Language practice – used to

Look at the following sentence from the text: The weather changes are more unexpected and extreme than they used to be.

What does 'used to' mean in this context?

8. Transform the sentences using the expression 'used to':

Example: There are now more weather changes than there were before. → There are now more weather changes than there used to be.

a. There are fewer trees now than there were before.

b. People suffered from fewer diseases.

c. The ozone layer was thicker.

d. There was more fertile soil.

e. The floods caused serious damage.

9. Now use the sentences from the previous exercise to make questions: 'Did _____ use to ______ ?':

a.

b.

c.

d.

e.

10. Answer in pairs. Listen to the other students and ask follow-up question. Try to use ‘used to’ as much as possible.

1. What is your earliest memory?

2. How did you use to spend your summer holidays when you were a child?

3. What was your favourite toy when you were a child?

4. Who was your best friend at school?

5. Where did you use to live when you were a child? Describe the place.

Environmental Protection

11. Read and answer the questions:

a. Name a few kinds of pollution.

b. Give examples of renewable sources of energy.

c. what are advantages and disadvantages of renewable sources of energy?

d. Explain the 'reduce-reuse-recycle' motto.

e. What does 'reducing your carbon footprint' mean?

The human activity brings about various forms of pollution: air pollution, water pollution, but also noise and light pollution. Many scientists agree that climate change is man-made, caused by various forms of pollution. Therefore, there are efforts to fight it by protecting the environment and to start using alternative sources of energy, which do not have such a negative impact on the environment. Alternative sources of energy are also known as renewable, meaning energy from resources that renew quickly.

An example of renewable energy is solar, wind or hydrogen energy. Such energy comes from natural sources, it is relatively clean and has low-carbon emissions (is environmentally friendly). Its disadvantage is that it requires initial investment into technology (solar panels, windmill power stations, etc.) On the other hand, non-renewable sources are relatively cheap to extract, but their quantity is limited and they have a negative impact on the environment.

There are also other ways to protect the environment, something all of us can do-live by the 3 Rs motto: REDUCE-REUSE-RECYCLE. It means we should use less packaging such as plastic or paper and not create unnecessary waste. If we need to use them, we should re-use them several time, instead of throwing them in the bin immediately. And finally, if we cannot use them again we should recycle, that is put them in the recycle bin, so that the material can be transformed into another product. When acting like this we often speak about reducing our carbon footprint. (greenhouse gases emissions).

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