Listening

Warm Up

Helpful Words and Phrases

Listen and repeat.

  1. a threat
    • ex. These squirrels are a threat to my garden. They might eat all the vegetables!
  2. an impact
    • ex. Smartphones have had a big impact on modern life.
  3. a lifespan
    • ex. Some turtles have very long lifespans; they live longer than many other pets.
  4. a decade
    • ex. I’ve lived in London for over two decades.
  5. exceed
    • ex. I try not to exceed my daily limit for sugar, but it’s difficult.

Article

Read the article below and answer your tutor's questions.

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According to a new study, air pollution is the biggest threat to human health. Scientists used the Air Quality Life Index (AQLI) to look at the impact of air pollution on people’s lifespans. Based on AQLI data, bad air quality shortens the lives of people around the world by an average of two years.

According to the study, four South Asian countries have the worst air pollution: Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Pakistan. Air pollution levels in these countries are 44% higher than they were 20 years ago. Because of this, the average lifespan of people in parts of these countries is almost a decade shorter. In Southeast Asia, almost 89% of people live in places that exceed the World Health Organization’s (WHO) guidelines for air pollution.

Not all data in the study was negative. In places like Europe, Japan, and the US, for example, air pollution has actually decreased in recent years. However, according to the scientists, all countries need to make big improvements to their air quality. They explained that both national and local governments should have strong policies to decrease air pollution.

Discussion

Choose a topic and discuss the questions with your tutor.

Air Pollution

  • Do you agree that air pollution is the greatest threat to human lives? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Do you think your own actions cause a lot of air pollution? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Do you think air pollution levels will increase or decrease in the future? Why? Discuss.

Lifespans

  • What can help people have longer lifespans (ex. a healthy lifestyle, a clean place to live)? Why? Discuss.
  • What do you think is a good lifespan (ex. 70 years, 100 years)? Why? Discuss.
  • Do you think that people's lifespans will become longer? Why or why not? Discuss.