Eco-friendly cars

Level: Upper-intermediate (B2)

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Here is an interesting article about the pros and cons of electric cars.
Read the article and look at the graphic. Then answer the following questions:
1) How many cars are there in America?
2) How far does the average American drive every day?
3) Which state uses the highest proportion of renewable resources for energy production?
4) How fuel-efficient are electric cars?
5) How much of the world's oil does the USA use?

Answers next week!

Conservation award winners

Level: Intermediate / B1

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The 2013 Whitley Awards Ceremony was held on the second of May at the Royal Geographical Society in London.
The Awards are made annually by the Whitley Fund for Nature to recognise and celebrate effective national and regional conservation leaders across the globe.

Here is a BBC report with photos. Have a look at it and then answer the following questions:
1) What did Cagan Sekercioglu win the Gold Award for?
2) The Amur river basin is home to which endangered species?
3) Where was Daniel Lejaroi Letoiye's project?
4) Why are hornbills threatened in Arunachal Pradesh?
5) When was the first Whitley Award?

Answers below!






ANSWERS!


1) He initiated Turkey's first ever wildlife corridor to reconnect the forest habitats of large carnivores.
2) Four species of endamgered crane.
3) Kenya.
4) Because of hunting and habitat loss.
5) 1994

EU to ban pesticides that might harm bees. Reading and listening lesson

Level: Advanced / C1

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The European Commission will limit the use of pesticides which are linked to bee deaths.

A:
Read this article about the problem and them answer the following questions:
1) How many countries voted for the ban?
2) When does the EU want the ban (moratorium) to begin?
3) What percentage of the world's crops are pollinated by bees?
4) Which countries already have restrictions on the main chemical (neonicotinoids)
5) Who is against the ban?


B:
Now watch this short video (three minutes) and answer these questions:
1) Pete Douglas has seen his colonies ''decline                                     '' (00:05 in the video)
2) Emma Hockridge says that neonicotinoids have a big impact ''on                                                        and                                               '' (00:43)
3) According to Mike Brown, the other factors affecting bees are ''                                          ,                        and                                    '' (01:01)
4) They have studied bumble bees and found ''no                                             '' (01:20)
5) Chris Hartfield says that neonicotinoids are a useful group of pesticides for ''                        and                      ''



Answers below!






ANSWERS!


A:
1) 15
2) No later than December 1st this year
3) Around one-third
4) France, Germany, Italy and Slovenia
5) Chemical companies and pesticide manufacturers


B:
1) Pete Douglas has seen his colonies ''decline  drastically  '' (00:05 in the video)
2) Emma Hockridge says that neonicotinoids have a big impact ''on  honey   bees  and  wild   pollenators  '' (00:43)
3) According to Mike Brown, the other factors affecting bees are '' weather conditions  ,  pests and diseases  and  colony management  '' (01:01)
4) They have studied bumble bees and found ''no  adverse    effects'' (01:20)
5) Chris Hartfield says that neonicotinoids are a useful group of pesticides for '' farmers  and  growers  ''

Bison released into the wild in Germany

Level: Intermediate / B1

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Here is a short article from Wildlife Extra about Bison being released into the wild in Germany.

Read the article and then answer the following questions:

1) What is the European Bison also known as?
2) How many Bison were released?
3) In which German state is Bad Berleburg?
4) How big is the heard expected to get?
5) How big was their old enclosure?

Answers below!





ANSWERS!


1) Wisent
2) Eight
3) North Rhine-Westphalia
4) About 25 animals
5) 88 ha (hectares)

Penguin Day quiz

Here is something fun to celebrate World Penguin Day!
The Pew Charitable Trusts have made a Penguin quiz to find your penguin personality (click on the green 'start quiz' button below the big picture).
So, have a go at the quiz and see what type of penguin you are (I am a Chinstrap Penguin!).

Future tenses - using will. Grammar lesson 10

Level: pre-intermediate / A2

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Future: will questions

A reporter is asking an engineer about the world’s largest new offshore wind farm near the coast of Ireland. Use the words in brackets to write the questions (the first one is done for you).

REPORTER:  Where will the wind farm be                                                                 ?

                             (be / the wind farm / where / will)

ENGINEER:  It will be ten kilometres out at sea, south of Dublin.

REPORTER:                                                                                                                 ?

                             (will / to operate / the wind farm / when / start)

ENGINEER:  The first stage will start to produce power in four years.

REPORTER:                                                                                                                 ?

                             (will / they construct / how many / wind turbines)

ENGINEER:  There are plans to construct 200.

REPORTER:                                                                                                                 ?

                             (be / the wind turbines / will / how big)

ENGINEER:  Each rotor will be 104 metres long!.

REPORTER:                                                                                                                 ?

                             (be / the wind farm / to build / will / very expensive)

ENGINEER:  Yes, it will cost about £630 million.

REPORTER:                                                                                                                 ?

                             (electricity / it produce / how much / will)

ENGINEER:  Up to 520 megawatts – 10% of Ireland’s power.

REPORTER:                                                                                                                 ?

                             (there be / more offshore wind farms / will)

ENGINEER:  Yes, there will be many more in the future.

Adapted from New Headway Pre-intermediate OUP

Answers below!





ANSWERS!

REPORTER:  Where will the wind farm be?

                             (be / the wind farm / where / will)

ENGINEER:  It will be ten kilometres out at sea, south of Dublin.

REPORTER:  When will the wind farm start to operate?

                             (will / to operate / the wind farm / when / start)

ENGINEER:  The first stage will start to produce power in four years.

REPORTER:  How many wind turbines will they construct?

                             (will / they construct / how many / wind turbines)

ENGINEER:  There are plans to construct 200.

REPORTER:  How big will the wind turbines be?

                             (be / the wind turbines / will / how big)

ENGINEER:  Each rotor will be 104 metres long!.

REPORTER:  Will the wind farm be very expensive to build?

                             (be / the wind farm / to build / will / very expensive)

ENGINEER:  Yes, it will cost about £630 million.

REPORTER:  How much electricity will it produce?

                             (electricity / it produce / how much / will)

ENGINEER:  Up to 520 megawatts – 10% of Ireland’s power.

REPORTER:  Will there be more offshore wind farms?

                             (there be / more offshore wind farms / will)

ENGINEER:  Yes, there will be many more in the future.

Antarctica: Engine of ocean life. Video lesson 16

Level: Intermediate / B1

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Here is a short (four minute) film about Antarctica.

Watch the film and then answer the following questions:

1) Have humans ever lived in Antarctica? (video 00:17)
2) How does Dr Emily Shuckburgh describe Antarctica?
     ''It is                                               and                                              '' (00:57)
3) Does wildlife in Antarctica rely on the land or the sea for its food? (01:35)
4) Which three oceans connect around Antarctica? (02:39)
5) What does Dr M Sanjayan describe as (a) the largest mammal on the planet and (b) one of the most populous mammals on the planet (03:24)

Answers below!





ANSWERS!


1) No
2) ''It is  remote  and  inhospitable ''
3) The sea
4) The Atlantic, Pacific and Indian
5) (a) whales (b) humans