Listening

Warm Up

Helpful Words and Phrases

Listen and repeat.

  1. the ozone layer
    • ex. The hole in the ozone layer is over Antarctica.
  2. mend
    • ex. You need six months of rest to mend your broken knee.
  3. chief
    • ex. The virus is the chief problem in many countries.
  4. an advocate
    • ex. Environmental advocates joined the demonstration.
  5. a testament
    • ex. The singer’s successful career is a testament to his talent.

Article

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

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The ozone layer is healing and would fully mend in about 43 years, a new United Nations report says. The improvement is slow, according to the report at the American Meteorological Society meeting in Denver. But the ozone layer is expected to be back to normal by 2066.

The efforts to mend the ozone hole began after a 1987 agreement called the Montreal Protocol. At that time, it was found that some chemicals damage the ozone layer. The two chief chemicals are chlorine and bromine. Because of the Montreal Protocol, the sale of several chemicals has been stopped. Now, the report said that chlorine levels are down 11.5%, and bromine levels dropped 14.5%.

Environmental advocates are pleased with the report. Scientist Paul Newman said that the decrease in the levels of chlorine and bromine “is a real testament to the effectiveness of the Montreal Protocol.” A United Nations official said, “This is saving 2 million people every year from skin cancer.”

This material was based on an article by The Associated Press.

Discussion

Choose a topic and discuss the questions with your tutor.

Environmental Improvement

  • How do you feel about this news (ex. hopeful, doubtful)? Discuss.
  • What other parts of the environment do you think must be healed (ex. forests, oceans)? Discuss.
  • Does your government help protect the environment? Discuss.

Environmental Protection

  • What do you think of environmental advocates like Greta Thunberg (ex. I admire them, I don’t believe them)? Why?
  • What problems do environmental advocates often face?
  • Do you think all countries are following the rules of the Montreal Protocol? Why or why not? Discuss.