Try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on International Biodiversity Day. Click on the links above or see the activities below this article:
READ
The International Day for Biological Diversity, sometimes called World Biodiversity Day, is a United Nations holiday based on biodiversity issues. It started in 1993 and is held on May 22. This is the date of the Rio Earth Summit of 1992. This was a major meeting to discuss life on our planet. A total of 172 governments attended the Summit, with a total of 108 heads of state. The main topics were the environment and sustainable development. Governments discussed ways to halt the destruction of irreplaceable natural resources and to protect ecosystems. The day now focuses on the threats climate change has on biodiversity. Experts say that tackling both together will mean we have a better chance of keeping the Earth’s natural riches.
Biodiversity is the total variety of all forms of life on our Earth. It includes life at the genetic and cell level, through to all plant, fish, insect and animal species. Biodiversity also includes the thousands, perhaps millions, of ecosystems that make up our natural world. The word "biodiversity" arrived in 1985. It is a contraction of the words "biological” and “diversity". The word has grown into a very important concept we all need to understand. A respect for biodiversity means an understanding that we must help save our environment. Today, biodiversity is one of the world’s most important issues. Many say that together with climate change, damage to biodiversity is the biggest threat to our survival.
Sources: http://www.wikipedia.org/ and assorted sites.
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PHRASE MATCH
Match the following phrases from the article.
Paragraph 1
1.
a United Nations holiday based
a.
of state
2
This is the date of the
b.
on biodiversity
3.
a total of 108 heads
c.
Rio Earth Summit of 1992
4.
the environment and sustainable
d.
on biodiversity issues
5.
the threats climate change has
e.
the Earth’s natural riches
6.
a better chance of keeping
f.
development
Paragraph 2
1.
the total variety of all
a.
important issues
2
It includes life at the
b.
to our survival
3.
ecosystems that make
c.
forms of life
4.
a very important concept we
d.
genetic and cell level
5.
one of the world’s most
e.
all need to understand
6.
the biggest threat
f.
up our natural world
LISTENING GAP FILL
The International Day for Biological Diversity, sometimes called World Biodiversity Day, is a United Nations _________________ biodiversity issues. It started in 1993 and is held on May 22. This is the date of the Rio Earth Summit of 1992. This was a major meeting _________________ our planet. A total of 172 governments attended the Summit, with a total of _________________. The main topics were the environment and sustainable development. Governments discussed _________________ destruction of irreplaceable natural resources and to protect ecosystems. The day _________________ the threats climate change has on biodiversity. Experts say that tackling both together will _________________ better chance of keeping the Earth’s natural riches.
Biodiversity is ___________________ all forms of life on our Earth. It includes life at the genetic and cell level, _________________ plant, fish, insect and animal species. Biodiversity also includes the thousands, perhaps millions, of ecosystems _________________ natural world. The word "biodiversity" arrived in 1985. It is a contraction of the words "biological” and “diversity". The word has _________________ important concept we all need to understand. A respect for biodiversity means an understanding that we must help save our environment. Today, biodiversity ___________________ most important issues. Many say that together with climate change, damage to biodiversity is _________________ to our survival.
WHILE READING / LISTENING GAP FILL
Put the words into the gaps in the text.
The International Day for Biological Diversity, sometimes __________ World Biodiversity Day, is a United Nations holiday __________ on biodiversity issues. It started in 1993 and is held on May 22. This is the date of the Rio Earth Summit of 1992. This was a __________ meeting to discuss life on our planet. A total of 172 governments attended the Summit, with a total of 108 __________ of state. The main topics were the environment and sustainable development. Governments discussed ways to __________ the destruction of irreplaceable natural resources and to protect ecosystems. The day now __________ on the threats climate change has on biodiversity. Experts say that __________ both together will mean we have a better chance of keeping the Earth’s natural __________.
major halt based tackling riches called focuses heads
Biodiversity is the total __________ of all forms of life on our Earth. It includes life at the genetic and cell level, __________ to all plant, fish, insect and animal species. Biodiversity also __________ the thousands, perhaps millions, of ecosystems that make up our natural world. The word "biodiversity" __________ in 1985. It is a contraction of the words "biological” and “diversity". The word has grown into a very important __________ we all need to understand. A __________ for biodiversity means an understanding that we must help save our environment. Today, biodiversity is one of the world’s most important __________. Many say that together with climate change, damage to biodiversity is the biggest __________ to our survival.
arrived variety issues concept threat respect through includes
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD
Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs of italics.
The International Day for Biological Diversity, sometimes / sometime called World Biodiversity Day, is a United Nations holiday based at / on biodiversity issues. It started in 1993 and is held on May 22. This is the date of the Rio Earth Summit of 1992. This was a majors / major meeting to discuss life / live on our planet. A total of 172 governments attended the Summit, with a total of 108 hands / heads of state. The main topics were the environment and sustainable development. Governments discussed ways to hold / halt the destruction of irreplaceable natural resources and to protect ecosystems. The day now focuses on the threats / threaten climate change has on biodiversity. Experts say that tackling both together will mean we have a better chance of keeping the Earth’s natural rich / riches.
Biodiversity is the total / totals variety of all forms of life on our Earth. It includes life at the genetic and cell level, thought / through to all plant, fish, insecticide / insect and animal species. Biodiversity also includes the thousands, perhaps millions, of ecosystems that make up / down our natural world. The word "biodiversity" arrived in 1985. It is a contraction of the words "biological” and “diversity". The word has grown / growing into a very important concept we all need to understand. A respect for biodiversity means / meaning an understanding that we must help safe / save our environment. Today, biodiversity is one of the world’s most important issues. Many say that together with / by climate change, damage to biodiversity is the biggest threat to our survival.
MULTIPLE CHOICE
The International Day for Biological Diversity, sometimes (1) ____ World Biodiversity Day, is a United Nations holiday based on biodiversity issues. It started in 1993 and is (2) ____ on May 22. This is the date of the Rio Earth Summit of 1992. This was a major meeting to discuss (3) ____ on our planet. A total of 172 governments attended the Summit, with a total of 108 (4) ____ of state. The main topics were the environment and sustainable development. Governments discussed ways (5) ____ halt the destruction of irreplaceable natural resources and to protect ecosystems. The day now focuses on the threats climate change has on biodiversity. Experts say that (6) ____ both together will mean we have a better chance of keeping the Earth’s natural riches.
Biodiversity is the total variety of all forms of life on our Earth. It includes life at the genetic and cell (7) ____, through to all plant, fish, insect and animal species. Biodiversity also includes the thousands, perhaps millions, of ecosystems that (8) ____ up our natural world. The word "biodiversity" arrived in 1985. It is a (9) ____ of the words "biological” and “diversity". The word has (10) ____ into a very important concept we all need to understand. A respect for biodiversity means an understanding that we must help (11) ____ our environment. Today, biodiversity is one of the world’s most important issues. Many say that together with climate change, damage to biodiversity is the biggest (12) ____ to our survival.
Put the correct words from this table into the article.
1.
(a)
calling
(b)
calls
(c)
called
(d)
caller
2.
(a)
held
(b)
hold
(c)
holds
(d)
holding
3.
(a)
live
(b)
life
(c)
alive
(d)
lives
4.
(a)
feet
(b)
hands
(c)
heads
(d)
backs
5.
(a)
at
(b)
for
(c)
by
(d)
to
6.
(a)
tackle
(b)
tackled
(c)
tackles
(d)
tackling
7.
(a)
levelled
(b)
levelling
(c)
level
(d)
leveller
8.
(a)
make
(b)
take
(c)
wake
(d)
rake
9.
(a)
contract
(b)
contraction
(c)
contracting
(d)
contracts
10.
(a)
growing
(b)
grown
(c)
growth
(d)
grew
11.
(a)
saver
(b)
savings
(c)
saviour
(d)
save
12.
(a)
threat
(b)
threaten
(c)
treat
(d)
treats
SPELLING
Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.
Paragraph 1
1.
a United Nations holiday deasb on biodiversity
2.
This was a ramoj meeting
3.
172 governments edtatdne the Summit
4.
Governments eicdsduss ways to halt the destruction
5.
irreplaceable natural ssrecrueo
6.
keeping the Earth’s natural ehsric
Paragraph 2
7.
the total tevryai of all forms of life
8.
at the tegcien and cell level
9.
ilnismlo, of eco-systems
10.
a otnrncatoic of the words "biological” and “diversity"
11.
A erpcset for biodiversity
12.
the biggest threat to our srvilavu
PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER
Number these lines in the correct order.
( )
ways to halt the destruction of irreplaceable natural resources and to protect ecosystems. The day now focuses
( )
mean we have a better chance of keeping the Earth’s natural riches.
( )
to understand. A respect for biodiversity means an understanding that we must help save our
( )
level, through to all plant, fish, insect and animal species. Biodiversity also includes the thousands, perhaps
( 1 )
The International Day for Biological Diversity, sometimes called World Biodiversity Day, is a United Nations holiday based
( )
millions, of ecosystems that make up our natural world. The word "biodiversity" arrived in 1985. It is a contraction
( )
of the words "biological” and “diversity". The word has grown into a very important concept we all need
( )
Biodiversity is the total variety of all forms of life on our Earth. It includes life at the genetic and cell
( )
environment. Today, biodiversity is one of the world’s most important issues. Many say that together with climate
( )
of 108 heads of state. The main topics were the environment and sustainable development. Governments discussed
( )
1992. This was a major meeting to discuss life on our planet. A total of 172 governments attended the Summit, with a total
( )
on the threats climate change has on biodiversity. Experts say that tackling both together will
( )
change, damage to biodiversity is the biggest threat to our survival.
( )
on biodiversity issues. It started in 1993 and is held on May 22. This is the date of the Rio Earth Summit of
SCRAMBLED SENTENCES
With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.
1.
on based holiday U.N. a issues biodiversity
2.
Rio the Earth date Summit of This the is
3.
major on meeting our to planet discuss a life
4.
natural halt destruction irreplaceable resources the of
5.
Earth’s keeping natural the riches
6.
of variety total the life of forms all
7.
up natural ecosystems make our world that
8.
understand we a all very need important to concept
9.
our save help must we environment
10.
to threat biggest the survival our
DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)
STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
THE INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY SURVEY
Write five questions about International Day For Biological Diversity in the table. Do this in pairs/groups. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.
Without your partner, interview other students. Write down their answers.
STUDENT 1
_____________
STUDENT 2
_____________
STUDENT 3
_____________
Q.1.
Q.2.
Q.3.
Q.4.
Q.5.
Return to your original partner(s) and share and talk about what you found out. Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.
WRITING
Write about International Day For Biological Diversity for 10 minutes. Show your partner your paper. Correct each other’s work.
1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.
2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find more information about International Day For Biological Diversity. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about International Day For Biological Diversity. Write about what happens around the world. Include two imaginary interviews with people who did something on this day.
Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
4. POSTER: Make your own poster about International Day For Biological Diversity. Write about what will happen on this day around the world.
Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.
ANSWERS
Check your answers in "THE READING / TAPESCRIPT" section at the top of this page.
