Language activity

Task 4. Put in the missing word.

Us, ecosystems, biodiversity, year, planet, belt, people, down, wood, deforestation, up, population

Rainforests wrap … (1) the equator of the earth like a green ... (2). After millions of years of evolution, they are the biologically rich ecosystems on our … (3). Tropical rainforests contain a hugely rich diversity of species of plants and animals. They are also home to many different ingenious … (4) who have unique and treasured cultures. Rainforests are precious resources for all of … (5). They provide vital … (6) for the whole world. They store water, regulate rainfall and a home to over half the planets … (7). But more importantly, they also play a crucial role in climate change. Rainforests absorb almost a fifth of the world human-made CO2 every … (8). But tropical deforestation releases an extra 17% of annual greenhouse gas emissions. So if the rainforests are destroyed, it is bad news on both counts. Cutting (9) … tropical forests to clear the land in this way enables rainforest nations to provide globally traded commodities, such as timber, palm oil, beef and soy. The world … (10) is likely to increase from 6 billion to 9 billion over the next 40 years. This population, combined with rising incomes, will lead to a continual increasing demand for … (11), animal feed and fuel. And this, in turn, will lead to more … (12) of rainforests with devastating for everyone.

Task 5. Put in the missing prepositions.

1. Rainforests are very important as the plants … rainforests generate much … the Earth’s oxygen.

2. Rainforests are found … every continent across the Earth, except Antarctica.

3. As many as 30 million species … plants and animals live … tropical rainforests.

4. Emergent Trees reach high above the average tree height … the rainforest canopy.

5. These trees can grow … heights … 200 feet or more.

6. Emergent trees do not generally grow close … one another, and will endure different conditions than other trees of the rainforest.

7. Emergent trees will receive more sunlight and less moisture because they are not confined … the shady and humid conditions that exist beneath the rainforest canopy.

8. Animals that inhabit emergent trees include a variety … insects, some species … bats and and some species … birds.

9. The rainforest canopy is composed … trees that grow … heights between 100 – 150 feet.

10. The canopy is home … a large biodiversity … plant and animal life.

Task 6. Choose the correct form of the verb.

1. He … that emergency funding is needed to help protect rainforests.

1. believes

2. is believed

3. believe

2. If we … any measures we can lose another 100 million hectares of tropical forests over the next 10 years.

1. won’t take

2. will take

3. do not take

3. Saving the rainforests … the world a better chance to its goals of stabilising climate change.

1. give

2. is given

3. will give

4. Rainforests … forests characterized by high rainfall, with annual rainfall between 250 and 450 centimetres (98 and 177 in).

1. is

2. was

3. are

5. Tropical rainforests … close to the equator where temperatures and rainfall are very high all year round.

1. is found

2. are found

3. was found

6. A typical four square mile patch of rainforest … as many as 1,500 flowering plants, 750 species of trees, 400 species of birds and 150 species of butterflies.

1. contain

2. was contained

3. contains

7. Most trees in the forest … to this height.

1. shan’t grow

2. doesn’t grow

3. don’t grow

8. Air plants … in many rainforests last year.

1. was found

2. are found

3. were found

9. Rainforests … only 6% of the Earth’s surface but yet they contain more than half of the world’s plant and animal species two decades ago.

1. contain

2. contained

3. will contain

10. Temperate rainforests … one long wet winter/spring season, and a dry foggy summer.

1. has

2. have

3. has had