Unit 9: Sustainable Development

Vocabulary
Definition:
Sustainable development refers to development that meets the needs of the present
without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. That is to
say; establishing development but at the same time preserving the natural resources for
the next generations.

The diagram below includes some words that are related to sustainable development.

- Economic corporation
- Equal rights Social Economic
- Money
- Dignity Development Development
- Business
- Poverty reduction - Banks/investment banks
- Better education Sustainable - Micro-credits
- Health care - Investment
- Job opportunities
Development
- Financial support
- Human rights
- Factories

Environmental - Energy preservation

ACTIVITIES
A. Fill in the blanks with words, collocations and phrases from the diagram above.
1. ……………………………………………… is a process of using materials (waste) into new, useful products in
order to reduce the use of raw materials.
2. ……………………………………………… means having or deserving the same rights and opportunities as other
people.
3. …………………………………………….. includes ecosystem diversity, species diversity, and genetic diversity.
4. With a loan from the …………………………………………… and his savings, my friend was able to build his
own house.
5. …………………………………………… is concerned with society’s needs and well-being in the short, medium
and long term.

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6. …………………………………………… intended to help or assist the poor to create wealth for themselves as
a means for ending poverty forever.
7. …………………………………… are forms of energy that are renewed as quickly as they are used (ex. Solar
energy, wind, etc.) .
8. For better environment preservation ………………………………………. all over the world should reduce
fumes that they emit in the air and toxic waste materials which they throw in rivers and oceans.
B. Circle the word that does not collocate with the following verbs.
1. waste: time - information - resources - money - energy
2. save: water - time - forests - planet - wildlife - experience
3. share: support - ideas - knowledge - information - a flat
4. face: problems - difficulties - trouble - a dilemma - an enemy
C. Match the words in A with the words in B, then fill in the blanks with the appropriate collocations.
A B Context
1. urban a) resources 1. A large number of Moroccan women have benefited from interest-
2. water b) shortage free ……………………………………………. to help them start their own small
3. armed c) areas businesses.
4. micro d) warming 2. It hasn’t rained here for a long time, so the country is likely to suffer
5. natural e) rate from ……………………………………………… in the years to come.
6. economic f) support 3. If the consumption of ………………………………………………. is not reduced,
7. financial g) credits there will be none left for the next generations.
8. birth h) growth 4. Some African countries are being destroyed by ………………………………. .
9. global i) conflicts People kill each other there for almost nothing.
D. Match the following words or group of words with their definitions.
Words/group of words Definitions
1. social justice a) wildlife that is running the risk of extinction.
2. sustainable development b) nations whose population has a low standard of living.
3. green areas c) loans given to poor people to assist them to set up their own businesses.
4. micro-credits d) development that meets the needs of the present without
5. developing countries compromising the needs of future generations.
6. endangered species e) spaces and sites planted with trees, grass, flowers, etc.
f) condition in which all members of a society enjoy the same rights,
security, privileges, benefits, etc.
E. Fill in the blanks with the words you have defined above.
1. Greenpeace is an NGO whose mission is not only to fight for environmental conservation but also for
the preservation of …………………………………………………..
2. The city council offered our association four acres of land to be turned into a …………………………………. .
They also promised to provide us with all the trees we would need.
F. Complete the blanks in the table with verbs, adjectives or nouns as suggested.
Verb Adjective Noun
1. ……………………………………… ………………………………………. destruction
2. populate ……………………………………… …………………………………
3. ……………………………………… ……………………………………… integration
4. ……………………………………… sustainable …………………………………
5. ……………………………………… harmful …………………………………
6. ……………………………………… ………………………………………… success
7. survive ………………………………………… …………………………………

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8. ……………………………………… preventive …………………………………
G. Fill in the blanks with the appropriate word in the box.
use - access - extinction - recycle - erosion - finance - threat - fight - join
1. Many disabled people here cannot …………………………………. schools, cinemas and other public
buildings because of lack of ramps.
2. I have been working on this project for a year, but I don’t have the money to ………………………………… it
and put it into practice.
3. Drastic measures need to be taken to ………………………………………… corruption. It’s a widespread evil.
4. I’m positive that sustainable development, whatever the difficulties are, is achievable if we all
…………………………………… our efforts to this end.
5. Deforestation is a serious ……………………………………….. to our environment.
6. Putting an end to the ………………………………… of wildlife species is a top priority for environmentalists.
7. Scientists are warning all countries against the extensive ………………………………….. of natural resources.
8. Hundreds of palm trees are being planted in Errachidia to prevent soil ……………………………………………..
9. Why don’t we ……………………………………….. all the empty plastic bottles and make different products
from them?