Module 3 · Unit 3 — Environment & Climate Change
Our Changing Planet
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Lesson 1 of 5

Our Changing Planet

Core 60 min
Pathway

Lesson 3.1 opens Unit 3 with environment vocabulary, the passive voice and a Part 1 on the natural world.

What you'll be able to do
  • Use 10 environment collocations
  • Form the passive voice for impersonal description
  • Answer Part 1 questions about nature and climate
Get Ready

Get Ready

  • What's the weather like where you live?
  • Has the climate changed in your lifetime?
Exam Vocabulary

Vocabulary · Environment & climate

carbon footprint
noun
amount of CO₂ you produce
renewable energy
noun
wind, solar, hydro etc.
single-use plastic
noun
plastic used once and discarded
global warming
noun
rise in average temperatures
endangered species
noun
at risk of extinction
deforestation
noun
clearing forests
greenhouse gas
noun
CO₂, methane etc.
switch to renewables
verb
adopt clean energy
reduce emissions
verb
lower polluting gases
tackle climate change
verb
address the problem
Exam Vocabulary

Pathway focus · Academic environment lexis

anthropogenic
adj
caused by humans
"anthropogenic climate change"
mitigation strategy
noun
plan to reduce harm
biodiversity loss
noun
decline in variety of life

Use these in Academic Task 2 essays on environment topics.

Grammar Focus

Grammar · The passive voice

Active
  • Factories release greenhouse gases.
  • Researchers monitor sea levels.
Passive — actor unknown / unimportant
  • Greenhouse gases are released by factories.
  • Sea levels are monitored continuously.
Example · When to choose passive

When the action matters more than the doer (typical in academic and report writing).

Speaking Task

Speaking · Part 1

  • Do you spend much time outdoors?
  • Is recycling common where you live?
  • Do you think your country does enough about pollution?
Exam Strategy

Exam Strategy

  • Exam Tip

    Use passive in formal writing, active in speaking.

Independent Practice

Independent Practice

Sentence rewrite

Rewrite 5 news headlines in the passive voice.

Key Takeaways

Key Takeaways

Remember
  • Passive = focus on the action, not the actor.
When you're done, mark this lesson complete.
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