1. Work with a partner and discuss the following question.

What do you think of Barbara's trip?

2. Read What can you do to help? about what you can do to help prevent climate change. Talk to a partner or in small groups.

Which of the tips below...? a do you already use

b are you prepared to try to use

с are you not prepared to try

What can you do to help? The top tips

• Fly less. Use buses or trains instead where possible. If you have to fly, give money to an organization like Carbon Footprints to compensate for the C0₂ emissions of your flight.

• Drive as little as possible. Use bikes, or public transport. And if you need to drive, buy a hybrid, a car which has an extra electric motor which charges up when you brake. You could also car share with a friend.

• Use only energy-saving light bulbs.

• Plant trees. Two or three dozen trees can absorb a whole household's emissions of C0₂.

• Don't keep your TV or other electrical appliances on standby. Switch them off completely.

• Use the cold water wash on your washing machine, and use a dishwasher, on the economy programme, which uses less energy and water than hand-washing dishes.

• Try to buy organic food, if possible which has been grown locally. Take your own plastic bag when you go to supermarkets.

• Turn your heating down and wear a sweater if you're cold. If you use air conditioning, don't have it at less than 25°C.

• Have showers not baths.

• Support an environmental organization, for example Friends of the Earth or Greenpeace.

• Regularly recycle paper, glass, plastic, and household waste.

• Vote for the political party which is doing the most to combat climate change.

/From New English File. Upper-Intermediate Student’s book. Clive Oxenden, Christina Latham-Koenig/

Writing Writing a letter of complaint

Writing a formal letter is like going to a wedding: there are certain conventions that you should respect. The 'formal dress' of a letter is the layout; you may also be expected to use certain fixed 'politeness' phrases. If you do not respect these conventions, your letter will certainly be taken less seriously and will possibly offend, upset or confuse your correspondent.

1. Dos and Don'ts

Decide whether you should or shouldn't do the following when you are writing a letter of complaint.

1. choose the two most important prompts to write about Do / Don't

2. often imagine that the notes were written by you Do / Don't

3. mention extra relevant points in your letter Do / Don't

4. mention all the prompts together in a list in one paragraph Do / Don't

5. introduce extra information that is interesting, even if irrelevant Do / Don't

2. Make the prompts formal

Read the following prompts and write sentences asking for or giving the information in a more formal way. Start with the words given.

1 Any plans for cleaning beach?

I wonder _____________________________________________________

2 Time of next environmental group meeting?

Would you mind _______________________________________________

3 Local residents not asked for opinion.

Another concern is _____________________________________________

4 Doctors say health problems in town increasing.

According to __________________________________________________

5 Noise from local factories — big problem.

A major ______________________________________________________

3. Think about the prompts

Read this writing question and do the task which follows.

You live close to a large factory and are concerned about the environmental problems it causes. You have seen this advertisement in a local newspaper and decided to write a letter to the managing director of the factory.

Read the advertisement and the notes you have made carefully. Then write a letter to the managing director, complaining about the problems caused by the factory.

Tick which of the following points you HAVE to mention in your letter.

a the fact that recycling should have started sooner

b your concerns about river pollution

c the fact that they missed the last local meeting on the environment

d the fact that the factory produces a bad smell

e the noise pollution caused by the factory

4. Think beyond the prompts

Tick which of the following extra points you COULD mention in your letter.

a the factory makes a lot of noise

b the workers are underpaid for the work they do

c recycling should have started sooner

d your cousin works at the factory as a manager

e traffic to the factory is increasing

5. Write a paragraph

Read this incomplete answer to the question above.

Write a paragraph of about 30 words to complete the letter, mentioning the one remaining prompt and adding any relevant ideas of your own.

6. Read your partner's writing

Swap paragraphs and read what your partner has written. Using your partner's paragraph, answer the following questions.

• Has my partner mentioned the remaining prompt?

___________________________________________________________________

• What extra relevant points has my partner made?

___________________________________________________________________

• Has my partner used an appropriate style?

___________________________________________________________________

7. Discuss

Read your paragraph to the class, or listen to paragraphs other people have written. What extra relevant points have you come up with?

/Adapted from First Certificate Writing. Steve Taylore-Knowles/

8. Planning your letter

Below is an outline of a formal letter. Look at it carefully. Does James Francs’ letter follow the same outline? Are there any differences?

Dear Sir/Madam - if you do not know the name of the person you are writing to or Dear Mr (for men)/ Ms/Mrs (for women) … - if know the name of the person you are writing to

This is the usual ending if you want a reply to this letter:

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully – if you do not know the name of the person you are writing to

Yours sincerely - if know the name of the person you are writing to

9. Write a letter to your local representative, or the company concerned, complaining about one of the sources of pollution you have observed and suggesting how it could be cleaned up.

Language Bank I am writing today to complain of… I am now concerned about… I am disappointed because… To resolve the problem I would appreciate… To resolve the problem I require you to… I would be grateful if… I look forward to hearing from you and to a resolution of this problem. Please contact me at the above address or by phone [give numbers].