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Lesson 4
Let's not be cruel to them
Objectives: By the end of the lesson you will have
• discussed some newspaper headline
• read and discussed a passage on wildlife
• written an informal letter of advice
A Discuss in pairs the following newspaper headlines und comment on them.
Our wildlife disappearing
Country under threat: water level rising
Ban on animal poaching
Wildlife act violated
Circus animals maltreated
B Read the following passage about what is happening to our wildlife.
Humans, animals and plants are all important elements of the natural environment. But humans are cruelly destroying plants and animal and thereby creating a danger for us all. The destruction of forests and other habitats is causing the extinction of various' plants and animals every day. These losses are particularly severe in the areas- of tropical forests which cover only 7% of the surface of the globe, but which provide the living space for between 50% and - 80% of all our wildlife. Many wild animals and birds such as pandas, bears, tigers, alligators, whales, wolves, eagles, falcon, kites and buzzards are faced with the threat of extinction today. Their decline has been accelerated by the destruction of their feeding and nesting places, by the collection of eggs, and above all by the widespread use of chemicals and pesticides which enter their food chains leading to sterility and mass deaths. Hunting of birds and animals is another cause of their extinction. Men kill birds for food and feathers, hunt big cats to make fur coats and slaughter alligators and other reptiles for shoes and bags. In addition, whale-hunting has also drastically reduced the number of blue whales in the Atlantic ocean.
We know that ail species are important for maintaining ecological balance. If one is lost, the whole natural environment changes. In order to protect the environment from being spoilt, we should therefore protect our wildlife. The good news is that many countries arc now taking action to protect their endangered wildlife. George Laycock, author of several books on wildlife writes: "Mankind must develop a concern for wild creatures and a determination that these wild species will not perish." We should save the earth's wild creatures to save ourselves. To be kind to animals is to be kind to mankind,
Now discuss in small groups the following questions and write the answers.
1 Write an appropriate heading for the first paragraph of the passage,
2 What is the relationship between plants and animals?
3 What benefits do animals provide for human beings?
4 What can we do in Bangladesh to protect our own wildlife? Give 3 suggestions.
C Match the verbs in column A with the definitions in column B.
A
1 provide for
2 accelerate
3 slaughter
4 reduce
5 protect
6 cause
B
a kill animals in large numbers
b make something happen
c keep someone/something safe from damage
d give someone the things they need
e make something faster
f make something smaller
D You have heard that a friend of yours is interested in bird-hunting. Write a letter to him advising him to give this up.
Focus :
Skills.
Discussion, reading,
writing a letter.
Functions.
Giving advice, matching
information, writing a letter of advice..
Grammar/Structure.
Present tense, modal verbs -should, must.
Vocabulary.
extinction, accelerate, slaughter, pesticide, habitat, sterility, wildlife.
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Lesson 4
Let's not be cruel to them
Objectives: By the end of the lesson you will have
• discussed some newspaper headline
• read and discussed a passage on wildlife
• written an informal letter of advice
A Discuss in pairs the following newspaper headlines und comment on them.
Our wildlife disappearing
Country under threat: water level rising
Ban on animal poaching
Wildlife act violated
Circus animals maltreated
B Read the following passage about what is happening to our wildlife.
Humans, animals and plants are all important elements of the natural environment. But humans are cruelly destroying plants and animal and thereby creating a danger for us all. The destruction of forests and other habitats is causing the extinction of various' plants and animals every day. These losses are particularly severe in the areas- of tropical forests which cover only 7% of the surface of the globe, but which provide the living space for between 50% and - 80% of all our wildlife. Many wild animals and birds such as pandas, bears, tigers, alligators, whales, wolves, eagles, falcon, kites and buzzards are faced with the threat of extinction today. Their decline has been accelerated by the destruction of their feeding and nesting places, by the collection of eggs, and above all by the widespread use of chemicals and pesticides which enter their food chains leading to sterility and mass deaths. Hunting of birds and animals is another cause of their extinction. Men kill birds for food and feathers, hunt big cats to make fur coats and slaughter alligators and other reptiles for shoes and bags. In addition, whale-hunting has also drastically reduced the number of blue whales in the Atlantic ocean.
We know that ail species are important for maintaining ecological balance. If one is lost, the whole natural environment changes. In order to protect the environment from being spoilt, we should therefore protect our wildlife. The good news is that many countries arc now taking action to protect their endangered wildlife. George Laycock, author of several books on wildlife writes: "Mankind must develop a concern for wild creatures and a determination that these wild species will not perish." We should save the earth's wild creatures to save ourselves. To be kind to animals is to be kind to mankind,
Now discuss in small groups the following questions and write the answers.
1 Write an appropriate heading for the first paragraph of the passage,
2 What is the relationship between plants and animals?
3 What benefits do animals provide for human beings?
4 What can we do in Bangladesh to protect our own wildlife? Give 3 suggestions.
C Match the verbs in column A with the definitions in column B.
A
1 provide for
2 accelerate
3 slaughter
4 reduce
5 protect
6 cause
B
a kill animals in large numbers
b make something happen
c keep someone/something safe from damage
d give someone the things they need
e make something faster
f make something smaller
D You have heard that a friend of yours is interested in bird-hunting. Write a letter to him advising him to give this up.
Focus :
Skills.
Discussion, reading,
writing a letter.
Functions.
Giving advice, matching
information, writing a letter of advice..
Grammar/Structure.
Present tense, modal verbs -should, must.
Vocabulary.
extinction, accelerate, slaughter, pesticide, habitat, sterility, wildlife.