxic substances can increase global ____________.
vocabulary 4 Match the words with their defi nitions. 1 waste 2 habitat 3 groundwater 4 global warming 5 by-product 6 medium 7 pollutants
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a n something created while producing or processing another product b n water found under the ground c n substances that pollute the environment d n material that is no longer wanted because its valuable part has already been used e n a gradual increase in the Earth’s temperature f n the natural environment where animals and plants grow g n a substance which acts as a vehicle for a particular purpose
Ecology and the Environment
European policies
C ________________________
Some organisations protect and improve air quality by regulating the release of pollutants into the atmosphere from large industrial and agricultural activities. These authorities act at local, national and European levels. European governments decide on air and water pollution standards to try and decrease air and water pollution. They also make sure that air and water get cleaned up in cases of pollution. Local authorities supervise small industrial processes. The Environment Agency checks the proper use of water resources by controlling who can take water from the environment and how much water they can take. Local Authority Environmental Health Departments are locally responsible for the quality of the water in our taps. This is important because we use water for a great number of applications: in our houses and gardens, in agriculture, industry and commerce and the way we use it influences our environment.
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G lossary get cleaned up: viene pulito taps: rubinetti
The European Environmental Agency (EEA) began in 1994 and aims to provide independent information about the environment. For more information visit: www.eea.europa.eu
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Activities
reading comprehension 1 Read the text and answer the questions. What do some organisations do? How do they do this? What do European governments decide? What do they ensure? What do local authorities supervise? Does the Environment Agency make sure that air and water get cleaned up in cases of pollution? What are local Authority Environmental Health departments responsible for? Why is this important?
listening 2 1.04
PET Listen to Barry Kindersley speaking about water pollution and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and decide if the statements below are true (T) or false (F).
1 Water pollution is one of the main problems in the USA. 2 In underdeveloped and in some developing countries, such as India and China, one of the greatest problems is the discharge of raw sewage into natural waters. 3 Another source of pollution is chemical wastes discarded by industries. 4 The US Environmental Protection Agency is responsible for protecting human health and the environment. 5 The EPA maintains and enforces global standards through a variety of environmental laws. 6 It also works with industries and the government in many voluntary pollution prevention programmes and energy conservation initiatives.
T n
F n
n n
n n
n
n
n
n
n
n
exam practice _ oral exam 3 Choose ‘land’ or ‘water’ and prepare a short presentation (3-5 minutes) to explain why they are essential for us and for the environment.
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Module 1 | BUILDING in THEORY
Forms of pollution
warm up 1 Do you know what the main types of pollution are? Match the pictures with the right names.
1 2 3 4 5 6
n water pollution n visual pollution n radioactive contamination n noise pollution n air pollution n light pollution
G lossary particulates: particolati dust: polvere drainage: drenaggio sewage: scolo, scarico, fognatura trespass: sconfinamento, violazione overhead: aereo billboards: tabelloni pubblicitari junk: cianfrusaglia whereas: mentre (avversativo) guidelines: linee guida heavy industry: industria pesante
The release of chemical, biological, physical or radioactive substances in the environment is called pollution. Among the main kinds of pollution are: • air pollution, which is due to the release of chemicals and particulates (solid particles forming dust) such as nitrogen oxides that create smog and hydrocarbons that react to sunlight in the air. Industry and motor vehicles are responsible for the production of nitrogen oxides. Other examples of air pollution are carbon monoxide and sulphur dioxide; • water pollution: caused by industrial waste, agricultural drainage and sewage; • radioactive contamination: caused by nuclear power stations and by the production and use of nuclear weapons; • noise pollution: including roadway, aircraft and industrial noise and high-intensity sonars; • light pollution: including light trespass and over-illumination; • visual pollution: referring to the presence of overhead power lines, motorway billboards or open storage of junk and municipal solid waste. Motor vehicle emissions are the main source of air pollution all over the world. In the USA there are very severe controls on emission whereas in the countries of the European Community the guidelines for this problem are not as strict. However, due to the very high number of cars and vehicles, the USA is still the main contributor to mobile source air emissions in the world. There are many other sources that contribute to make this problem increasingly worse: chemical plants, coal-fired power stations, oil refineries, incinerators, metal production factories, plastics factories and other forms of heavy industry. These are called stationary pollution sources. B
A
D C
E
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F
Ecology and the Environment
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Type of pollution
Examples
air pollution
carbon monoxide
Activities
reading comprehension 2 Read the fi rst part of the text and fi ll in the chart.
water pollution noise pollution light pollution visual pollution radioactive contamination
3 Read the second part of the text and answer the following questions. 1 2 3 4 5
What is the main source of air pollution in the world? Are there any emissions controls in the world? Which country is the main contributor to mobile source air emissions? Why? What are other sources of pollution? What are they called?
vocabulary 4 Find the synonyms of these words in the text. 1 cause ________________________ 2 exhalation ________________________ 3 strict ________________________
4 directive ________________________ 5 check ________________________
exam practice _ oral exam 5 Write down a list of the sources of pollution that exist in the area where you live and prepare a short presentation (3-5 minutes) about the possible solutions to these problems.
M ore about... The Great Smog of 1952 in London, was a serious air pollution event which killed at least 4,000 people. As a consequence, some of the first major environmental legislation were introduced, including the Clean Air Act of 1956.
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Module 1 | BUILDING in THEORY
Contamination
warm up 1 Look at the pictures: which represent a source of pollution to the environment?
G lossary
Activities
hurricanes: uragani rechargeable: ricaricabile lead: piombo landfill: discarica rubbish: pattume date back to: risalire a oil rigs: impianti di trivellazione
Pollution can be the result of natural disasters (such as hurricanes that can cause water contamination from sewage), but in most cases it is caused by human activities. The most common soil contaminants are heavy metals (for example chromium and cadmium coming from rechargeable batteries and lead coming from lead paint), aviation fuel, petrol and other substances such as chlorinated hydrocarbons, zinc, arsenic, trichloroethylene and benzene. In addition, many chemical substances enter the soil environment and sometimes groundwater in municipal landfill sites, often because a great mixture of rubbish can be found there, including illegal substances. This happens especially in landfills that date back to the years before the 1970s, when there was little control both in the USA and in the European Community countries. Another common type of significant environmental damage can often be caused by coastal oil rigs or refineries.
reading comprehension 2 PET Read the text and decide if the statements below are true (T) or false (F). Then correct the false ones.
1 2 3 4
Pollution cannot be the result of natural disasters. The most common soil contaminants are heavy metals. Lead comes from rechargeable batteries. Many chemical substances enter the soil environment and sometimes groundwater in municipal landfi lls. 5 In municipal landfi lls there is often a great mixture of rubbish, that includes illegal substances. 6 Before the 1970s there was little control at landfi lls in the USA.
vocabulary 3 Now match the words with their defi nitions. 1 hurricane 2 sewage 3 contaminant 4 rechargeable 5 soil 6 refi nery
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a n that can be fi lled with electricity so that it can be used again b n waste matter coming from homes and industries c n a violent wind or storm typical of the Western Atlantic d n the top layer of the earth e n a substance that makes water or food impure f n waste matter coming from homes and industries
T n n n
F n n n
n n n
n n n
Ecology and the Environment
In the case of accidents, some kinds of pollution can produce very dangerous emissions. Two examples are nuclear power stations and oil tankers. Pollutants are the cause of a great number of diseases, such as cancer, immune diseases, allergies, and asthma. Studies have shown that there is a strong connection between high levels of background radiation, cancer and mortality. Our brains and our central nervous system can be severely damaged by contamination caused by pollution in the environment, especially if the exposure to contaminants is prolonged. Sore throat inflammation, chest pain and congestion can be caused by ozone pollution, whereas skin irritation and rashes can be caused by oil spills. Noise pollution can provoke hearing loss, high blood pressure, sleep disturbance and stress.
G lossary oil tankers: petroliere immune diseases: disturbi del sistema immunitario asthma: asma background radiation: radiazione cosmica di fondo sore throat: mal di gola chest pain: dolore al petto rashes: eritemi oil spills: versamenti di petrolio hearing loss: perdita dell’udito
reading comprehension 4 Read the text and decide if the statements below are true (T) or false (F). Then correct the false ones.
1 2 3
Nuclear power stations are the only source of dangerous emissions in the case of accidents. Pollutants can be the cause of a large number of diseases. According to studies, there is a strong link between high levels of background radiation, cancer and mortality. 4 Our brains and our central nervous system cannot be damaged by contamination caused by pollution in the environment. 5 Throat infl ammations, chest pains and congestion can be caused by ozone pollution. 6 Air pollution can lead to hearing loss, high blood pressure, sleep disturbance and stress.
T n n
F n n
n
n
n n n
n n n
listening 5 1.05
PET Listen to Hiroshi Takashima speaking about the Fukushima nuclear disaster and choose the correct option.
1 Apart from damage to buildings and people, the Tohoku earthquake caused a tsunami that provoked... A another earthquake. B a terrible nuclear disaster. C a fi re overheating.
2 The Chernobyl nuclear accident took place in... A 1976. B 1986.
C 1996.
3 Compared to Chernobyl, this accident was ... because all reactors were involved. A very similar B not as serious C more complex
4 When the earthquake occurred, reactors 4, 5 and 6 were... A working. B not working.
C fl ooded.
5 All power for cooling was lost and reactors started to... A overheat. B be damaged by fi re.
C be damaged by explosions.
6 A ... km radius area around the plant was evacuated due to radiation leaks. A 10 B 20 C 30
7 Measurements in areas ... km from the plant showed high radioactive Caesium Levels. A 10-30 B 20-40 C 30-50
exam practice _ written exam 6 A Read the articles again and write a short essay (150-200 words) including the following points.
• Main soil contaminants • The most dangerous releases
• Their origin • Related diseases
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Activities
Related diseases
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