THE LESSON ON DAY TO COMBAT DESERTIFICATION & DROUGHT
Try the online quiz, reading, listening, and activities on grammar, spelling and vocabulary for this lesson on Day to Combat Desertification & Drought. Click on the links above or see the activities below this reading:
READING
One of the most pressing problems facing our world today is the advance of deserts and the droughts this causes. June 17 is officially the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought. It was created by the United Nations to draw attention to the seriousness of farmland and forests lost to deserts. The UN General Assembly drew up the “Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa”. This long-titled initiative hopes to reverse desertification. To do this, agencies must educate poorer nations about the dangers of land degradation. Such education is one way to help reduce poverty and encourage sustainable development.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in a speech that “land degradation affects a significant portion of the Earth’s arable lands, directly impacting the well-being of people and economic development of countries”. He added that: “As the population grows, and with it the demand for agriculture production, traditional systems of managing the land are collapsing.” Mr. Ban said the UN must work harder to reduce poverty and protect dry lands. He told the world: “The time has come for the international community to recognize that dry land, where nearly half of the world’s poor live, is not waste land. Rather, they are potential areas for agricultural intensification for both food and energy needs.”
Sources: http://www.wikipedia.org/ and assorted sites.
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PHRASE MATCH
Match the following phrases from the article.
Paragraph 1
1.
One of the most pressing
a.
about the dangers
2
farmland and forests
b.
up the Convention
3.
The UN General Assembly drew
c.
reduce poverty
4.
reverse
d.
problems facing our world
5.
educate poorer nations
e.
lost to deserts
6.
education is one way to help
f.
desertification
Paragraph 2
1.
a significant
a.
being of people
2
directly impacting the well-
b.
poor live
3.
traditional systems of
c.
portion
4.
the UN must work harder
d.
needs
5.
where nearly half of the world’s
e.
to reduce poverty
6.
food and energy
f.
managing the land
LISTENING GAP FILL
One of _____________________ problems facing our world today is the advance of deserts and the droughts this causes. June 17 is officially the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought. It _____________________ United Nations to draw attention to the seriousness of farmland and _____________________. The UN General Assembly drew up the “Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa”. This _____________________ hopes to reverse desertification. To do this, agencies must educate _____________________ the dangers of land degradation. Such education is one way to help reduce poverty and encourage _____________________.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon _____________________ that “land degradation affects a significant portion of the Earth’s arable lands, _____________________ well-being of people and economic development of countries”. He added that: “As the population grows, _____________________ for agriculture production, traditional systems of managing the land are collapsing.” Mr. Ban said the UN must _____________________ poverty and protect dry lands. He told the world: “The time has come for the international community to _____________________, where nearly half of the world’s poor live, is not waste land. Rather, they are potential areas for agricultural intensification _____________________ needs.”
WHILE READING / LISTENING GAP FILL
Put the words into the gaps in the text.
One of the most __________ problems facing our world today is the advance of deserts and the droughts this __________. June 17 is officially the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought. It was created by the United Nations to __________ attention to the seriousness of farmland and forests lost to deserts. The UN General Assembly __________ up the “Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa”. This long-__________ initiative hopes to __________ desertification. To do this, agencies must educate poorer __________ about the dangers of land degradation. Such education is one way to help reduce __________ and encourage sustainable development.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in a __________ that “land degradation affects a significant __________ of the Earth’s arable lands, directly impacting the well-being of people and __________ development of countries”. He added that: “As the population __________, and with it the demand for agriculture production, traditional systems of managing the __________ are collapsing.” Mr. Ban said the UN must work harder to reduce poverty and protect dry lands. He told the world: “The __________ has come for the international community to recognize that dry land, where nearly half of the world’s poor live, is not __________ land. Rather, they are potential areas for agricultural intensification for both food and energy __________.”
portion needs time economic speech land waste grows
CHOOSE THE CORRECT WORD
Delete the wrong word in each of the pairs of italics.
One of the most pressing / ironing problems facing our world today is the advance of deserts and the droughts this effects / causes. June 17 is officially the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought. It was created by the United Nations to sketch / draw attention to the seriousness of farmland and forests lost to deserts. The UN General Assembly drew up / down the “Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa”. This long-titled initiative / invitation hopes to reverse desertification. To do this, agencies must educate / education poorer nation / nations about the dangers of land degradation. Such education is one way to help reduction / reduce poverty and encourage sustainable development.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in a speak / speech that “land degradation affects a significant portion of the Earth’s arable lands, directly / direction impacting the well-being of people and economic development of countries”. He added / subtracted that: “As the population grows, and with it the demand for agriculture production, traditional systems of management / managing the land are collapsing.” Mr. Ban said the UN must work harder to reduce poor / poverty and protect dry lands. He told the world: “The time has go / come for the international community to recognize that dry land, where nearly half of the world’s poor / poverty live, is not waste land. Rather, they are potential areas for agricultural intensification for both food and energy needs / necessary.”
MULTIPLE CHOICE
One of the most (1) ____ problems facing our world today is the advance of deserts and the droughts this causes. June 17 is (2) ____ the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought. It was created by the United Nations to (3) ____ attention to the seriousness of farmland and forests lost to deserts. The UN General Assembly drew up the “Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa”. This long-titled initiative (4) ____ to reverse desertification. To do this, agencies must (5) ____ poorer nations about the dangers of land degradation. Such education is one way to help reduce (6) ____ and encourage sustainable development.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in a speech that “land degradation (7) ____ a significant portion of the Earth’s arable lands, (8) ____ impacting the well-being of people and economic development of countries”. He added that: “As the population (9) ____, and with it the demand for agriculture production, traditional systems of managing the land are collapsing.” Mr. Ban said the UN must work harder to (10) ____ poverty and protect dry lands. He told the world: “The time has come for the international community to recognize that dry land, where nearly half (11) ____ the world’s poor live, is not waste land. Rather, they are potential areas for agricultural intensification for both food and energy (12) ____.”
Put the correct words from this table into the article.
1.
(a)
pressing
(b)
pressed
(c)
pressure
(d)
press
2.
(a)
official
(b)
officials
(c)
officially
(d)
office
3.
(a)
sketch
(b)
draw
(c)
paint
(d)
decorate
4.
(a)
hoping
(b)
hoped
(c)
hope
(d)
hopes
5.
(a)
educational
(b)
education
(c)
educate
(d)
educated
6.
(a)
poverty
(b)
poor
(c)
poorly
(d)
impoverish
7.
(a)
effects
(b)
affects
(c)
affective
(d)
effective
8.
(a)
direct
(b)
direction
(c)
directs
(d)
directly
9.
(a)
grows
(b)
growth
(c)
growing
(d)
grown
10.
(a)
reduction
(b)
reduces
(c)
reduce
(d)
reduced
11.
(a)
at
(b)
of
(c)
as
(d)
for
12.
(a)
necessary
(b)
needy
(c)
needed
(d)
needs
SPELLING
Spell the jumbled words (from the text) correctly.
Paragraph 1
1.
One of the most pgsseinr problems
2.
the dvaecan of deserts
3.
draw tiantoetn to
4.
hopes to sererev desertification
5.
educate oorpre nations
6.
eilntasuabs development
Paragraph 2
7.
a significant orntoip of the Earth’s arable lands
8.
diletycr impacting the well-being of people
9.
the ndmead for agriculture
10.
work harder to reduce ortvype
11.
not wtsea land
12.
food and rygnee needs
PUT THE TEXT BACK TOGETHER
Number these lines in the correct order.
( )
by the United Nations to draw attention to the seriousness of farmland and forests lost to deserts. The UN
( )
this, agencies must educate poorer nations about the dangers of land degradation. Such education is one
( )
Drought and/or Desertification, Particularly in Africa”. This long-titled initiative hopes to reverse desertification. To do
( )
General Assembly drew up the “Convention to Combat Desertification in Those Countries Experiencing Serious
( )
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in a speech that “land degradation affects a significant
( )
systems of managing the land are collapsing.” Mr. Ban said the UN must work harder to reduce
( )
portion of the Earth’s arable lands, directly impacting the well-being of people and economic development of
( )
poverty and protect dry lands. He told the world: “The time has come for the international community to recognize
( )
countries”. He added that: “As the population grows, and with it the demand for agriculture production, traditional
( )
way to help reduce poverty and encourage sustainable development.
( 1 )
One of the most pressing problems facing our world today is the advance of deserts and the droughts this
( )
that dry land, where nearly half of the world’s poor live, is not waste land. Rather, they are potential
( )
areas for agricultural intensification for both food and energy needs.”
( )
causes. June 17 is officially the World Day to Combat Desertification and Drought. It was created
SCRAMBLED SENTENCES
With a partner, put the words back into the correct order.
1.
the most pressing problems facing our world
2.
the advance of deserts and the droughts this causes
3.
farmland and forests lost to deserts
4.
agencies must educate poorer nations
5.
reduce poverty and encourage sustainable development
6.
a significant portion of the Earth’s arable lands
7.
directly impacting the well-being of people
8.
traditional systems of managing the land
9.
the UN must work harder to reduce poverty
10.
for both food and energy needs
DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)
STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
THE DAY TO COMBAT DESERTIFICATION & DROUGHT SURVEY
Write five questions about Day to Combat Desertification & Drought 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 Day to Combat Desertification & Drought 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 Day to Combat Desertification & Drought. Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.
3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about Day to Combat Desertification & Drought. 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 Day to Combat Desertification & Drought. 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.
