Discussion Starters

Climate
Change
Pre-Reading
A. Warm-Up Questions

1. How do humans contribute to global warming?

2. Why do some governments want

to ignore climate change?

3. In your opinion, what will be different about our

lifestyles in 50 years due to climate change?

B. Vocabulary Preview

Match up as many words and meanings as you can.

Check this exercise again after seeing the words in context on page 2.

1. greenhouse gas a)  not usual, very odd

2. carbon footprint b)  a type of gas that contributes to the trapping of heat in the earth’s atmosphere

3. freakish c)  to attack a problem in order to try to solve it

4. tackle d)  a person who doesn’t believe something is true

5. cover-up e)  something that prevents others from seeing the truth

6. cast doubt f)  not responsible for

7. skeptic g)  needing to be taken care of before a deadline

8. time-sensitive h)  to convince other people to question something they thought was true

9. undeniable i)  the amount of greenhouse gases contributed by a single person or group

10. off the hook j)  unable to be denied, must be true

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 Climate Change
Discussion Starters

Reading
CLIMATE CHANGE
Ignoring Mother Nature’s warnings

1. The majority of scientists around the world agree that humans are “If you really think
largely to blame for the warming of our planet. Over the past 50 years, the environment is
temperatures on Earth have increased at a higher rate than ever
recorded. In order to prevent excess greenhouse gases from trapping
less important than
heat in our atmosphere, we need to change our lifestyles. By reducing the economy, try
our carbon footprint and switching to clean forms of energy, there is holding your breath
a chance we will be able to extend our stay on our planet.
while you count
2. Despite freakish weather like heat waves, droughts, and hurricanes, your money.”
tackling climate change has not been a priority for some world
—Guy McPherson,
leaders. As a presidential candidate, Donald Trump said he was not
American climate scientist
a big believer in man-made climate change. Some of his supporters,
including a handful of scientists, were even accused of taking part in
a climate cover-up. Those who benefit financially from oil, gas, and
coal industries often deny the need for clean energy alternatives. By
Beware of an
casting doubt on science, a few skeptics have caused a large number
Irregular Verb
of people to question whether man‑made climate change even exists.
Ignoring a time-sensitive topic like the environment creates a vicious The verb “to cast” is irregular.
The past tense of “cast” is “cast,”
cycle. If the public doesn’t rate the environment as a major concern,
NOT “casted.”
world leaders won’t either.

3. Environmentalists always said that the first place humans would see
undeniable evidence of global warming would be in the Arctic. In
2012, the summer sea ice in the Arctic was at a record low. Ice experts
have warned that sea ice in the Arctic will likely be nonexistent within
a few years. Instead of being concerned by these dangerous signs
of global warming, some business thinkers are already considering
potential opportunities. After all, open waters will lead to new
shipping channels. We’ll need stronger sunscreen products, too.

4. Climate change affects the whole planet, yet the world’s leaders can’t
agree on what to do about it. Many leaders from have-not countries
think they should be off the hook. They don’t believe their people
contributed to the problem, and they want wealthy nations to fix it.
Developed nations aren’t always as wealthy as they look. They’re in
debt, at war, and addicted to consumption. On May 24, 2019, hundreds
of thousands of students walked out of schools around the world in
a global climate strike protesting inaction by their governments.
Will today’s youth spark a climate revolution?

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 Climate Change
Discussion Starters

Comprehension
Discuss these questions in pairs, and write the answers in your notebook.

1. According to the reading, what lifestyle changes do humans need to make?

2. What examples of freakish weather are mentioned? Can you think of any others?

3. Why would some people want to ignore or even deny man-made climate change?

4. Paraphrase the vicious cycle mentioned in the reading.

5. Why does the reading mention sunscreen products?

Vocabulary Review
Complete each sentence with the correct word from the vocabulary list
on page 1. You may need to change the word forms.

1. The company reduced its              by replacing business trips with online meetings.

2. New research              on the theory of mass extinction.

3. Please send me a list of all              concerns by the end of the day.

4. It’s              that Hurricane Sandy came late in the season.

5. Due to the freakish snowstorm, the school bus driver was              for the field trip.

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 Climate Change
Discussion Starters

Grammar Review
A. Describing Unexpected Situations

There are a few different English words and expressions for describing
unexpected situations. Some are followed by a noun. Others are followed
by subject, verb, object (SVO). Read the dialogues with a partner. Take
turns being A and B. Can you find a pattern in the comma placement?

despite | in spite of + NOUN

A: Despite the scientific proof, one candidate denies

climate change even exists.

B: Really? That’s surprising in this day and age.

A: I know. He denies man-made climate change completely

in spite of the overwhelming evidence.

despite the fact that | in spite of the fact that + SVO

A: Despite the fact that forest fires are destroying California, climate
deniers say wildfires are all natural.

B: Not only that. In spite of the fact that this is the longest period without
rain on record, they say droughts like this are natural too.

even though | though | although + SVO

A: Even though superstorms are A: Though I now have an electric A: The city talks so much about
becoming an annual thing in car, my husband still uses a the importance of recycling
our area, my dad still thinks truck that runs on diesel. although they aren’t interested
climate change is a hoax. in a composting program.
B: He must really love that truck.
B: Are you serious? B: That’s ridiculous!

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 Climate Change
Discussion Starters

Grammar Review cont.

B. Practice

Use the word in parentheses to rewrite the sentences below. Work with a
partner to form the sentences orally, and then write the sentences on the
lines below. Experiment with placement. Can you think of other ways to
describe these unexpected results?

Ex. Though there was damage from Hurricane Sandy, most New Yorkers voted in the election. (despite)

Despite the flooding and power outages from Hurricane Sandy, most New Yorkers voted in the election.

Most New Yorkers voted in the election despite the flooding and power outages from Hurricane Sandy.

1. There is scientific evidence of man-made climate change, but there are still skeptical people. (although)

2. Regardless of the time-sensitive nature of the president’s flight, it was delayed until Monday. (even though)

3. Even though people understand the dangers of climate change, they still buy gas-guzzlers. (despite)

4. Polar bears aren’t listed as endangered although the ice is melting in the Arctic. (in spite of the fact that)

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 Climate Change
Discussion Starters

Discussion
1. Should government leaders be more
worried about the economy or the environment?

2. What can individuals do to reduce their own carbon footprint?

3. Do you think humans have the ability to reverse the

environmental damage we have already done to our planet?

4. In 2019, editors of The Guardian began using the phrase “climate crisis”
in place of “climate change.” Do you think everyone should start
using this more urgent term, including teachers, media outlets,
and scientists? Why or why not?

Critical Thinking
Discuss and debate one of these issues as a class.
The Paris Agreement
1. D
 onald Trump has openly denied climate change. As president, he The Paris Agreement is a
withdrew the US from the Paris Agreement and vowed to end the joint, long-term goal signed
Environmental Protection Agency in the US. Why is the US response by 195 countries to combat
to climate change so important for the rest of the world? Do you think climate change and limit global
the US can maintain its status as a world leader if its administration warming to below 2°C above
pre-industrial levels.
refuses to make climate change a priority?

2. In 2019, the UN warned that the world is at risk of experiencing a

“climate apartheid” by 2030, where only the world’s richest people
will be able to protect themselves from extreme weather events.
How does climate change currently affect poor vs. wealthy people
and nations, and what does the future look like?

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 Climate Change
Discussion Starters

Listening
Fill in the blanks as you listen to the recording.

CLIMATE CHANGE
Ignoring Mother Nature’s warnings

1. The majority of scientists around the world 3. Environmentalists always said that the first place
agree that humans are largely to blame for the humans would see              
warming of our planet. Over the past 50 years, evidence of global warming would be in the Arctic.
temperatures on Earth have increased at a higher In 2012, the summer sea ice in the Arctic was at
rate than ever recorded. In order to prevent excess a record low. Ice experts have warned that sea
              from trapping heat in ice in the Arctic will likely be nonexistent within
our atmosphere, we need to change our lifestyles. a few years. Instead of being concerned by these
By reducing our               and dangerous signs of global warming, some business
switching to clean forms of energy, there is a thinkers are already considering potential
chance we will be able to extend our stay on opportunities. After all, open waters will lead
our planet. to new shipping channels. We’ll need stronger
              products, too.
2. Despite               weather like
heat waves, droughts, and hurricanes, tackling 4. Climate change affects the whole planet, yet the
climate change has not been a priority for some world’s leaders can’t agree on what to do about
world leaders. As a presidential candidate, Donald it. Many leaders from have-not countries think
Trump said he was not a big believer in man-made they should be               .
climate change. Some of his supporters, including They don’t believe their people contributed to
a handful of scientists, were even accused of the problem, and they want wealthy nations to
taking part in a climate cover-up. Those who fix it.               nations aren’t
benefit financially from oil, gas, and coal industries always as wealthy as they look. They’re in debt,
often deny the need for clean energy alternatives. at war, and addicted to consumption. On May 24,
By               on science, a few 2019, hundreds of thousands of students walked
skeptics have caused a large number of people out of schools around the world in a global climate
to question whether man‑made climate change strike protesting inaction by their governments.
even exists. Ignoring a time-sensitive topic like the Will today’s youth spark a climate revolution?
environment creates a vicious cycle. If the public
doesn’t rate the environment as a major concern,
world leaders won’t either.

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 Climate Change
Discussion Starters

Answer Key
LESSON DESCRIPTION: LEVEL: Int – High Int

Students read a short article about climate change. They learn TIME: 1–2 hours
and discuss why governments around the world are denying
TAGS: 
environment, climate change, global warming,
or delaying the issue of climate change. The lesson includes
Earth, Earth Day, discussion, irregular verb, despite
vocabulary review exercises and discussion questions.

Pre-Reading Comprehension

A. WARM-UP QUESTIONS 1. According to the reading, humans need to reduce

their carbon footprint and find clean energy alternatives.
Answers will vary.
2. Examples of freakish weather mentioned include hurricanes,
droughts, and heat waves. They may also think of forest fires,
B. VOCABULARY PREVIEW
tornados, flash floods, cyclones, tsunamis, and earthquakes.
1. b 3. a 5. e 7. d 9. j 3. Some people want to ignore or even deny man-made climate
2. i 4. c 6. h 8. g 10. f change because they have investments in oil, coal, or gas.
4. According to the reading, when leaders don’t make something

Reading (and/or Listening) like the environment a top priority, the public won’t rate it as
an important issue. Leaders don’t tackle issues that the public

Read individually, in small groups, or as a class. Discuss the quote. doesn’t consider important. This is a vicious cycle when you

You can also play the listening as your students read along. A gap- have a time-sensitive issue like climate change.

fill version of the reading is available on page 7. Help your students 5. The reading mentions sunscreen products because

with vocabulary and expressions that they are unfamiliar with. some business-oriented people are already thinking
about how they can cash in on global warming.

Vocabulary Review

1. carbon footprint 4. undeniable

2. casts doubt 5. off the hook
3. time-sensitive

(continued on the next page...)

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 Climate Change
Discussion Starters

Answer Key cont.

Grammar Review Discussion 

A. DESCRIBING UNEXPECTED SITUATIONS Answers will vary.

Review the grammar with your students before they begin.

Remind your students that “despite” goes in front of nouns or Critical Thinking
gerunds. When used in an introductory phrase, a comma is needed.
You may also want to remind students that “despite” can go in the Encourage your students to dig deeper! After they have chatted
middle of the sentence (no comma is needed in this case). Explain for a while, you can put a few groups together and tell them to
that “in spite of” is interchangeable with “despite,” but it is less pretend they are the UN. Assign each student a leadership role
common. “Despite the fact that” and “in spite of the fact that” are (e.g., president of US). Make sure there are leaders from some have-
wordy. Remind your students of the common error many students not countries too. What can be done to combat climate change?
make (despite + of). Some students also make the mistake of using
“despite the fact” (without “that”). The patterns below may help Listening
your students keep it all straight (SVO = a Subject–Verb–Object
clause). See our editor’s blog post, How to Explain Despite Vs. 1. greenhouse gases, carbon footprint
Although, for more tips and examples: http://blog.esllibrary. 2. freakish, casting doubt
com/2012/11/08/how-to-explain-despite-vs-although/ 3. undeniable, sunscreen

despite / in spite of + noun / noun phrase: 4. off the hook, Developed

Despite + noun, SVO. / SVO despite + noun.

SPELLING NOTE
despite / in spite of + gerund:
Despite + gerund, SVO. / SVO despite + gerund. The North American spelling is Skeptic,
while the British spelling is Sceptic.
despite / in spite of + the fact that + SVO:
Despite the fact that + SVO, SVO. / SVO despite the fact that + SVO.

although / even though / though + SVO:

Even though + SVO, SVO. / SVO even though + SVO.

B. PR ACTICE

1. A lthough there is scientific evidence of man-made

climate change, there are still skeptical people.
2. Even though the nature of the president’s flight
was time-sensitive, it was delayed until Monday.
3. Despite understanding the dangers of climate change,
people still buy gas-guzzlers.
4. Polar bears aren’t listed as endangered
in spite the fact that ice is melting in the Arctic.

Answers may vary.

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