Unit 8
Lesson 1
Student’s Book pages 62-63
Earth
Before reading
Look at the picture
1 What do the photographs show? Do you know what subject they all have in common? Discuss with a partner.
Answers
They show melting ice floes, fossils and volcanic eruption. These pictures are all related to the subject of geology and Earth.
2 Read the words in the box. Which are connected to Earth? Check the meaning of any words you don’t know in the Activity Book Glossary or in a dictionary
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dramatic ice age eruption asteroid rock fossil |
Answers
All of the words except ‘asteroid’ and ‘dramatic’ are connected to Earth.
3 Read and listen to this magazine article. Who or what can tell us about climate changes in the past?
Answers
Geologists study Earth’s rocks, and Archaeologists have also discovered evidence that shows how Earth’s climate has changed.
Earth’s climate story
Earth’s climate is changing, but this is not new. Over millions of years, Earth has experienced many dramatic climate changes. For example, several ice ages, when glaciers covered much of Earth’s surface, have taken place. In the past, Earth’s climate was affected by sudden disasters, such as huge volcanic eruptions and clashes with asteroids. These events filled the atmosphere with smoke and dust, which blocked out the Sun, causing the climate to become cold and dark. Many plants and animals probably died on these occasions.
Geologists, who study Earth’s rocks and how they formed, can ‘read’ layers of rock. These layers provide a record of what happened in the past. In warm periods of Earth’s history, there were many plants and animals which eventually died and were fossilised in layers of rock.
Archaeologists have also discovered evidence that shows how Earth’s climate has changed over millions of years. For example, they have found fossils of trees in parts of Antarctica, which prove that this area was much warmer 110 million years ago than it is today.
Humans, whose activities might be causing global warming today, need to take action. Otherwise there will probably be more extreme climate changes in the future. Nobody knows for sure what to expect. However, Earth, which has already survived some dramatic changes in its long history, may have to face some challenges in the future.
Comprehension
4 Read and listen to the article again. Answer the following questions.
1 When did glaciers cover much of Earth’s surface? during several ice ages
2 Which disasters caused the climate to become cold and dark?
3 What can geologists discover from the number of layers of rock?
4 What have archaeologists found in Antarctica and what does this prove?
5 What is meant by the words ‘take action’? What kind of action might need to be taken?
6 What do you think the climate will be like in the future? Explain.
Answers
1 during several ice ages.
2 huge volcanic eruptions and clashes with asteroids causing the climate to become cold and dark.
3 How climate was in the past. In warm periods of Earth’s history, there were many plants and animals which eventually died and were fossilised in layers of rock.
4 They have found fossils of trees in parts of Antarctica, which prove that this area was much warmer 110 million years ago than it is today.
5 They mean that something should be done in order to deal with a problem. People must stop the activities that are causing global warming for example , we can reduce waste and recycle as much as we can; we can plant trees; we shouldn’t use electric appliances very often and try to conserve as much energy as possible.
6 Suggested answers: The climate will be warmer, more extreme and unpredictable.
Unit 8
Lesson 1
Activity Book page 44
Vocabulary
1 Find the words for the following definitions. The first letter of each word is given to you.
1 the remains of an animal or plant preserved inside a rock f________________
2 a rock that moves around the sun a________________
3 unexpected and filled with action d________________
4 when the earth explodes inside and causes material to flow out e________________
5 the material that the outer layer of the earth is made of r________________
6 the period in time when the northern hemisphere was covered with ice i_______ a_____________
Answers
1 fossil
2 asteroid
3 dramatic
4 eruption
5 rock
6 ice age