In this post we will discuss the speaking topics about Environment.Environment is a commonly asked topic in English Speaking tests.You will find the following information in this article:
- Vocabulary related to Environment
- Questions and sample answers about environmental issues
The questions related to environment and environmental issues can be “Describe a serious environmental problem”, “Describe the environmental pollution in your city”, etc. Some other important question about environment are:
- Pollution is a big environmental issue in major cities of the world? Discuss some ways Pollution can cause harm to the environment?
- What is the importance of environment? Discuss what measure we can take to reduce the environmental pollution
Vocabulary Related To Environment
| Words and expressions | Meanings |
| conservation | the protection of plants and animals, natural areas, and interesting and important structures and buildings, especially from the damaging effects of human activity |
| pollution | the presence of a substance which causes harm to environment |
| pollutants | things that cause pollution |
| clearcutting | cut down and remove every tree from (an area) |
| compost | decayed organic material used as plant fertilizers |
| acid rain | rainfall made very acidic with environmental pollution and gases(sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides) emitted by power plants |
| eco system | An ecosystem (or ecological system) consists of all the organisms and the physical environment with which they interact.(wikipedia) |
| eco community | |
| environmentalists | a person concerned with the protection of environment |
| extinct | no longer in existence |
| emit | release, discharge |
| fossil fuels | Coal, oil, and natural gas are examples of fossil fuels which are made from decomposing plants and animals. |
| global warming | long term heating of earth’s surface |
| greenhouse gases | Greenhouse gases are gases in the atmosphere that have an effect on the earth’s energy balance. |
| habitat | natural environment of an animal |
| hazardous waste | a waste that has potential to harm public health and environment |
| deforestation | a action of clearing a large area of forests/trees |
| reforestation | the process of planting trees in an area |
| smog | smoke and fog combined together that degrades the air quality |
| contamination | an action of polluting or making things impure or poisonous |
| erosion | the process of wear and tear |
| biodiversity | the variety of life in the world or ecosystem |
| endangered | being at serious risk of extinction |
| carbon dioxide | a gas produced by burning carbon and organic compounds |
| ozone layer | The ozone layer or ozone shield is a region of Earth’s stratosphere that absorbs most of the Sun’s ultraviolet radiation.(wikipedia) |
Environmental Issues Question & Answers
Q1. Pollution is a big environmental issue in major cities of the world? Discuss some ways Pollution can cause harm to the environment?
Pollution is certainly a huge environmental issue our world is facing today. There can be air, water, sound or soil pollution that can harm all the living beings and the earth in various ways. It can contaminate the water and soil and as a result kills trees and vegetation.
Air pollutants like chemicals, smoke and gases can cause respiratory problems and even lung cancer for humans. Besides directly affecting the living beings, pollution can enter the food chain and finds its way in the human body. In addition, it can kill crops and reduce the produce for human consumption.
Let’s not forget the acid rain that is caused by sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide. When it falls to earth, it not only damages plants by changing the composition of soil; it also degrades water quality in water bodies like rivers or lakes, damages crops, and causes decay to the buildings.
Yet another example of the effects of pollution is global warming. Which is caused by the rising air and water temperatures triggered by greenhouse gases just as methane and nitrous oxide.
In short, I would say that although pollution can have short term or long term effects on human life but on the whole pollution is responsible for negatively affecting the entire ecosystem.
Q2.What is the importance of a healthy environment? Discuss what measures we can take to reduce the environmental pollution?
I would say that a clean and healthy environment is essential for the health and well being of all living beings. A cleaner environment ensures the sustainability of life on earth. A good quality, pollution free environment will provide basic needs for all living beings on earth like healthy food, clean water and air. Besides, life on earth and the sea will be healthier and less at risk of extinction or disease.
Since environmental pollution is also caused by human activity, the ways to reduce it are in our hands. We can implement many practical ways to reduce environmental pollution. First of all we can reduce the use of harsh chemicals for washing dishes, clothes and cars etc. These chemicals get collected under the earth as ground water.Therefore, it is always better to use eco friendly chemicals. Another popular solution to environmental problems is recycling.
Recycling is a great strategy to conserve energy, reduce air and water pollution and greenhouse gases. This is because recycling controls waste from building up and recycling materials emit way less greenhouse gases into the environment than original production. Closely related to it is the use and disposal of products. It is important that we sort out the waste according to what is recyclable and what is garbage.
We can also reduce air pollution by using transport less frequently. For short distances, we might be able to walk and for long distances we can use public transport instead of personal cars. The larger number of cars on the road, the higher would be the presence of carbon dioxide in the air.
Some other ways to reduce pollution is conscientious consumption of resources like food and water. In the same way, growing plants and trees can help reduce air pollution.
On the top of everything, it is important to create an awareness among the people about the importance of conserving the environment.Since it is crucial for the survival of all living beings on earth, it is mandatory that everyone feels the responsibility of protecting the environment.
