Warm-up
Answer a few quick questions before today’s lesson about sharing the planet.
Listening
Listen to the recording and answer the questions in each part. You can replay the audio as many times as you need — click anywhere on the progress bar to jump to a specific moment. Read the questions in each part first, then submit when you are ready; your answers will be marked together at the end of each part.
Listening — Global Temperature Records and Climate Action Urgency
This listening task is split into parts. The audio player stays at the top of the page so you can replay it freely — click anywhere on the progress bar to jump to a specific moment. For each part, read the questions first, then listen and answer. You can change your answers until you click Submit; feedback appears once you submit each part.
Reading
Read the passage on the left, then work through the questions on the right.
Reading — The Gap Between Science and Action on Climate Change
Read the passage on the left, then answer the questions one by one.
The Gap Between Science and Action on Climate Change
The evidence for climate change is overwhelming. Since 1880, global temperatures have risen by approximately 1.1 degrees Celsius, and this warming is accelerating. Glaciers are melting at record rates, sea levels are rising, and extreme weather events—from devastating floods in Pakistan to unprecedented heatwaves in Europe—are becoming more frequent. These are not predictions; they are observable facts documented by scientists worldwide. Yet despite this scientific consensus, political action remains inadequate. The primary culprit is greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels. When coal, oil, and natural gas are combusted for energy, they release carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere, trapping heat and warming the planet. The solution is clear: transition to renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power, improve energy efficiency in buildings and transport, and implement sustainable agricultural practices. These steps would dramatically reduce emissions and slow the pace of warming. The problem is not a lack of technology or understanding—it is a lack of political will. Governments know what must be done, yet many prioritize short-term economic interests over long-term survival. International agreements like the Paris Agreement set ambitious targets, but nations frequently fall short. Fossil fuel industries lobby against stronger regulations, and citizens in wealthy nations often resist the lifestyle changes that mitigation requires. The urgency of the crisis demands immediate action at every level: governments must enforce binding emissions limits, corporations must invest in clean energy, and individuals must reduce their carbon footprint. The window for preventing the worst impacts is closing. Scientists warn that limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius—considered the threshold for avoiding catastrophic consequences—requires halving global emissions by 2030. This is achievable, but only if the world acts now. The gap between what science tells us and what politics allows remains the greatest obstacle to our shared future.Vocabulary Practice
Practise the 12 key vocabulary items from this lesson through three exercises.
Vocabulary Practice — Climate Change
Work through all three parts. Each part uses the same vocabulary in a different way.
Writing Task
- Explain the scientific evidence showing greenhouse gas emissions are causing climate change
- Describe the negative impacts of fossil fuels on the environment and public health
- Propose renewable energy as a sustainable alternative with economic and long-term benefits
Speaking
Speaking task. Read the instructions, then complete the task.
After the Lesson
Reflect on what you learned and how confident you feel now.
Teacher Guide
Practise with
- acid rainnoun
rain made acidic by pollution, damaging ecosystems
- consumedverb
ate or drank something, or used up a resource or product
- deforestverb
to clear trees from an area of land
- ecologynoun
the relationship between living organisms and their environment
- emissionsnoun
the production and discharge of gas or radiation into the air
- endangerverb
to put someone or something at risk of harm
- extinctadjective
no longer in existence; having died out completely
- humanitynoun
human beings collectively; the quality of being compassionate
- nourishesverb
provides with food and other things needed for growth
- recyclingnoun
converting waste into reusable material
- thermaladjective
relating to heat or temperature
- wetlandsnoun
land consisting of marshes or swamps