Lesson 3A: Size of Wales
A Words, words, words
A2 Match.
B Reading and listening
B1 Listen and read.
Anthony: Hi Dylan, what are you up to?
Dylan: I’m working with my mum on a presentation for my science project that’s due tomorrow. She’s also coming to our school tomorrow to talk about pollution and climate change.
Anthony: I don’t see why people worry so much about global warming. Just look at it in a positive way: we can go to the beach and swim all year round.
Dylan: Are you nuts, Ants? I get it if you don’t like watching the news, but haven’t you at least paid attention to what our science teacher said? If the temperature keeps rising, the polar ice caps will melt. Then sea levels will rise, and there won’t be any sandy beaches to go to. In fact, people won’t live on or near the coast any more. Yeah, you’ll swim – in the streets of Cardiff!
Anthony: But, if the weather gets warmer, people will save a lot of money on heating, won’t they?
Dylan: Seriously? Then how about cooling off in high temperatures? Doesn’t that cost money, too? I bet you don’t even know what causes global warming.
Anthony: I actually do. Industry, transport and other air polluters produce huge amounts of carbon dioxide, or CO2. It traps sunlight, solar radiation and heat, so they can’t escape into space. Instead, they stay in the atmosphere and cause the planet to get hotter. See, I know.
Dylan: OK, so what are we going to do about it?
Anthony: Well, hmm…
Dylan: You see? We must do something, all of us, immediately. Luckily, there are more and more people, schools and organisations that take steps to stop climate change and to protect the environment. This is what my mum, who is an eco-activist, does, too.
Anthony: I didn’t mind the idea of a warmer climate before, but I think I’ll look at it differently from now on. Speaking of protecting the environment, there’s one thing I’ve always wondered: why do people cut down so many trees? Forests are the lungs of the Earth, so why would anyone destroy them on purpose?
Dylan: For lots of reasons. They need land to grow food, to build roads, for pasture for cows… And they need wood to produce paper, furniture and so on. Do you know that a forest the size of Wales is needed for the paper used in the UK every year? Have you even heard the expression ‘the size of Wales’?
Anthony: I know how big Wales is, if that’s what you mean.
Dylan: No, that is not what I mean... It’s a measure used to help people understand how big an area is: in this case, the area of a forest’s destruction. It’s also the name of the charity organisation my mum works for, which helps protect rainforests. They say fewer rainforests means more CO2 in the air, more floods, loss of habitat for loads of animals…
Anthony: OK, OK, I get it, we need to help.
Dylan: Exactly! We must recycle and buy recycled products. I’ve got to go and finish my presentation now. But listen to what my mum says tomorrow: it’s going to be very interesting. There is also a charity concert on Saturday, and the Dragons is one of the bands playing. We’ll be raising money for the forests in Uganda. You should come!
Anthony: Sure, thanks for the invitation! See you at school tomorrow; ’bye!
Dylan: ’Bye!
C Reading and listening
D My... Grammar!
Modal verbs must, have to, mustn’t and don't have to.
We use modal verbs must and have to to express obligation.
Must is used to talk about obligation when it is the speaker’s opinion.
I must stop eating meat every day. It’s not good for my health.
Have to is used to talk about rules, obligation from outside.
I have to stop eating meat every day. The doctor says so.
Mustn't means it's not allowed, or it's a bad idea:
We mustn't eat so much meat: it’s bad for the environment.
Don't have to means that something is not necessary, it's a choice:
You don't have to eat meat if you don't want to.
E For curious minds
Did you know the size of Wales is used as a measurement unit. Find out more about it. Size of Wales