Ex 1: Read the text and do the following tasks
Land pollution is when humans introduce harmful objects, chemicals or substances, directly or indirectly, into the soil in a way that causes harm to other living beings, destroys soil or water ecosystems. It can be caused by agricultural sources, industrial sources, sewage treatment, and deforestation.
A. Farmers often use highly toxic fertilizers and pesticides to get rid of insects, fungi and bacteria in their crops. However with the overuse of these chemicals, they often result in contamination and poisoning of soil.
B. Industrial activity is also one of the biggest contributors to this problem in the last century, especially since the amount of mining and manufacturing has increased. Most industries are dependent on extracting minerals from the Earth.
C. Another reason is the sewage treatment. Household or municipal waste such as glass, metal, cloth, and plastic is collected and gets dumped in a landfill or burned to generate electricity. Both end up polluting the environment.
D. Deforestation is carried out in order to create dry lands. This is a major concern. When trees are cut, the earth’s surface is left unprotected from rain and the sun’s intense heat. Accordingly, the unfavorable conditions result in soil erosion, land degradation, and desertification.
E. The effects of land pollution are very hazardous and can lead to the loss of ecosystems. When land is polluted, it directly or indirectly affects climate patterns, rainfall or temperature.
F. Land pollution has been found as one of the leading causes for birth defects. Pregnant women living in unhealthy and dirty environments can incur breathing problems and a number of diseases, which may affect the health of the baby as well.
So what should we do to reduce land pollution?
A. Match the words with their definitions.
Landfill Plastic Mining Deforestation Fertilizers
1. ________ = substances added to soil to make plants grow more successfully
2. ________ = the process of getting coal and other minerals
3. ________ = a light strong material that is produced by chemical processes
4. ________ = an area of land where large amounts of waste material are buried
5. ________ = the act of cutting down or burning the trees in an area
B. Read the text and decide in which paragraph each detail below is mentioned. Write A, B, C, D, E or F in the blank.
1. The influences of agricultural practices on land
2. The impact of land pollution on pregnant women
3. The reasons for desertification
4. Examples of household and municipal waste
5. The effect of land pollution on climate
C. Read the text again and complete the sentences below with no more than 2 words from the passage.
1. Harmful chemicals are used by ……………………. to increase their productivity create contaminated land.
2. During the process of ………………………….., items such as plastic bags that cannot be recycled become a part of the landfills and cause land pollution.
3. ………………………………takes place when trees are cut and the land is left unprotected from rain and sun’s intense heat.
4. The loss of …………………………… occurs when the land is contaminated by hazardous chemicals.
5. Pregnant women living in polluted area may have the …………………………………… problems.
A. Match the words with their definitions.
Landfill Plastic Mining Deforestation Fertilizers
1. ______Fertrilizers__ = substances added to soil to make plants grow more successfully
2. ____mining____ = the process of getting coal and other minerals
3. _plastic_______ = a light strong material that is produced by chemical processes
4. ____landfill____ = an area of land where large amounts of waste material are buried
5. ___deforestation _____ = the act of cutting down or burning the trees in an area
B. Read the text and decide in which paragraph each detail below is mentioned. Write A, B, C, D, E or F in the blank.
1. The influences of agricultural practices on land => A
2. The impact of land pollution on pregnant women => F
3. The reasons for desertification => D
4. Examples of household and municipal waste => C
5. The effect of land pollution on climate => E
C. Read the text again and complete the sentences below with no more than 2 words from the passage.
1. Harmful chemicals are used by ……………farmers………. to increase their productivity create contaminated land.
2. During the process of ……………sewage treatment…………….., items such as plastic bags that cannot be recycled become a part of the landfills and cause land pollution.
3. ……………Deforestation …………………takes place when trees are cut and the land is left unprotected from rain and sun’s intense heat.
4. The loss of ……………ecosystem……………… occurs when the land is contaminated by hazardous chemicals.
5. Pregnant women living in polluted area may have the …………breathing………………………… problems.
