Discussion point Discuss with a partner. 1 Did any informat the chart surprise you’ Jwas surprised that so much forestland is owned by I think the federal government should be responsible because I think private landowners should Sees GMETTEN © Who owns US. forests? © ier grrerenen local goverment © intabosinaies mprincora ond Native Amescan bes © Prater Ind BH sate govemvent Before you watch Match the words in bold with the correct definitions. acute enforce respiratory smog, visibilityUNIT READING: Usingword partsto understand meaning VOCABULARY Vocabulary for talking about wildfires READING 2 Recognizing sentence modifiers er Remsen eee AIMS stuorsniu smartreading Re ne ene taney al A firefighter in Phelan, California. h atch the video. Choose the correct answer. Work with a partner, Discuss the natural phenomenon / man-made process. cancelled / delayed are / aren't be enforced / change. aa n FIRE The top five causes of wildfires A Vocabulary preview Complete the sentences with a word from the box. Change the form if necessary. beneficial costly enforce maintenance melt rural supervise wilderness B Before you read The reading discusses five causes of wildfires. Predict how common they are by ranking the causes from 5 (least common) to 1 (most common). C Global reading Read The top five causes of wildfires. Answer the questions.The top five causes of wildfires acre (n) a unit for measuring the surface area of land, equal to 4,047 square met evaporate (v) if liquid evaporates it changes into gas or steam sparks (n) avery small piece of burning material—_ Co D Close reading Using word partsto _ Word parts can be divided into three useful categories, all of which are understand meaning _found in the word prevention: * roots, which show meaning ven = come * prefixes, which modify meaning _pre-= before; in advance + suffixes, which show the part of speech —-tioy youn Knowing that pre- means “in advance” and ven means “come” makes it easier to remember that prevent means “stopping something in advance before it comes (happens).” 1 Read The top five causes of wildfires again. Match words in the text to the roots below. Then write the meaning of the word. Use a dictionary if necessary. 1. grad-, a step (example: graduate) paragraph 5: word: _____ meaning: __ 2. cap-,to take or hold (example: capacity) paragraph 6: word: ______ meaning: _____ 3 duc-, to lead or bring (example: induce) paragraph 6: word: ___ meaning; . 4 clar.,to make clear (example: declare) paragraph 8: word: ____ meaning: __ 5. vis-, see or watch (example: visual) paragraph 11: word: _____ meaning ~~ 2. Read the text again and find different forms of the words. Use suffixes from Adjective a the box to help you. : ¥ 1 The adverb form of ropics 5. Thenoun form of equip: ~ we 2. The adjective form of destruction 6 The adjective form of risk . sige 3. The noun form of natural 7 The adverb form of proper: Verb — 4 The adjective form of location: ity -ate ment ify eeneicona: E Critical thinking tion ize Work in a group. Discuss the questions. 1 According to the article, 90% of forest fires are caused by humans, Do you think they all could have been prevented? Why / why not? 2 Whose responsibility is it to prevent forest fires: individuals, organizations, or the government? ROOTS *«: >»EEENEII smart reading Chart the main ideas Read interactively Do | question what I'm reading? Do | look for answers ‘to my questions? Do | make notes of the important points, and ideas triggered by what | read? Do I challenge the assumptions of the writer, the logic of the arguments, and the validity of the conclusions? Do I map out ideas so that I can see how everything fits together? © Stella Cottrell (2013) 1 Read the Smart reading box. Check (Y) the questions you already ask when reading an academic text. Then explain to a partner how you address each point. 2 Work with a partner. Discuss the questions. 1 Why isit important to read actively? What are some disadvantages to not reading actively? 2. Doyou think it's important to do all of the interactive reading techniques, or only some of them? 3. Which of the questions would an interactive reader have asked about The top five causes of wildfires? Check (¥) your answers. 1 [7] What are the top five causes of forest fires? 2] Whyisit important to know the causes of forest fires? 3 [-] How many acres of land burned in 2015? 4 [-] Whyis the number of forest fires increasing? 5 [_) How many forest fires are caused by humans? 6 [_] Why don't some parents supervise their children? 7 [_] How many laws are there to stop people from causing fires? 4 Work with a partner and discuss your answers to Exercise 3. Explain your reasoning.a os Activating prior knowledge Skimming Controlling the uncontrollable AVocabulary preview 1 Match the words in bold with the correct definitions. 1 conduct (v) a to.use something for a particular purpose 2 employ (v) b toputouta fire 3 extinguish (v) cused for describing an earlier period of time 4 historically d used to describe the later part of a period of time (adv) @ todo something in an organized way 5. latter (adj) fF toreplace something that is damaged or old 6 renew (v) 8 tobe likely to harm or damage something 7 threaten |v) h plants and trees 8 vegetation (n) 2 Complete the sentences with words from Exercise 1. Change the form if necessary. 1 Forest fires______local communities and destroy large areas of farmland. «forest fires were largely caused by natural events, Firefighters __ a number of different methods for dealing, with forest fires 4 Forest fires help __ and maintain healthy ecosystems. It took firefighters several weeks the fire How quickly __ recovers after a wildfire depends on the weather conditions at that time of year. 7 Human-caused forest fires increased rapidly in the the 20” century. half of 8 Schools in the area__ forest fire exercises once a week. B Before you read Work with a partner. Discuss why you think Forest Service workers might deliberately set forest fires. C Global reading ‘Skim Controlling the uncontrollable and answer the questions. 1 The main topic is controlled burns. What paragraph defines this term? 2 Whats the function of the paragraphs that come before the definition? 3. Whats the function of the paragraphs that come after the definition?Northern New Mexico, in the southwestern United States, is a near-perfect setting for a forest fire. It's warm, it’s dry, and the trees that grow there burn hot and fast. Historically, fires occurred naturally every few years, usually as a result of lightning strikes, These fires would clear out old, dead wood and renew the land,ea unpredictable (adj changing often, in a way that is impossible to prepare forD Close reading t It’s often possible to identify an author's point of view using adverbs in Identifying point of view the text: Fortunately, nobody was killed in the fire. (= the author thinks it’s lucky that nobody was killed) Local residents were understandably relieved. (= the author empathizes with the local residents) Read Controlling the uncontrollable again. Match the points of view to sentences in the text. 1 The writer can relate to residents wanting to protect themselves and their property. 2 The writer thinks the Park Service's use of the “controlled burn” was a bad idea. 3 The writer feels it was lucky none of the local residents were killed. 4 The writer accepts that controlled fires may benefit forests. 5 The writer thinks it's clear supporters and opponents of “controlled burns” want the same thing. E Critical thinking Work in a group. Discuss the questions. 1 The Cerro Grande fire was set deliberately, yet the people who set it were trained professionals who were trying to do something beneficial. Should they have been punished? Why / why not? Ifso, what sort of punishment do you think is appropriate? 2. What factors should be taken into account when considering forest ‘management: money, resources, benefits gained, possible risks, other factors? 3. Who should be responsible for taking care of large areas of wilderness? Who should be responsible for paying for that care? oe TIT7 Cours Vocabulary development Collocations with problem 1 Choose the correct definition for each collocation. 1 The rot of the problem a. the problem's fundamental cause b the smallest aspect of a problem 2 Tocopewith a problem a todeal with a problem b_ togive up on dealing with a problem 3. Toremedy a problem a. tocause a problem b tosolvea problem 4. Tobe laced with problems a. toencounter problems b tobe overcome by problems 5 Apressing problem 2. aproblem that must be solved soon b_ aproblem that causes great stress 6 Aminor problem @ aproblem that makes people sad b_ a problem thatis not very serious 7 Agrave problem a. arare or unusual problem b avery serious problem 8 Aperennial problem a. a problem that is not so serious b_ aproblem that happens again and again Work in a group. Discuss the questions using information from the texts to help you. 1 What are some perennial problems that forests are faced with? Why do you think they are perennial? Which is the gravest? 2. Think about the leading causes of fires. Which do you think are the most pressing? How would you remedy those problems? 3 What do you thinks the root of the problem of prescribed burns that get out of control? How do you think the Forest Service can cope with that problem?Academic words eal 1 Match the words in bold with the correct definitions. 1 acknowledge |v) 2a period of ten years 2. capable (2c!) b an official rule that controls how something is done 3. decade (n) © ableto do something 4 error (0) d_ toadmit or accept that something is true 5 federal (ad) © amistake 6 regulation (n) {relating to anational government 2. Complete the sentences with words from Exercise 1. Change the form if necessary. 1 The National Park Service defines a fuel as any material of burning, 2 Local, state, and______ governments should work together to protect public land, 3. Anestimated 90% of forest fires are caused by human, Tighter camping__ might help reduce numbers of forest fires, inthe area. 5. This land has been privately owned for several 6 The Forest Service __that prescribed burns can be risky. 3 Work with a partner. Discuss the questions, 1 What regulations do you think the government should introduce to reduce the possibilty of forest fires caused by human error? Regulations 1 First, the government should .. 2 Secondly, it is vital for the government £0 . 3. Finally, the government should be required to .. 2. Doyou think the federal government should acknowledge any mistakes at the time they are made, ors it acceptable to wait a decade or more?| Critical thinking ors ag Questioning assumptions sis . Good arguments should be supported with evidence. However, if it’s reasonable to assume that most readers will agree with your position, it may not be necessary to support your argument: Obviously, prescribed forest fires cannot be allowed to burn unattended. ‘As most people would agree that prescribed forest fires should not be left unattended, the writer doesn’t need to provide evidence to support this position. However, sometimes writers make assumptions that not everyone would agree with: Clearly, global warming has no effect on forest fires. ‘As many people would disagree with this point of view, the writer needs to provide supporting evidence to strengthen their argument. Questioning assumptions will help you to evaluate the strength of a writer's argument. 1 Read the text and underline the assumptions. We all agree that the problem of forest fires is growing. Obviously, something needs to be done about it. For years, the Forest Service in our state has worked to prevent forest fires from happening or to suppress or control fires that do start. Some people argue for a more aggressive program of prescribed burns. But after the disastrous fire of 2016, surely we can see that none of these methods can work. Rather than try to keep fires away from people's homes, it's clear that what we should do instead is keep homes away from forests. If we passed a law forbidding new home construction within 100 miles of a major forest, we could prevent houses from burning down should a fire occur. 2. Work with a partner. Discuss the questions. 1 Which of the assumptions are reasonable? Which are unreasonable? Why? 2 What kind of evidence could be used to support the unreasonable assumptions? 3. Workin a group. Discuss the questions. 1 Why/is it dangerous to assume your readers agree with your position? 2. Apart from writers, what other kinds of people make statements they assume you'll agree with? 3. Isitever useful to make assumptions? Why / why not?Writing model ci a You are going to learn about using gerunds as the subject of a sentence, and supporting your arguments. You are then going to use these to write an essay about fire prevention. AAnalyze Read the essay prompt. Brainstorm ideas for the problem and the solution. “The number of wildfires is increasing around the world. What are the reasons for this? What solutions can you suggest to cope with this problem?” e Pitas Te aT Problems p AP B Model Read the student model and answer the questions. Forest fires around the world are increasing not only in frequency but also in severity, To save our forests and the communities near them, we need to identify the major causes of forest fires and implement some solutions. The root of the problems either natural causes, such as lightning strikes, or human causes, such as campfires or fireworks. Preventing lightning is not possible, of course, but we can work harder to prevent human-caused fires, such as by increasing educational programs, making it a crime to engage in dangerous behavior in or near a forest, and hiring more staff at national parks to keep an eye on visitors. However, | believe what we need most of all is to maintain healthy forests that are less at risk to fires. Using, prescribed burns is one method, but these burns can be dangerous too. Even if the number of times Forest Service staff members lose control ofa prescribed bur is low, each time it happens, the consequences are severe. Developing healthier forests is a better remedy. Over the years, forests have become overcrowded, and sometimes people have planted the wrong kinds of trees and other plants. if Forest Service personnel cleared out old, dead wood, cut down some trees so the forest was not too crowded, and removed non-native species of plants, this would result in healthier forests, Then, even ifa fie started, it would be a minor problem, and not a grave one, and firefighters would be able to cope with it. Even if the solution takes more time and money than prescribed burns, the benefits in the long term are worth it. What did the writer identify as the problem(s) and solution(s)? Why doesn't the writer recommend prescribed burns? What type of support is not used in the essay? What does the conclusion do? ~ a e_ ce Grammar Gerunds and reduced clauses When you see a word ending in -ing at the beginning of a sentence, itis usually: ‘© a gerund, atype of noun ‘Setting fires in windy weather is dangerous. or + partofa reduced clause Burning all night, the fire destroyed 50 acres of land. Note that there is no comma after the gerund, whereas there is one after the reduced clause. Use punctuation clues to help you understand the part of speech. When using a gerund as a subject, remember that its singular, and therefore takes a singular verb. 1 Check (Y) the sentences that have gerunds as subjects. 1 Supervising children around campfires is very important. Having carefully extinguished the fire, the campers went to bed, Knowing when the conditions are safe for a prescribed burn is not easy. 4 [_] Understanding how wildfires are necessary for forest health canbe * taught in schools, 5 [_] Studying the wind conditions, the Forest Service concluded that the prescribed burn should be delayed. 6 [_] Allowing fires to start naturally is not practical in sectors where a lot of people now live. 2. Rewrite the sentences in your notebook to begin with a gerund. The first one has been done as an example. 1 Itisimportant to teach fire safety to everyone. Teaching fire safety to everyone is important. Itis necessary to ban smoking in forests. Iwill help people understand fire to read this article. Itwas unfortunate to lose so many acres of land to wildfires. It's important to study how erosion happens in the wilderness. ouawWHN It will be expensive to train new park service employeesWriting skill a To convince readers that your arguments are sound, you must support ‘Supporting your those arguments. Three common ways to do this are with: arguments + reasons + examples * quotes or expert testimony Write one or two pieces of support into your outline before you begin your first draft. This will ensure that your arguments are well supported. 1 Read the model essay again. Then answer the questions. 1 In paragraph 2, what examples does the writer give of natural causes of fires and of human causes? 2. In paragraph 3, how does the writer support the argument against prescribed burns? 3 Inparagraph 4, what types of support are used? 2. Match the arguments (1-4) with the supporting information (a-d). 1 Campfires should be prohibited in all forests. "2. Climate change is having a direct effect on the number of forest fires in the United States. = 3. Using controlled bums to remove unwanted plants and trees helps stop fires from spreading. 4. Not allowing forest fires to burn out naturally has a negative impact on the ecosystem. 2 Arecent study showed a positive correlation between increased global temperatures and instances of forest fire. b Many plants have adapted to actually release their seeds when burned. Without forest fires, these plants will simply die out. ¢_Asmany as 90% of wildfires in the United States are caused by human activity, such as not extinguishing campfires properly. d_ Conrad McCarthy of the Mayweather Institute recently stated, “Clearing vegetation removes a fire's primary fuel source, and can massively slow its progress.” 3. Work with a partner, Write sentences to support the following arguments: 1 Current techniques for controlling and extinguishing fires work 2 Forest fires have a positive effect on the environment. 3. Campsites should provide better information on the safe use of fire. oWriting task You are going to write a problem / solution essay in response to the following: “Preventing campfires from causing wildfires is a major challenge. What are some reasons for this? What can be done to solve this problem?” Brainstorm Make a two-column chart such as the one on page 68 and list problems with campfires and possible solutions. Plan From your brainstorm, choose your arguments, Write 1 to 2 pieces of support for each one. You can use information from Reading 1, Writing skill, and your own knowledge. Write Use your brainstorm to help you write your essay. Remember to use gerunds and reduced clauses where appropriate, and to support your argument. Your text should be 250 words long. Share Exchange your essay with a partner. Use the checklist on page 189 to help you provide feedback to your partner. : Rewrite and edit Consider your partner's comments and write your final draft. Think about: ‘+ whether you answered the question clearly ‘+ whether you discussed both problems and solutions * whether you used gerunds and reduced clauses appropriately + whether you supported your arguments appropriately.Review Wordlist Vocabulary preview Vocabulary development Academic words Academic words review Complete the sentences with the words in the box. capable depressed error federal solely 1 The Park Service shouldn't rely. technique. 3. Many things are__ 4 When it comes to fire prevention, even the smallest grave consequences, 5 The DictiONary on the “controlled burn” it's hard not to feel about the effects of global warming. of starting a wildfire other than lightning can have government is responsible for all the forests in this area, Unit review Reading 1 \ can use word parts to understand meaning. Reading 2 | can recognize sentence modifiers. Study skill | can use Smart Reading techniques. Vocabulary I can use vocabulary for talking about wildfires. Writing \ can organize an argument essay, Grammar Ican use gerunds as subjects. REVIEW FIRE