CLIMATE CHANGE: WHAT NEXT?

TASK 1. Match the words from the text (1-8) to their definitions (A-H).
1. ___ 2. ___ 3. ___ 4. ___ 5. ___ 6. ___ 7. ___ 8. ___

1. drought A (here) describes a geographical area where

the weather is very hot and wet
2. heatwave B causing lots of damage or a very dangerous
situation
3. tropical C a large amount of water covering an area
which is usually dry
4. emissions D to take something inside
5. disastrous E a long period with no rainfall, which causes
the ground to become very dry and can cause
living things to die
6. flood F a gradual increase in world temperatures
caused by gases such as carbon dioxide that are
collecting in the air around the earth
7. absorb G a period of days or weeks when the
temperature is very high and is dangerous for
people
8. global warming H (here) gasses which are related into the
atmosphere by factories, cars and other
machines

TASK 2. Now read the text and match the phrases A-G with the correct places 1-7 in the text.

A … bringing nearly double the usual rainfall …

B … governments and companies will need to be prepared financially …

C … climate change will affect our future …

D … weather that directly affects our lives …

E … the opposite is true …

F … a threat to economies and farming …

G … all levels of society to prepare …

The world can no longer say that global warming 'might' happen and climate change 'could' affect
our future. A recent report by the Royal Society in the UK tells us that global warming is
definitely happening and (1) … . The report warns that extreme weather events, such as floods,
storms, and heatwaves, will happen more often and will affect more people as the earth’s population
grows.

The report’s main author Professor Georgina Mace said: “This problem is not just about to come…
it’s here already." 14 of the 15 warmest years on record have all happened in the 21st century and
2014 was the hottest year ever – both in the UK and globally.
 But warmer weather does not always mean drier weather. In fact, (2) … . Look at the information
about extreme weather events around the world in 2014:

 In September, parts of the Balkans received more than double the average monthly rainfall,
and parts of Turkey saw four times more rain than normal.
 The town of Guelmin in Morocco was hit by more than a year's rain in just four days.
 Western Japan saw the heaviest August rain since records began.
 Parts of the western US suffered from long-term drought - as did parts of China and Central
and South America.
 Interestingly, there were fewer tropical storms than usual – 72 were recorded in 2014 but the
yearly average is 89.
 12 major Atlantic storms struck the UK, (3) … .

So, the world’s climate is changing. We are seeing higher temperatures and (4) … like heatwaves,
drought, and flooding. But what effects could these weather events have on our future? And how
might we prepare ourselves to face these extreme conditions?

Professor Mace says preparation is the most important factor: “It is impossible for us to avoid the
worst and most unexpected events. But it is not impossible to be prepared for an ever-changing
world. We must organize ourselves right away."

The Royal Society report advises (5) … – from strategic planning by governments to local schemes
by citizens to get ready for floods or heatwaves. To fight rising temperatures, the authors say cutting
greenhouse gas emissions is essential. But they argue that it is not enough - governments will also
need to do more.

The simplest and cheapest way of preventing heatwaves, they say, is to protect existing green space.
Other low-cost options are planting new trees, or painting roofs white to reflect the sun’s heat. This
could have an important effect in cities which will get bigger as the earth’s population grows. Air-
conditioning may help us stay cool but it produces emissions which will actually make our cities
hotter.

The authors also say generally higher temperatures might be (6) … because temperatures could
become too high for safe outdoor work. Some areas may experience many weeks when outdoor
activity is limited because it will be simply too hot to go outside.

Flooding will also increase, the report says. Large-scale engineering solutions like sea walls offer the
best protection from coastal flooding - but they are expensive, and when they fail, the results can be
disastrous.

The ideal answer, the authors think, may be a combination of engineering solutions like walls and
environmental solutions like protecting wet areas to allow the ground to absorb water. The authors
also say that (7) … and may need to spend more money on preventing dangers.

They say: “We must assess and evaluate risks accurately. If we don’t, companies might not take
them seriously and investments will be poorly informed.” One author, Rowan Douglas, from the
Willis Research Network, said this might be the most important recommendation of the report.
Note: this article is adapted from two BBC News articles: Risk from extreme weather set to rise and World on course for
warmest year.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/course/lower-intermediate/unit-16/session-3/activity-2
 TASK 3. Read the text again and fill in the gaps with a suitable word from the box.
areas conditions drier emissions environmental globally governments
population rainfall received recommendation reflect report solutions tropical

CLIMATE CHANGE: WHAT NEXT?

The world can no longer say that global warming 'might' happen and climate change 'could' affect
our future. A recent (a) ________ by the Royal Society in the UK tells us that global warming is
definitely happening and climate change will affect our future. The report warns that extreme
weather events, such as floods, storms, and heatwaves, will happen more often and will affect more
people as the earth’s (b) ________ grows.

The report’s main author Professor Georgina Mace said: “This problem is not just about to come…
it’s here already." 14 of the 15 warmest years on record have all happened in the 21st century and
2014 was the hottest year ever – both in the UK and (c) ________ .

But warmer weather does not always mean (d) ________ weather. In fact, the opposite is true. Look
at the information about extreme weather events around the world in 2014:

 In September, parts of the Balkans (e) ________ more than double the average monthly
rainfall, and parts of Turkey saw four times more rain than normal.
 The town of Guelmin in Morocco was hit by more than a year's rain in just four days.
 Western Japan saw the heaviest August rain since records began.
 Parts of the western US suffered from long-term drought - as did parts of China and Central
and South America.
 Interestingly, there were fewer (f) ________ storms than usual – 72 were recorded in 2014
but the yearly average is 89.
 12 major Atlantic storms struck the UK, bringing nearly double the usual (g) ________ .

So, the world’s climate is changing. We are seeing higher temperatures and weather that directly
affects our lives like heatwaves, drought, and flooding. But what effects could these weather events
have on our future? And how might we prepare ourselves to face these extreme (h) ________ ?

Professor Mace says preparation is the most important factor: “It is impossible for us to avoid the
worst and most unexpected events. But it is not impossible to be prepared for an ever-changing
world. We must organise ourselves right away."

The Royal Society report advises all levels of society to prepare – from strategic planning by
(i) ________ to local schemes by citizens to get ready for floods or heatwaves. To fight rising
temperatures, the authors say cutting greenhouse gas (j) ________ is essential. But they argue that it
is not enough - governments will also need to do more.

The simplest and cheapest way of preventing heatwaves, they say, is to protect existing green space.
Other low-cost options are planting new trees, or painting roofs white to (k) ________ the sun’s
heat. This could have an important effect in cities which will get bigger as the earth’s population
grows. Air-conditioning may help us stay cool but it produces emissions which will actually make
our cities hotter.

The authors also say generally higher temperatures might be a threat to economies and farming
because temperatures could become too high for safe outdoor work. Some (l) ________ may
experience many weeks when outdoor activity is limited because it will be simply too hot to go
outside.

Flooding will also increase, the report says. Large-scale engineering (m) ________ like sea walls
offer the best protection from coastal flooding - but they are expensive, and when they fail, the
results can be disastrous.

The ideal answer, the authors think, may be a combination of engineering solutions like walls and
(n) … solutions like protecting wet areas to allow the ground to absorb water. The authors also say
that governments and companies will need to be prepared financially and may need to spend more
money on preventing dangers.

They say: “We must assess and evaluate risks accurately. If we don’t, companies might not take
them seriously and investments will be poorly informed.” One author, Rowan Douglas, from the
Willis Research Network, said this might be the most important (o) ________ of the report.

TASK 4. Choose the best answer for each question.

1. What were the effects of rising global temperatures in 2014?

A Increased risk of drought and floods

B More tropical storms
C It became more dangerous to work outside

2. What is the simplest way to prevent heatwaves?

A Build sea walls

B Protect green areas
C Use air conditioning

3. What could help keep temperatures down in cities?

A Air conditioning
B Limiting the time we spend outdoors
C Painting roofs white

4. How might high temperatures cause economic problems?

A It may become too dangerous to work outdoors

B People will have to spend more on air conditioning
C Companies and governments may have to spend a lot of money to stop problems getting worse

5. What may be the best solution to the problem of flooding?

A Building sea walls will be enough

B Protecting wet areas so they absorb water is enough
C A combination of engineering solutions and environmental ones
TASK 5. Fill in the gaps with the correct form of the verbs in brackets.
1. A recent report by the Royal Society in the UK …….. (tell) us that global warming is
definitely happening.
2. The report warns that extreme weather events …….. (happen) more often as the earth’s
population grows.
3. 14 of the 15 warmest years on record …..… (happen) in the 21st century.
4. The town of Guelmin in Morocco …..… (hit) by more than a year’s rain in just four days.
5. In 2014, there …..… (be) fewer tropical storms than usual.
6. To fight rising temperatures, the authors say cutting greenhouse gas emissions …..… (be)
essential.
7. 12 major Atlantic storms …….. (strike) the UK in 2014.

TASK 6. Match the correct modal verb to their category of meaning. Some modals can be used
more than once.
can could may might must will

Ability - _______ , _______

Possibility - _______ , _______ , _______, _______
Obligation - _______
Prediction - _______

TASK 7. Look at the sentences from the text and decide the meaning of the modals
(ability/possibility/obligation/prediction).

1. The ideal answer may be a combination of engineering solutions and environmental

solutions. _______
2. Some ares may experience many weeks when outdoor activity is limited because it will be
simply too hot to go outside. _______
3. This might be the most important recommendation of the report. _______
4. The world can no longer say that global warming ‘might’ happen and climate change ‘could’
affect our future. _______
5. Some areas may experience many weeks when outdoor activity is limited. _______
6. What effects could these weather events have on our future? _______
 7. How might we prepare ourselves to face these extreme conditions? _______
8. We must organize ourselves right away. _______
9. This could have an important effect in cities which will get bigger as the earth’s population
grows. _______
10. Air-conditioning may help us stay cool. _______
11. Floods, storms, and heatwaves, will happen more often and will affect more people as the
earth’s population grows. _______
12. Higher temperatures might be a threat to economies and farming. _______
13. This could have an important effect in cities which will get bigger as the earth’s population
grows. _______
14. Governments and companies will need to be prepared financially and may need to spend
more money on preventing dangers. _______
15. We must assess and evaluate risks accurately. _______
16. Companies might not take the risks seriously. _______

TASK 8. Fill in the gaps with the correct words from the box.
average conditions drought economy effect environmental extreme
floods government heatwave prevent rainfall suffer threat tropical

1. The ________ caused serious damage to crops.

2. Becoming more energy efficient is a great way to _______ pollution.
3. The hot sun always has a burning _______ on my skin.
4. Some communities have already started to _______ from disasters and the consequences of
climate change.
5. Any additional heavy _______ across the island could cause more flooding.
6. Global warming and _______ weather conditions are increasingly caused by industry,
agriculture and transport.
7. A large unknown is the effect of climate change on extreme weather events, such as
droughts, _______ and storms.
8. The advancing desert is a serious _______ problem in Saudi Arabia.
9. Nearly all other parrots live in warm or even _______ climates.
10. The _______ rainfall in this country is high.
11. _______ generally refers to a short period of sustained hot weather.
12. The _______ has issued a pessimistic economic forecast.
13. Environmental pollution is causing abnormal weather _______ .
14. The unusually cold weather is a serious _______ to the tourist industry this summer.
 15. An increase in tourism will help the city's _______ .

CLIMATE CHANGE: WHAT NEXT?

TASK 1. m. solutions 4. ability

n. environmental 5. possibility
1. E
o. recommendation 6. ability
2. G
7. possibility
3. A TASK 4.
8. obligation
4. H
1. A 9. ability
5. B
2. B 10. possibility
6. C
3. C 11. prediction
7. D
4. A 12. possibility
8. F
5. C 13. prediction
TASK 2. 14. possibility
TASK 5.
1. C 15. obligation
1. tells
2. E 16. possibility
2. will happen
3. A TASK 8.
3. have happened
4. D
4. was hit 1. drought
5. G
5. were 2. prevent
6. F
6. is 3. effect
7. B
7. struck 4. suffer
TASK 3. 5. rainfall
TASK 6.
a. report 6. extreme
Ability – can, could
b. population 7. floods

c. globally Possibility – can, could, 8. environmental

d. drier may, might 9. tropical

e. received 10. average

Obligation – must
f. tropical 11. heatwave
Prediction – will
g. rainfall 12. government

h. conditions TASK 7. 13. conditions

i. governments 14. threat

1. possibility
j. emissions 15. economy
2. prediction
k. reflect
3. possibility
l. areas