TOEFL Topic: Nature and the environment Go Back

Exercise 1 - Replace the words and phrases in bold in sentences 1 – 15 with one of those from the box. You will not need all of the words and phrases from the box.

  1. In some countries, building is restricted or completely banned in the area of farmland or woods and parks which surround a community. _____________
  2. More and more companies are using boxes, cartons, and cans which can easily be decomposed by organisms such as bacteria, or by sunlight, sea, water, etc., for their products. _____________
  3. The burning of some fuels creates carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and methane which rise into the atmosphere. _____________
  4. Farmers have cleared acres of thick wooded land in tropical regions where the precipitation is very high to provide pasture for their cattle. _____________
  5. Planting trees and bushes can provide some protection from the gradual wearing away of soil. _____________
  6. We should all try to process waste material so that it can be used again. _____________
  7. Many shops now sell fruit and vegetables which are cultivated naturally, without using any chemical fertilizers or pesticides. _____________
  8. This bread is made from wheat which has been altered at a molecular level so as to change certain characteristics which can be inherited. _____________
  9. The process of removing trees from an area of land is destroying millions of acres of woodland every year. _____________
  10. Polluted precipitation which kills trees often falls a long distance from the source of the pollution. _____________
  11. Human activity has had a devastating effect on the living things, both large and small, in many parts of the word. _____________
  12. The gases and other substances which come from factories using oil, coal, and other fuels which are the remains of plants and animals can cause serious damage to the environment. _____________
  13. Don't drink that water. It's been made dirty by something being added to it. _____________
  14. Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace, and other people concerned with protecting the environment are holding an international summit in Geneva next month. _____________
  15. The heating up of the earth's atmosphere by pollution is threatening life as we know it. _____________
  1. In some countries, building is restricted or completely banned in the area of farmland or woods and parks which surround a community. green belt
  2. More and more companies are using boxes, cartons, and cans which can easily be decomposed by organisms such as bacteria, or by sunlight, sea, water, etc., for their products. biodegradable packaging
  3. The burning of some fuels creates carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and methane which rise into the atmosphere. greenhouse gases
  4. Farmers have cleared acres of thick wooded land in tropical regions where the precipitation is very high to provide pasture for their cattle. rainforest
  5. Planting trees and bushes can provide some protection from the gradual wearing away of soil. erosion
  6. We should all try to process waste material so that it can be used again. recycle
  7. Many shops now sell fruit and vegetables which are cultivated naturally, without using any chemical fertilizers or pesticides. organic
  8. This bread is made from wheat which has been altered at a molecular level so as to change certain characteristics which can be inherited. genetically modified
  9. The process of removing trees from an area of land is destroying millions of acres of woodland every year. deforestation
  10. Polluted precipitation which kills trees often falls a long distance from the source of the pollution. acid rain
  11. Human activity has had a devastating effect on the living things, both large and small, in many parts of the word. ecosystem
  12. The gases and other substances which come from factories using oil, coal, and other fuels which are the remains of plants and animals can cause serious damage to the environment. emissions / fossil fuels
  13. Don't drink that water. It's been made dirty by something being added to it. contaminated (or polluted)
  14. Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace, and other people concerned with protecting the environment are holding an international summit in Geneva next month. environmentalists
  15. The heating up of the earth's atmosphere by pollution is threatening life as we know it. global warming

Exercise 2 - Read this essay and complete the gaps with one of the words or phrases from the box in Exercise 1.

Environmental degradation is a major world problem. What causes this problem, and what can we do to prevent it?

There is no doubt that the environment is in trouble. Factories burn (1) _____________ which produce (2) _____________ , and this kills trees. At the same time, (3) _____________ rise into the air and contribute to (4) _____________ which threatens to melt the polar ice cap. Meanwhile farmers clear huge areas of (5) _____________ in places such as the Amazon to produce feeding land for cattle or wood for building. Rivers and oceans are so heavily (6) _____________ by industrial waste that it is no longer safe to go swimming. Cars pump out poisonous (7) _____________ which we all have to breathe in. (8) _____________ and overfishing are killing off millions of animals, including whales, elephants, and other (9) _____________ In fact, all around us, all living things large and small which comprise our finely balanced (10) _____________ are being systematically destroyed by human greed and thoughtlessness. There is a lot we can all do, however, to help prevent this. The easiest thing, of course, is to (11) _____________ waste material such as paper and glass so that we can use it again. We should also check that the things we buy from supermarkets are packaged in (12) _____________ packaging which decomposes easily. At the same time, we should make a conscious effort to avoid foods which are (13) _____________ (at least until someone proves that they are safe both for us and for the environment). If you are truly committed to protecting the environment, of course, you should only buy (14) _____________ fruit and vegetables, safe in the knowledge that they have been naturally cultivated. Finally, of course, we should buy a smaller car, as these cause less (15) _____________ than large sedans or SUVs. Even better, we should try to make more use of public transportation. Serious (16) _____________ however, do much more. They are aware of the global issues involved and will actively involve themselves in (17) _____________ by making sure our forests are kept safe for future generations. They will oppose activities which are harmful to animals, such as (18) _____________. and they will campaign to keep the (19) _____________ around our towns and cities free from new building. We cannot all be as committed as them, but we can at least do our own little bit at a grass roots level. We humans control our planet, but that doesn't mean we can do whatever we like with it.

There is no doubt that the environment is in trouble. Factories burn (1) fossil fuels which produce (2) acid rain , and this kills trees. At the same time, (3) greenhouse gases / CFC gases rise into the air and contribute to (4) global warming which threatens to melt the polar ice cap. Meanwhile farmers clear huge areas of (5) rainforest in places such as the Amazon to produce feeding land for cattle or wood for building. Rivers and oceans are so heavily (6) contaminated by industrial waste that it is no longer safe to go swimming. Cars pump out poisonous (7) emissions / gases which we all have to breathe in. (8) Poaching and overfishing are killing off millions of animals, including whales, elephants, and other (9) endangered species In fact, all around us, all living things large and small which comprise our finely balanced (10) ecosystem are being systematically destroyed by human greed and thoughtlessness. There is a lot we can all do, however, to help prevent this. The easiest thing, of course, is to (11) recycle waste material such as paper and glass so that we can use it again. We should also check that the things we buy from supermarkets are packaged in (12) biodegradable packaging which decomposes easily. At the same time, we should make a conscious effort to avoid foods which are (13) genetically modified (at least until someone proves that they are safe both for us and for the environment). If you are truly committed to protecting the environment, of course, you should only buy (14) organic fruit and vegetables, safe in the knowledge that they have been naturally cultivated. Finally, of course, we should buy a smaller car, as these cause less (15) pollution than large sedans or SUVs. Even better, we should try to make more use of public transportation. Serious (16) environmentalists however, do much more. They are aware of the global issues involved and will actively involve themselves in (17) conservation programs by making sure our forests are kept safe for future generations. They will oppose activities which are harmful to animals, such as (18) battery farming. and they will campaign to keep the (19) green belts around our towns and cities free from new building. We cannot all be as committed as them, but we can at least do our own little bit at a grass roots level. We humans control our planet, but that doesn't mean we can do whatever we like with it.