English Unlimited HAK/HUM 4/5, Schulbuch mit Audio-CD und CD-ROM (mit Handelskorrespondenz)

207 Activities Unit 8, exercise 26b Group A At nearly 90 years old, James Lovelock has arrived at a worrying conclusion: we are doomed. Like tourists enjoying a boat ride at the top of Niagara Falls, we have no idea that the engines are about to break down. Lovelock believes drought and other extreme weather will become normal by 2020. By 2040, Europe will be a desert, and Paris will be as hot as Cairo. Beijing, Miami and London will suffer drought, rising seas, or floods. Millions will go north looking for food and water. By 2100, he believes, more than 6 billion people will have died. The survivors will mostly be in Canada, Scandinavia and the Arctic.  Here, simplified, is how Lovelock views this doomsday scenario. Increasing temperatures melt the ice at the poles. This means more water. This increases the temperature (ice reflects sunlight but open land and water absorb it), and more ice melts. Methane (a more powerful greenhouse gas than CO 2 ) is released from the previously frozen areas of the north. The seas rise. There will be intense rainfall in some places, drought in others. The rainforests will collapse. And so on …  This nightmare vision of a ‘tipping point’ has been rejected by many climate researchers. However, Lovelock stands by his opinions. Let’s assume he’s right. What can we do?  Well, not much. We’ve already passed the moment, he believes, where cutting greenhouse gas emissions would help us. What about using biofuels, renewable energies? It won’t make a difference. Sustainable development, he says, is entirely the wrong approach. At this point, we should be concentrating on a sustainable retreat. Lovelock’s prophecy 1 What does Lovelock think will happen to:   most major cities?   people in tropical countries?   people in northern countries? 2 Why does he think this will happen? 3 What does he think we should and should not do? 4 Mark any points you agree and disagree with. Unit 10, exercise 1 Student B Look at the bar chart. Answer these questions. 1 What does the bar chart illustrate? 2 Which period is covered? Where do the data come from? Prepare to describe the chart to your partner. Most important trade partners of the Austrian economy in 2013 shares in percent Exports 30.1 6.5 Germany Italy USA Switzerland France 5.6 5.0 4.7 Source: STATISTIK AUSTRIA You are a candidate: 1 Think of skills and abilities which might be suitable for the job. Remember to present yourself in a positive light: how can you appear confident, but not arrogant? How will you sell yourself? What will you ask the employer? 2 Introduce yourself appropriately. Describe your skills and abilities in line with what the interviewer asks. Then move to another interview. 3 Listen to the evaluation. Do you think it is fair? What comments do you have about the employers and the interviews? Student B Unit 12, exercise 19 Nur zu Prüfzwecken – Eigentum des Verlags öbv