3. Read the text and underline the words describing people’s moods. Then say how people feel in different weather conditions.

The English are said to be obsessed by the weather, and with the unpredictable weather that they have to face daily that is not surprising. And, of course, one’s moods are bound to be affected by this constant change.

One might feel depressed for days if the sky is overcast, and the sun fails to break through the clouds. In just the same way, rain can put you in a bad mood. Although the winter is not normally very cold, it is the damp that makes you moody.

However, when the sun shines your mood lifts. A rainbow after a storm can make you feel extremely optimistic. A spring breeze can be refreshing, and a sunny day can make you feel lively. There‘s nothing like an English summer to cheer you up. With clear skies and cotton wool clouds you can feel on top of the world.

eg. An overcast sky can make someone feel depressed just as rainy weather can put you in a bad mood.

4. Look at the pictures below, then talk about a) the weather conditions as shown in the pictures and b) how the weather affects people’s moods.

eg. In the first picture there is a lot of snow. The temperature must be below freezing. The people may be feeling depressed because there probably hasn’t been any sun for several days.

B. ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS

1. What has caused the oil spillage in the picture? Mention some causes of pollution.

an oil tanker

……………………………………. ……………………………………. ……………………………………. ……………………………………. ……………………………………. …………………………………….

2. Go through the following pollution problems with their solutions. You can also suggest alternative solution.

Problems Solutions

acid rain → factory legislation

smog → unleaded petrol

food contamination → natural pest control

global warming/greenhouse effect → alternative energy sources

depletion of our natural resources → recycling materials

road congestion → public transport

damage to the ozone layer → boycotting pollutants

ugly surroundings → responsible attitude

general contamination → bio-degradable packaging

harm to wildlife → awareness of animals’ rights

3. Fill in the gaps in the sentences with the pollution problems and solutions as in the example:

1. Heavy traffic leads to smog and road congestion, which could be avoided by using public transport and bicycles.

2. Acid rain is caused mainly by pollution from factories, so the best solution to this problem is obviously……………………. .

3. Carelessly dropping litter gives rise to ugly surroundings. This can be eliminated by adopting a more………………………………………. .

4. Spraying crops with pesticides can result in………………….. . This can be overcome by using natural pest control.

5. Producing vast amounts of rubbish brings about general contamination which can be reduced by using………………………………….. .

6. If people do not adopt a more responsible attitude and start recycling materials, the……..…will become so severe that we will have nothing left.

7. Many of our every-day products cause damage to the ozone layer. One way of counteracting this is ………………………………….in things like aerosols.