UNIT GOALS

LISTENING
Listening for main idea

SPEAKING
Drawing attention to
main idea

READING
Identifying main idea of
paragraph

WRITING
Writing topic sentence

UNIT 3
ENVIRONMENT
? What is an eco-friendly city in your opinion?
? Are there any eco-friendly buildings in your city / country?

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 LISTENING & SPEAKING

LISTENING SKILL

Listening for main ideas

The main idea is the most important thing the speaker wants you to understand.
When you listen to the main idea:
• Focus on understanding the main idea first.
• Listen for response repeated ideas.
• Pay attention when the speaker emphasizes a sentence.
• Don’t stop to think about words you don’t understand and Keep listening.

A. Listen to a short presentation on trends in furniture design. Check (✓) the sentence that best
states the speaker’s main idea. 3.1
___ 1. These days, many furniture makers are using recycled materials.

___ 2. Trends in furniture design in the 21st century are similar to trends in building designs.

___ 3. People sometimes feel nostalgic when they remember things they saw in their grandparents’
homes.

LISTENING Eco-Friendly Buildings

B. VOCABULARY Match the vocabulary with its definition.

____ 1. foundation (n.) a. to separate and store a harmful substance
____ 2. account for (v.) b. the structures below the surfaces of the ground
____ 3. emission (n.) that support a building
____ 4. resilient (adj.) c. a choice
____ 5. binder (n.) d. to be more important than something
____ 6. sequester (v.) e. a substance that is produced during the process of
____ 7. outweigh (v.) making or destroying something else
____ 8. byproduct (n.) f. the process of removing carbon or material
____ 9. alternative (n.) containing carbon from a substance or from an object
____ 10. decarbonization (n.) g. to be a cause of something
h. able to recover quickly after something unpleasant
i. the production or sending out of light, heat, gas, etc.
j. a substance that makes things stick or mix together in a
solid form

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B. WHILE LISTENING Watch the video. Write T for true or F for false. Then correct the false
information. 🎦
____ 1. Concrete is the most consumed material on earth.

____ 2. Concrete production accounted for more than 8% of all green house gas emissions.

____ 3. Concrete is made up of stones, sand, cement and water.

____ 4. Sand is the source of 70% of concrete’s emissions.

____ 5. Calcination produces carbon monoxide as a byproduct.

____ 6. Carbicrete technology can reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

____ 7. Decarbonizing shipping would have more impact on emissions than decarbonizing cement.

C. Circle the main ideas of the video. 🎦

a. Cement should be banned because it is the cause of CO2 emissions.
b. Decarbonizing cement is a material which is eco-friendlier to our world.
c. People should stop using concrete in the construction industry as it is not eco-friendly.

SPEAKING SKILL

Drawing attention to main ideas

When you speak, help listeners understand your main ideas.
• Repeat an important idea with different words.
Concrete has a serious emissions problem. In other words, its production creates green
house gases.

• Use phrases for emphasis.

The key point is that concrete production is one of the causes of climate change.

• Summarize the main ideas of the presentation.

To sum up, an alternative binder is the key priority for the construction industry.

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 Using eye contact and tone of voice
When you speak, there are different ways to make it more interesting.
• Make eye contact with the listeners.
This will help you connect with your audience and keep them interested.

• Use your voice to express different feelings.

This helps the listeners understand the feelings of the story.

• Pause or stop speaking for a moment before you speak important information.

READING
VOCABULARY Find out the definition of each word in the box. Then complete each sentence.

household (n) integrate (v) safeguard (v) stunningly (adv)

sustainable (adj) tackle (v) tranquil (adj) unveiled (v)

1. The island is a haven for the tourist who wants sun and sea in a ______________ setting.
2. The president ______________ his new policy at the press conference yesterday.
3. The countryside of the city is ________________ beautiful.
4. After getting married with Jeff, Maria became part of his ________________.
5. The new education policy about young children is to ________________ learning with play.
6. When is the government going to ________________ the problem of poverty of the country?
7. A good diet will ________________ against disease.
8. The international meeting was held with the aim of promoting ________________ development in
all countries.

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READING Read the article about Singapore’s green city.

What can we learn from Singapore?

It comes as no surprise that more and more sustainable buildings are beginning to
pop up around the world in countries such as Mexico, Singapore and Italy. Not only are they
helping our planet, they are stunningly eye catching too.

Imagine you are staying in the middle of Singapore. You look out onto the hustle and
bustle of the day-to-day goings on. Then you are drawn back in by the tranquil, peaceful
green gardens that grow within the skylines of these buildings. It seems impossible, but these
skyline gardens are not just for picturesque purposes, they are part of a much bigger plan.

The Singapore government unveiled their Green Plan 2030, to help tackle climate
change. This includes:

The City in nature - plant 1 million trees and have a green space within 10 minutes
for every household by 2030.
Sustainable living - be carbon neutral for at least 20% of schools by 2030 and
reduce household water consumption by 130 litres per day.
Energy reset - have 60,000 electric vehicles and charging points by 2030.
Green economy - create a new sustainable enterprises program to help local
enterprises to help adopt the sustainable practices.
Resilient future - safeguard their coastlines against sea levels by developing land,
sea and space. Also, help to keep Singapore cool by using cool paint and increase
greenery.
This vision started with Singapore Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew in May 1967. He
wanted to clean up the city and make it a pleasant place to live for the Singaporeans, but to
also bring in more tourism.

Currently, Singapore’s greening policy is guided by the “city in a garden” vision. The
new concept aimed to integrate greenery into not just the built environment, but also into
the daily lives of Singaporeans. It’s amazing how far the city has come within 50 years. We
could learn so much from this “green city”.

Blog by Social Media Co-ordinator Rebecca Fenton

Excerpt from: https://dwildeconsulting.co.uk/blog/f/what-can-we-learn-from-singapores-green-city

READING SKILL

Identifying the main idea of the paragraph

The main idea of a paragraph is the most important point about the
topic. It is usually in the first or second sentence of a paragraph. The other
sentences help explain or support the main idea.
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A What is the main idea of each paragraph.
a. Singapore is going to be carbon neutral and plant more trees by 2030.
b. Singapore which is a tourist destination is very peaceful and beautiful.
c. Singapore plans to be a green and sustainable country in the near future.

B Answer the questions. Then underline the answer in the reading.

1. What can Singapore’s Green Plan 2030 help?

___________________________________________________________________

2. How many trees will Singapore government have planted by 2030?

___________________________________________________________________

3. What is the plan for 20% of Singapore schools?

___________________________________________________________________

4. What does the government aim to do for energy reset?

___________________________________________________________________

5. How can Singapore safeguard their coastlines against sea levels?

___________________________________________________________________

6. Who started the Green Plan?

___________________________________________________________________

7. What is the purpose of “city in the garden”?

___________________________________________________________________

C Can you think of any green plans in your country or city? Discuss with your class.

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 WRITING

WRITING SKILL

Writing topic sentence

A topic sentence introduces the main idea of the paragraph. It tells what the paragraph is
about. A good topic sentence makes your writing clearer to the readers.

Eating fruit is good for your health in many ways. Firstly, fruit is full of
vitamin C. It helps prevent cold and many more diseases. Moreover, eating fruit
can prevent constipation problem. If you have this problem, fruit with fiber like a
papaya or an orange will make you better. Furthermore, some fruit such as
mango, apple and peach give you vitamin A. It helps you have a good eyesight.

A. Read the paragraphs. Then choose the best topic sentence.

1. ___________________________________. Firstly, it produces less emissions compared to petrol
or diesel cars. Pollutants like carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxides are not emitted from exhaust.
Moreover, they have lower costs. EVs are much cheaper on fuel and maintenance costs.
(Excerpt from: dwildeconsulting.co.uk)

a. Electric vehicles produces less green house gases.

b. Electric vehicles are better for many reasons.
c. Electric vehicles are cheaper than other cars.

2. ___________________________________. First, people do yoga to strengthen their body. They

might focus on big muscles of the body like stomach, legs and hip. People can also strengthen
small muscles like hands and arms by doing yoga. Moreover, yoga can help stretch the muscle. It
is good for people who sit in the same position for many hours a day. Finally, yoga helps reduce
stress. While doing yoga, you will find peace at your mind. In short, yoga is good for your health
in many ways.

a. Yoga helps our muscles stronger.

b. There are a lot of benefits from doing yoga.
c. Yoga is good for people who are suffering from office syndrome.

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 3. ___________________________________. It includes sunlight, wind, and the movement of
water. Most renewable energy sources are sustainable. They have a low environmental impact,
are widely available, and are naturally replenished. They are plentiful and all around us.

a. Renewable energy is energy derived from natural sources.

b. A few countries generate all their electricity using clean energy.
c. Solar energy is one of the most renewable energy used in many cities.

4. ___________________________________. First of all, it is too far away from the important

stores and services. It is several miles from a grocery store, bank or post office. To make matters
worse, there is no public transportation in my area. In addition, my apartment is in a high-crime
area. Gangs of teenagers roam the streets, threatening the neighbors. Finally, because my
apartment is near an industrial area, the pollution is awful. (source: www.chegos.pl)

a. It is difficult to get to the city center from my apartment.

b. There are many crimes around my apartment.
c. My apartment is in a terrible location.

5. ___________________________________. Thousands of residents rely on the city's buses and

taxis to travel throughout this large city, but they are always late. For example, bus or taxi that
should arrive at 7:45 may not arrive until 8:00 or later. Moreover, the Metro Transportation
System's daily schedules are totally unreliable. People often end up going to work late or missing
important appointments.

a. The most important problem in my city is its poor public transportation system.
b. There are many ways to get around my city by using public transportation.
c. People in my city don’t usually travel by bus or taxi.

B. Read the model paragraphs. Then write a topic sentence for each paragraph.

1. ______________________________________________________________First of all, I usually

don't like the new fashion trends. I have my own style. I usually buy well-made clothes, and I wear
them for many years. Some of my clothes are more than five years old. Buying new clothes every
year is very expensive. For example, trendy jeans cost over $100. I buy clothes that I like, not the
latest trends.

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2. __________________________________________________________________. The first way
is by plane. It is the fastest way to travel. However, it can be a little expensive unless you find a
discounted airline ticket. The second way is by train. It is a popular transportation among tourists.
The train fare is not so expensive and the service is very good. Finally, many people take a bus. The
bus is the cheapest of the three options. However, it takes more than 20 hours. If you research each
of these three travel options, you will find the best way for you to travel between Rome and Paris.

3. ________________________________________________________. They are naturally

good caregivers because they take care of their kittens, so they want to take care of
their owners as well. Cats are quite clean, and if you train them to use a litter box, they
require almost no cleanup in their areas. Finally, cats are independent, so you don't
need to worry about them being lonely when you're at school all day. They really are
the ideal pet for almost any owner. (source: www.yourdictionary.com)

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