Vlcm

MORE EXERCISE 19
Reading: NATURE IN DANGER

Activity 1: Reading comprehension
Read the passage carefully and choose the correct answer.

Species that belong to an area are said to be native species. Typically, they have been part of a given biological landscape for a long period, and they are well adapted to the local environment and to the presence of other native species in the same general habitat. Exotic species are interlopers, foreign elements introduced intentionally or accidentally into new settings through human activities. In one context an introduced species may cause no obvious problems and may, over time, be regarded as being just as "natural" as any native species in the same habitat. In another context, exotics may seriously disrupt delicate ecological balances and create a cascade of unintended consequences. The worst of these unintended consequences arise when introduced species put native species in destruction by preying on them, altering their habitats, or out-competing them in the struggle for food resources. Although biological introductions have affected environments the world over, the most destructive, effects have occurred on islands, where introduced insects, cats, pigs, rats, mongooses, and other nonnative species have caused the grave endangerment or outright extinction of literally hundreds of species during the past 500 years.
One of other reason to cause species extinction is overexploitation. This word refers to the utilization of a species at a rate that is likely to cause its extreme endangerment or outright extinction. Among many examples of severe overexploitation, the case of the great whales stands out in special relief. By the middle of the 20th century, unrestricted whaling had brought many species of whales to incredibly low population sizes. In response to public pressure, in 1982 a number of nations, including the USA, agreed to an international moratorium on whaling. As a direct result, some whale species which are thought to have been on extinction`s doorstep 25 years ago have made amazing comebacks, such as grey whales in the western Pacific. Others remain at great risk. Many other species, however, continue to suffer high rates of exploitation because of the trade in animal parts. Currently, the demand for animal parts is centered in several parts of Asia where there. is a strong market for traditional medicines made from items like tiger bone and rhino horn.
Teaching vocabulary:
interloper (n) kẻ xâm hại quyền lợi của người khác
exotic (n) ngoại nhập
delicate (a) thanh nhã, mỏng manh
disrupt (v) phá vỡ, đập gãy, làm rối loạn
cascade (n) = waterfall: thác nước
moratorium (n) thời kì hoãn nợ
Checking vocabulary: R.O.R
Task: Read the passage carefully and choose the correct answer.
Ask the Ss to work in pairs, read the passage and then choose the best answers
Let Ss do the exercise
Call on some Ss to give their answers and explain their choices.
Give feedback and correct mistakes if necessary

Native species _______.
a. are not used to the local environment
b. never get along well with other native species in the same environment
c. tend to do harm to exotic species
d. have been part of a given biological landscape for a long period
Exotic species _______.
a. do no harm to native species and the local environment
b. may kill native species for food
c. always share the environment peacefully with native species
d. help to make the local environment more ideal to survive
According to the first paragraph, _______.
a. non-native species have caused badly damage to native ones
b. introducing new exotic species to local environments is necessary
c. exotic species have never been introduced on islands
d. very few native species have been damaged by exotic species
According to the second paragraph, by the middle of the 20 century ___.
a. whale population was the most crowded in marine life
b. whale hunting was illegal
c. whale population increased dramatically
d. whaling was not restricted
Tiger bone and rhino horn _______.
a. are not popular in Asian markets
b. are never in the trade of animal parts
c. are used for making traditional medicines
d. cannot be found in Asian markets
Expected answers:
1. D 2. B 3. A 4. D 5. C

Activity 2: Gap - filling
Fill in each numbered blank with one suitable word or phrase.
Ask Ss to work in pairs again, do the exercise 2
Let Ss some minutes to do the exercise
Call on some Ss to give their answers
Give feedback
Fill in each numbered blank with one suitable word or phrase.
The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) is an international (41) _____- governmental organization for the (42) _____, research, and restoration of the environment. The organization was (43) _____ as a charitable trust on September 11, 1961, in Morges, Switzerland, under the name World Wildlife Fund. It was an initiative of Julian Huxley and Max