Hi and welcome to this conversation class. Here we will post articles for discussion and share any other useful links that the group might find interesting.

Class 1:

What do you do in your free time?

I walk a lot – not “is walking”.

I enjoy jogging, going to the cinema, and hanging out with my friends.

More confident(adj) – confidence(n)

Happy – happiness(n)

High – height(n)

Practiced medicine.

Reads a lot.

Hobbies: listen to books

Subjects:

Healthcare, Relationships, Literature, Travel, Language learning, Nature & the Natural World, Pseudo-science, Psychology

Vocabulary:

‘my significant other’

Thanks for today. I will find an article and post it here before the weekend. If you find any useful links or resources, post them in the comments section below.

See you all next Thursday :).

Article for Thursday:

We’re going to discuss the environment. Here’s an article from today’s Guardian – Extreme heat

 

Class 2:

The Environment:

Scorched – burned and destroyed by fire. ‘Scorching’ refers to extreme heat.

Clog – a block, usually in a pipe or drain.

Unprecedented – has never occurred before.

Ravaged – decimated, utterly destroyed.

Spewed – eject with great speed and volume from something.

Drought – No rain for an extended period.

Famine – people die from lack of food.

Fossil fuel emissions – waste from burning fossil fuels.

Car exhaust – carbon dioxide emissions

Heavy rain, climate change, environmental impact – common collocations.

Bleak – future looks bad, not hopeful or encouraging.

Room for doubt / margin (room) for error – a space for something to take place.

Change your habits – change the way you live.

Sea levels are rising.

Rise / raise – a person raises, a thing rises.

The science is incontrovertible (adj).

Bleaching of coral reefs.

I must give up (quit) smoking / eating sweets late at night.

Evacuate a building – empty the building of people.

I love the nature.

Legislation – to pass a law.

Divisive(adj) – causes arguments, controversial topic.

Questions:

1. Are you interested in questions related to the environment?
2. Do you consider environmental issues when purchasing new items?
3. Does recycling make a difference (have an effect)? Are there reasons to do it other than environmental ones?
4. “The cost of climate action may seem high, but the cost of inaction is much higher”. Discuss.
5. Is there room for doubt that climate change is real?
6. What have you heard about the possible effects of climate change over the coming decades?
7. Are deniers motivated by the science or by politics?
8. Can we do anything to reverse the change, or are we beyond the point of no return?
9. Can you give any examples of renewable energy.
10. What would you be willing to sacrifice to reduce the CO2 in our atmosphere to acceptable levels?

Articles for next week:

Camilla, Khadja