✅ Unit 2: Air and Water Pollution

🧩 Grammar: Countable/Uncountable Nouns + Quantifiers

💬 Activity: Problem–Solution brainstorming
📘 Reading: The Hidden Cost of Dirty Air
✍️Writing: The structure of a paragraph (topic + supporting + concluding sentences)
🎯 Focus: Pollution impact + basic paragraph skills
🌍 SDG Links: SDG 3, 6, 11, 13

💬 Warm-Up Discussion
Questions (Pair/Group):

1. What comes to mind when you hear the word “pollution”?

2. Which is worse in your city: air pollution or water pollution? Why?
3. How does dirty air or water affect health?
4. Have you seen rivers, lakes, or air in your area become polluted?
5. What small steps can young people take to reduce pollution?

📖 Reading Text
The Hidden Cost of Dirty Air

When we think about pollution, we often imagine smoke from factories or rubbish on the streets.
But the most dangerous forms of pollution are often invisible. Air and water pollution affect
billions of people every year and are linked to serious health and environmental problems.

Air pollution is one of the leading causes of early death worldwide. Tiny particles from cars,
factories, and burning fuels can enter the lungs and bloodstream. According to the World Health
Organization, around 7 million people die every year due to dirty air. Children and the elderly
are especially vulnerable.

Water pollution is equally dangerous. Rivers, lakes, and even underground water sources are
often contaminated with chemicals, plastic waste, and untreated sewage. In some countries,
families have no access to clean drinking water. Polluted water spreads diseases like cholera and
diarrhea, which kill thousands of children each year.
The cost of pollution is not only measured in human health. It also damages economies. Polluted
rivers destroy fisheries, and toxic air reduces worker productivity. Cleaning pollution later is far
more expensive than preventing it.

But there are solutions. Cities that invest in public transport reduce car emissions. Countries that
build modern water treatment systems provide safe water to millions. Communities that recycle
and reduce waste stop plastics from reaching rivers and oceans. Every small step—from planting
trees to saving water at home—adds up.

SDG Goals 3, 6, 11, and 13 remind us that fighting pollution is essential for health, sustainable
cities, clean water, and climate action. The real question is: how quickly will we act to stop
paying the hidden cost of dirty air and water?

📘 Key Vocabulary
Word / Phrase Part of Speech Level Definition
pollution noun A2 Dirtying of air, water, or land by harmful substances
air pollution noun phrase A2 When harmful gases or particles make the air dirty
water pollution noun phrase A2 When harmful substances contaminate water
waste noun A2 Materials that are thrown away
noun
garbage/rubbish A1 Things we throw away (e.g., food, paper, plastic)
(uncountable)
noun A material used in bottles and bags that pollutes the
plastic A1
(uncountable) environment
chemical noun B1 A substance produced artificially that can be harmful
smog noun B1 A mixture of smoke and fog in the air
noun
sewage B2 Dirty water and waste from houses and factories
(uncountable)
disease noun A2 Illness that affects humans or animals
contamination noun B2 The process of making something dirty or unsafe
particle noun B2 A very small piece of matter
treatment plant noun B1 A place where water or waste is cleaned
recycle verb A2 To use materials again instead of throwing them away
toxic adjective B2 Poisonous, harmful to living things
noun
wastewater B1 Used or dirty water that needs cleaning
(uncountable)
protect verb B1 To keep something safe
prevention noun B2 The act of stopping something before it happens
solution noun A2 A way of solving a problem
✅ Vocabulary Exercises & Activities – Unit 2
🧩 1. Match the Word to Its Definition

1. Smog
2. Sewage
3. Recycle
4. Wastewater
5. Contamination
6. Plastic
7. Treatment plant
8. Particle

Meanings:
a. Dirty water from homes or factories
b. A place where water is cleaned
c. A man-made material often found in bottles and bags
d. A very small piece of matter
e. A mixture of smoke and fog
f. The process of making something dirty or unsafe
g. To use materials again
h. Used or dirty water

✏️2. Fill in the Gaps (Context Sentences)

Complete with words from the list (pollution, sewage, smog, recycle, treatment plant, disease,
plastic, contamination).

• The river is full of ________, making the water unsafe.

• Too much ________ in the air causes asthma.
• The city built a new ________ to provide clean drinking water.
• Families suffer when ________ spreads through dirty water.
• Factories caused water ________ in the lake.
• Heavy ________ made it difficult to see the streets.
• People should always ________ bottles and glass.
• Oceans are full of ________ waste.

🎲 3. Pollution Word Sort (Group Activity)

Sort the words into 3 categories.

Air Pollution: smog, particles, toxic gases
Water Pollution: sewage, wastewater, contamination, plastic
Solutions: recycle, treatment plant, prevention

Task A – Word Families

Base Word Noun Verb Adjective

pollute pollution pollute polluted
waste waste waste wasteful
contaminate contamination contaminate contaminated
protect protection protect protective
recycle recycling recycle recyclable
poison poison poison poisonous

👉 Extension: Write 2 sentences with adjectives.

Task B – Collocations

Match the words.

 polluted ________
 clean ________
 plastic ________
 water ________
 waste ________
 treatment ________

Options: air / water / bottle / plant / river / disposal

Task C – Complete the Sentences

Use one of these words: pollution, sewage, smog, recycle, contaminated, particles, plastic, toxic

• Many people die each year because of ________ water.

• Dirty air contains dangerous ________.
• A new campaign encourages citizens to ________ more waste.
• The fish died after swimming in ________ water.
• Beijing suffers from heavy ________.
• Factories release ________ gases into the air.
✅ Post-Reading Activities – Unit 2
✏️A. Detailed Comprehension (Short Answer Questions)

1. Why is air pollution dangerous?

2. How does water pollution spread disease?
3. What happens when rivers are polluted?
4. Which groups of people are most vulnerable?
5. What is one solution mentioned in the text?

🧠 B. Inference & Analysis – Open Questions

• Why is prevention cheaper than cleaning later?

• Which pollution problem is worse in your city: air or water? Why?
• How do pollution problems connect with SDGs?
• What role can schools play in reducing pollution?

🧩 C. True / False / Not Given

1. Seven million people die every year from air pollution.

2. Water pollution never kills children.
3. Pollution also causes economic damage.
4. Recycling stops plastics from reaching rivers.
5. SDGs do not include pollution.

🎧 Listening Script – “Sara’s Story: Living with Pollution”

Sara (15 years old, city center):
Hi, I’m Sara. I live in a big city with heavy traffic. Every morning, I see smoke in the air when I
walk to school. Sometimes the air smells so bad that I get headaches. My little brother has
asthma, and the doctor says pollution makes it worse.

Water is also a problem. Last summer, our local river turned brown because a factory dumped
chemicals into it. The water supply was cut for one week. We had to buy bottled water, and some
families couldn’t afford it.
But people are trying to change things. Our school started a campaign to reduce plastic waste.
We collect bottles and recycle them. The city council also planted more trees along the streets.
It’s not perfect, but I feel hopeful when I see people working together.

📝 Listening Tasks
Note-taking Practice

1. Students listen and write short notes.

2. Then reconstruct the story orally in pairs.

Task A – Multiple Choice

1. What problem does Sara’s brother have?

a) Flu
b) Asthma ✅
c) Fever
d) Cancer
2. Why was water supply cut?
a) Drought
b) Chemicals from a factory ✅
c) Flood
d) Broken pipes
3. What has the school done?
a) Built a plant
b) Recycled plastic ✅
c) Stopped traffic
d) Closed schools

🧩 2. Gap-Fill with Word Bank

Word Bank: smoke, asthma, river, chemicals, bottled, recycle, trees, campaign

1. Sara sees ________ in the air.

2. Her brother has ________.
3. The ________ turned brown.
4. A factory dumped ________ into the water.
5. Families had to buy ________ water.
6. The school started a ________ to reduce waste.
 7. Students collect bottles and ________ them.
8. The council planted more ________.

Timeline Creation

 2022 → River turned brown, water cut

 Every morning → Smoke in the air
 Last summer → Families bought bottled water
 Recently → Trees planted, school campaign

📘 Grammar Exercises – Countable/Uncountable +

Quantifiers
1. Gap-Fill

1. There is too ________ pollution in the city.

2. We need ________ clean water every day.
3. Too ________ factories are near the river.
4. There are only ________ solutions without cooperation.
5. Do you see ________ litter on the street?

2. Correct the Error

• There are much cars in the street. → ____________________

• We don’t have many water. → ____________________

3. Multiple Choice

• There (is / are) too much smoke in the air.

• There (is / are) many factories near the river.
• I don’t have (much / many) time.
• We should recycle (much / many) bottles.
4. Sentence Transformation

Rewrite with different quantifiers.

 There are a few plastic bottles.

→ There are too ________ plastic bottles.

5. Mixed Exercise Paragraph

Fill in with quantifiers.

In my city, there are ________ factories that cause air pollution. Too ________ cars make the
streets crowded. We have only ________ clean water in some areas. But people are making
________ progress in recycling.

📘 Unit 2 – Speaking Section

🔹 Part 1 – Personal Questions

1. Do you see pollution in your city?

2. Have you ever recycled something?
3. Have you ever seen dirty rivers or lakes?
4. How much waste do people produce every day?

🔹 Part 2 – Long Turn

Describe a pollution problem your town has faced. Say:

 what happened
 how people reacted
 what solutions exist now

🔹 Part 3 – Agree or Disagree

1. “There is too much plastic waste in the world.”

2. “Pollution is only a government problem.”
3. “Small actions can reduce big pollution.”
🔹 Part 4 – Problem–Solution Role Play

A = Citizen: complain about dirty water.

B = Official: explain what has been done.

✍️Writing Practice – Paragraph Structure

🔹 What is a Paragraph?
A paragraph is a group of sentences that talks about one main idea. It is like a building block
of writing. A good paragraph makes the idea clear, easy to follow, and connected. It is Always
good to start with one clear idea in the topic sentence and add 2–4 supporting sentences with
details and examples.End with a concluding sentence that summarizes or gives a solution.

Do not mix too many ideas in one paragraph. Do not leave a paragraph open without a
conclusion.

🔹 Parts of a Paragraph
1. Topic Sentence

 Usually the first sentence.

 States the main idea of the paragraph.
 Should not be too general or too narrow.
 Helps the reader understand what the paragraph will be about.

💡 Example:
Air pollution is one of the biggest health problems today.

1️⃣Topic Sentence – The Beginning

 This is the first sentence of the paragraph (most of the time).
 It tells the reader the main idea (the “umbrella” that covers all the other sentences).
 It should be clear, specific, and easy to understand.
 Avoid very general words like “Pollution is bad” or “Water is important.”
 Instead, give a clear focus: “Water pollution is a serious threat to human health.”
💡 Think of the topic sentence as a headline.
It prepares the reader for what’s coming next.

2. Supporting Sentences

 Explain and develop the topic sentence.

 Provide examples, facts, reasons, statistics, or personal experiences.
 They form the “body” of the paragraph.
 Usually 2–4 sentences, depending on the length.

💡 Examples:
Cars and factories release gases that cause asthma.
In many cities, people wear masks to protect themselves.

2️⃣Supporting Sentences – The Middle

 These sentences explain and develop the topic sentence.
 They add facts, examples, statistics, reasons, or details.
 Each supporting sentence must connect directly to the topic sentence (no “off-topic”
ideas).
 Usually there are 2–4 supporting sentences in a standard academic paragraph.

💡 Think of supporting sentences as “evidence.”

They prove why the topic sentence is true.

Example (supporting for water pollution):

 Factories dump chemicals into rivers that kill fish.

 Many children suffer from diseases caused by dirty water.
 In some areas, families spend hours collecting clean drinking water.

3. Concluding Sentence

 Brings the paragraph to an end.

 Restates the main idea in different words.
  Sometimes makes a conclusion or gives a suggestion.
 Shows the reader that the paragraph is finished.

💡 Example:
Therefore, reducing air pollution is necessary for healthier lives.

3️⃣Concluding Sentence – The End

 This sentence finishes the paragraph.
 It restates the main idea in different words.
 It may also give a result, opinion, or suggestion.
 It signals to the reader that the paragraph is complete.

💡 Think of the concluding sentence as a “door.”

It closes the paragraph and sometimes prepares the reader for the next one.

Example (conclusion for water pollution):

Therefore, governments must invest in treatment plants to provide clean water for everyone

🔹 Full Example Paragraph

Topic sentence: Water pollution is a serious problem in many countries.
Supporting 1: Factories often dump chemicals into rivers and lakes.
Supporting 2: As a result, fish die and people cannot drink the water.
Supporting 3: In some villages, children get sick because they drink polluted water.
Concluding sentence: For this reason, governments must build more water treatment plants.

🔑 Quick Formula for Students

👉 T – S – C Rule:

 T = Topic sentence (introduce idea)

 S = Supporting sentences (develop idea with evidence)
 C = Concluding sentence (close idea clearly)

If students follow T–S–C, they can write strong, logical paragraphs every time.
🎬 Video Section – Unit 2: Air and Water
Pollution
📹 Video 1: Air Pollution
👉 National Geographic – Air Pollution Explained

📝 While-Watching Tasks

A. True / False

1. Air pollution is always visible.

2. Dirty air causes millions of deaths worldwide.
3. Trees can help reduce air pollution.

B. Note Completion (ONE WORD)

1. Air pollution kills ________ million people each year.

2. Burning ________ fuels is a main cause of dirty air.
3. ________ help clean the air by producing oxygen.

C. Multiple Choice

1. What is a main cause of smog?

a) Volcanoes
b) Burning fossil fuels ✅
c) Recycling
d) Rivers
2. Why is air pollution dangerous?
a) It reduces fish populations
b) It enters human lungs ✅
c) It creates rain
d) It cleans the air

📹 Video 2: Water Pollution

👉 UNICEF – What is Water Pollution?
📝 While-Watching Tasks

A. True / False

1. Plastic is one of the biggest causes of water pollution.

2. Water pollution only affects sea animals.
3. Some children die from drinking unsafe water.

B. Note Completion (ONE WORD ONLY)

1. Rivers and oceans are polluted by ________ waste.

2. Polluted water spreads dangerous ________.
3. Families without clean water often drink from ________.
4. Millions of children suffer from waterborne ________.

C. Multiple Choice

1. What is one dangerous result of water pollution?

a) More factories
b) Deadly diseases ✅
c) Cheaper water
d) Cleaner rivers
2. Which action can reduce plastic waste?
a) Using reusable bottles ✅
b) Drinking unsafe water
c) Building more cars
d) Burning plastics

🧠 Post-Watching Discussion (for both videos)

1. Which type of pollution is worse in your city: air or water? Why?
2. What new fact did you learn from the videos?
3. Which solution (trees, recycling, reusable bottles, treatment plants) is most realistic for
your community?
4. If you could create a poster about pollution, what slogan would you use?

Post-Watching Discussion (for Both Videos)

1. What new understanding did you gain about water pollution from this video?
2. Which solution from either video seems most practical for your community?
3. How do both air and water pollution connect to SDGs like Clean Water (SDG 6) and
Climate Action (SDG 13)?
While-Watching Tasks for Video 2 (Water Pollution)

A. True / False

1. Water pollution affects rivers, lakes, and oceans.

2. The video mentions that harmful substances enter waterways.
3. Only factories cause water pollution.

B. Note Completion (ONE WORD ONLY)

1. Water pollution happens when harmful __________ are added to water.

2. Pollution affects ponds, rivers, lakes, and the __________.
3. The video offers ideas on how we can __________ water pollution.

C. Multiple Choice

1. What is water pollution?

a) Natural beauty
b) Addition of harmful substances to waterways ✅
c) Plant growth
d) Climate change
2. Which is mentioned as a solution?
a) Ignoring pollution
b) Increasing plastic usage
c) Reducing harmful inputs into water ✅
d) Building more factories

🎬 Integrated Classroom Activity – Unit 2

🌍 Air vs Water Pollution – Group Project

Step 1 – Divide the class

 Group A = Focus on Air Pollution (based on National Geographic video).

 Group B = Focus on Water Pollution (based on UNICEF video).
Step 2 – Research & Brainstorm (10 minutes)
Each group discusses:

1. What are the main causes of this type of pollution?

2. What are the main effects on people, animals, and the environment?
3. What solutions are shown in the video?
4. What additional solutions can we suggest?

💡 Encourage students to use vocabulary from the unit (smog, sewage, contaminated, recycle,
treatment plant, toxic, plastic waste, etc.).

Step 3 – Poster Creation (Mini-Poster Task)

Each group designs a small poster on paper with 3 sections:

1. ❌ Problem (red) – write 1–2 key problems

2. ✅ Solution (green) – write 2 possible solutions
3. 📢 Action (blue) – write 1 action step for young people

Example (Air Pollution poster):

❌ Problem: “Smog causes asthma and millions of deaths.”
✅ Solution: “Plant more trees, build clean transport.”
📢 Action: “Walk or cycle instead of driving.”

Step 4 – Presentation (5 minutes per group)

 Each group presents their poster to the class.

 Other students ask 1–2 questions.

Step 5 – Debate (Optional Extension)

Teacher gives the prompt:

“Which is the bigger threat to our future: Air Pollution or Water Pollution?”

 Group A defends Air Pollution.

 Group B defends Water Pollution.
 Neutral students vote at the end.
Step 6 – Reflection Writing (Homework or in class)
Students write a short paragraph (5–6 sentences):

 Which pollution problem is worse in your country?

 Why? (Give at least 2 reasons)
 What solutions do you think are realistic?

💡 Model Start:
In my country, water pollution is a bigger problem than air pollution. Many rivers are
contaminated with sewage, and families do not have enough clean water. This is dangerous
because diseases spread quickly. I think we need more treatment plants and people should
recycle plastic…

🔑 Answer Key – Unit 2: Air and Water

Pollution

🧩 Vocabulary Section
1. Match the Word to Its Definition

1. Smog → e. A mixture of smoke and fog

2. Sewage → a. Dirty water from homes or factories
3. Recycle → g. To use materials again
4. Wastewater → h. Used or dirty water
5. Contamination → f. The process of making something dirty or unsafe
6. Plastic → c. A man-made material often found in bottles and bags
7. Treatment plant → b. A place where water is cleaned
8. Particle → d. A very small piece of matter

2. Fill in the Gaps (Context Sentences)

 The river is full of sewage, making the water unsafe.

 Too much pollution in the air causes asthma.
 The city built a new treatment plant to provide clean drinking water.
 Families suffer when disease spreads through dirty water.
 Factories caused water contamination in the lake.
 Heavy smog made it difficult to see the streets.
 People should always recycle bottles and glass.
 Oceans are full of plastic waste.
3. Pollution Word Sort

Air Pollution: smog, particles, toxic gases

Water Pollution: sewage, wastewater, contamination, plastic
Solutions: recycle, treatment plant, prevention

Task A – Word Families (Examples)

pollute → pollution / pollute / polluted

waste → waste / waste / wasteful
contaminate → contamination / contaminate / contaminated
protect → protection / protect / protective
recycle → recycling / recycle / recyclable
poison → poison / poison / poisonous

👉 Example sentences:

 The polluted air made it hard to breathe.

 Plastic bottles are recyclable and should not be thrown away.

Task B – Collocations

 polluted air
 clean water
 plastic bottle
 water treatment plant
 waste disposal
 polluted river

Task C – Complete the Sentences

 Many people die each year because of contaminated water.

 Dirty air contains dangerous particles.
 A new campaign encourages citizens to recycle more waste.
 The fish died after swimming in sewage water.
 Beijing suffers from heavy smog.
 Factories release toxic gases into the air.
📘 Post-Reading Activities
A. Comprehension

1. Air pollution is dangerous because tiny particles enter lungs and cause diseases.
2. Water pollution spreads disease through contaminated water.
3. Polluted rivers destroy fisheries and economies.
4. Children and the elderly are most vulnerable.
5. Solutions include public transport, treatment plants, recycling, and planting trees.

B. True / False / Not Given

1. True
2. False
3. True
4. True
5. False

🎧 Listening – Sara’s Story

Task A – Multiple Choice

1. b) Asthma
2. b) Chemicals from a factory
3. b) Recycled plastic

Gap-Fill

1. smoke
2. asthma
3. river
4. chemicals
5. bottled
6. campaign
7. recycle
8. trees
Timeline

 Every morning → Smoke in the air

 Brother → Asthma worsened
 Last summer → River turned brown, water cut, bottled water used
 Recent years → School campaign + trees planted

🧩 Grammar – Countable/Uncountable + Quantifiers

1. Gap-Fill

1. much
2. some
3. many
4. few
5. any

2. Correct the Error

 There are many cars in the street.

 We don’t have much water.

3. Multiple Choice

• There is too much smoke in the air.

• There are many factories near the river.
• I don’t have much time.
• We should recycle many bottles.

4. Sentence Transformation

 There are a few plastic bottles. → There are too many plastic bottles.
 We have a little clean water left. → We don’t have much clean water left.
5. Mixed Exercise Paragraph (example answers)

In my city, there are many factories that cause air pollution. Too many cars make the streets
crowded. We have only a little clean water in some areas. But people are making some progress
in recycling.

💬 Speaking (Sample Model Answers)

 Part 1: Yes, I often see pollution in my city. I have recycled plastic bottles before. I once
saw a very dirty river. People produce too much waste every day.
 Part 2: Last year, our river was polluted by plastic. People were angry. The city cleaned
it and now there are some rules to stop factories from dumping waste.
 Part 3: I agree there is too much plastic waste. I disagree that it’s only the government’s
job; people also must help. I believe small actions can reduce big pollution.

🎬 Video Section

🎬 Video 1: National Geographic – Air Pollution Explained

True / False

1. Air pollution is always visible. → False

2. Dirty air causes millions of deaths worldwide. → True
3. Trees can help reduce air pollution. → True

Note Completion

1. Air pollution kills 7 million people each year.

2. Burning fossil fuels is a main cause of dirty air.
3. Trees help clean the air by producing oxygen.

Multiple Choice

1. What is a main cause of smog? → b) Burning fossil fuels

2. Why is air pollution dangerous? → b) It enters human lungs
🎬 Video 2: Water Pollution and How We Can Reduce It!
True / False

1. Water pollution affects rivers, lakes, and oceans. → True

2. The video mentions that harmful substances enter waterways. → True
3. Only factories cause water pollution. → False

Note Completion

1. Water pollution happens when harmful substances are added to water.

2. Pollution affects ponds, rivers, lakes, and the ocean.
3. The video offers ideas on how we can reduce water pollution.

Multiple Choice

1. What is water pollution? → b) Addition of harmful substances to waterways

2. Which is mentioned as a solution? → c) Reducing harmful inputs into water

🧠 Post-Watching Discussion – Example Student Answers

1. I learned that water pollution affects not only rivers but also oceans.
2. The easiest solution for my city is reducing plastic waste.
3. Air and water pollution both connect to SDG 6 (Clean Water) and SDG 13 (Climate
Action).

Post-Watching Discussion – Example Student Answers

1. I was surprised that so many children die from unsafe water.

2. I already knew pollution kills people, but not the exact numbers.
3. Planting trees is easiest for my community.
4. I would make a law to ban free plastic bags.

✍️Writing – Paragraph Practice (Sample Answer)

Topic: Why clean water is important
Clean water is necessary for a healthy life. Many people in the world do not have enough safe
drinking water. Polluted water causes diseases like cholera, and thousands of children die each
year. Treatment plants and recycling can reduce water pollution. Therefore, clean water is one
of the most important human rights