natural/ˈnætʃərəl/adjMade by nature and not by people.
float/fləʊt/verbTo stay on top of water without going down.
climate/ˈklaɪmət/nounThe usual weather that a place has over many years.
earth/ɜːθ/nounThe planet that we live on.
ocean/ˈəʊʃən/nounOne of the very large areas of salt water on the earth.
resource/rɪˈzɔːs/nounA supply of something that a country or place can use.
soil/sɔɪl/nounThe top layer of earth in which plants grow.
coal/kəʊl/nounA hard black rock that people burn to make heat.
energy/ˈenədʒi/nounThe power that makes machines work or people active.
gas/ɡæs/nounA substance like air that is not solid and not liquid.
species/ˈspiːʃiz/nounA group of animals or plants of the same kind.
wildlife/ˈwaɪldˌlaɪf/nounAnimals and plants that live in natural conditions.
branch/brɑːntʃ/nounA part of a tree that grows out from the trunk.
countryside/ˈkʌntriˌsaɪd/nounLand outside towns, with fields, woods and farms.
environmental/ɪnˌvaɪrənˈmentəl/adjConnected with the natural world of air, water and land.
flood/flʌd/nounA large amount of water covering land that is usually dry.
mud/mʌd/nounSoft wet earth on the ground.
seed/siːd/nounThe small hard part of a plant that grows into a new plant.
air/eə/nounWhat we take into our body when we breathe.
animal/ˈænəməl/nounA living thing that moves and is not a plant.
forest/ˈfɔːrəst/nounA large area of land where many trees grow.
mountain/ˈmaʊntən/nounA very high piece of land with steep sides.
river/ˈrɪvə/nounA long line of water that flows to the sea.
sea/siː/nounA large area of salt water next to the land.
sun/sʌn/nounThe bright star in the sky that gives us light and heat.

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Unit 2 · Pollution & protection

25 words

burn/bɜːn/verbTo be on fire, or to destroy something with fire.
protect/prəˈtekt/verbTo keep someone or something safe from harm.
cover/ˈkʌvə/verbTo put something over a thing to hide or keep it safe.
environment/ɪnˈvaɪrənmənt/nounThe natural world of land, water and air around us.
planet/ˈplænət/nounA large round object in space that moves around a star.
pollution/pəˈluːʃən/nounDirty substances that harm the air, water or land.
recycle/ˌriːˈsaɪkəl/verbTo treat used things so that they can be used again.
global/ˈɡləʊbəl/adjCovering or affecting the whole world.
waste/weɪst/verbTo use more of something than you need to.
danger/ˈdeɪndʒə/nounThe chance that something bad or harmful will happen.
chemical/ˈkeməkəl/nounA substance used in or made by the science of chemistry.
damage/ˈdæmədʒ/nounHarm that makes something less good or useful.
responsible/riˈspɒnsəbəl/adjHaving the duty to deal with something or someone.
harm/hɑːm/nounDamage or injury caused to a person or thing.
threat/θret/nounA statement that you will harm someone if they refuse.
poisonous/ˈpɔɪzənəs/adjContaining poison and able to kill or harm.
grass/ɡrɑːs/nounThe low green plant that covers fields and gardens.
leaf/liːf/nounA flat green part that grows on a tree or plant.
wild/waɪld/adjLiving in nature and not kept by people.
destroy/dɪˈstrɔɪ/verbTo damage something so badly that it no longer exists.
effect/ɪˈfekt/nounA change that one thing causes in another.
factory/ˈfæktəri/nounA building where goods are made in large numbers.
government/ˈɡʌvənmənt/nounThe group of people who rule a country.
law/lɔː/nounA rule that a country makes and everybody must follow.
nature/ˈneɪtʃə/nounThe plants, animals and land of the world, not made by people.

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Unit 3 · Climate change

25 words

warming/ˈwɔːmɪŋ/nounA rise in temperature, especially across the whole planet.
storm/stɔːm/nounVery bad weather with strong wind and heavy rain.
glacier/ˈɡleɪʃə/nounA very large mass of ice that moves slowly down a valley.
melt/melt/verbTo change from a solid into a liquid by heating.
change/tʃeɪndʒ/verbTo make something different from before.
ice/aɪs/nounWater that has become hard because of cold.
weather/ˈweðə/nounHow hot, cold, wet or dry the air outside is.
extreme/ekˈstriːm/adjVery great in degree, far beyond what is usual.
rise/raɪz/verbTo move up to a higher place.
temperature/ˈtemprətʃə/nounHow hot or cold something is, measured in degrees.
atmosphere/ˈætməsfɪə/nounThe feeling that a place or a situation gives you.
carbon/ˈkɑːbən/nounA chemical element found in all living things and in coal.
drought/draʊt/nounA long period with little or no rain.
emission/ɪˈmɪʃən/nounGas or heat that goes out into the air from something.
fossil/ˈfɒsəl/nounThe hard remains of an animal or plant kept inside rock.
greenhouse/ˈɡriːnˌhaʊs/nounA glass building where plants are kept warm so they grow well.
bin/bɪn/nounA container that you put rubbish or waste paper into.
recycle/ˌriːˈsaɪkəl/verbTo treat used paper, glass or metal so it serves again.
landfill/ˈlændˌfɪl/nounA large site where rubbish is buried under the ground.
litter/ˈlɪtə/nounRubbish that people drop on the ground in public places.
bag/bæɡ/nounA soft container that you use to carry things.
bottle/ˈbɒtəl/nounA tall container with a narrow top for liquid.
glass/ɡlɑːs/nounA hard clear material used for windows and cups.
paper/ˈpeɪpə/nounThe thin flat material that you write or print on.
collect/kəˈlekt/verbTo bring things together from different places.

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Unit 4 · Energy & resources

25 words

metal/ˈmetəl/nounA hard material such as iron, gold or silver.
plastic/ˈplæstɪk/adjMade of a light material that people make in factories.
reduce/rɪˈdjuːs/verbTo make something smaller in size, amount or price.
rubbish/ˈrʌbɪʃ/nounThings you no longer want and throw away.
separate/ˈsepərət/adjNot joined to something else; forming its own thing.
sort/sɔːt/nounA group of things or people that are alike in some way.
waste/weɪst/verbTo use more of something than you really need.
dump/dʌmp/verbTo drop or leave something somewhere in a careless way.
packaging/ˈpækɪdʒɪŋ/nounThe boxes and wrapping that protect a product and attract buyers.
dispose/dɪˈspəʊz/verbTo get rid of something that you no longer want.
consume/kənˈsjuːm/verbTo use up fuel, energy or time.
consumption/kənˈsʌmpʃən/nounThe amount of fuel, food or energy that is used.
electricity/ɪˌlekˈtrɪsəti/nounThe power that comes through wires and makes machines work.
power/ˈpaʊə/nounThe ability to control people or events, or energy.
fuel/ˈfjuːəl/nounA substance that is burned to give heat or power.
nuclear/ˈnjuːkliə/adjConnected with the energy inside the centre of atoms.
efficient/ɪˈfɪʃənt/adjWorking well without wasting time, money or energy.
generate/ˈdʒenəreɪt/verbTo produce energy, or to create something new.
solar/ˈsəʊlə/adjConnected with the sun or using energy from the sun.
oil/ɔɪl/nounA thick liquid from plants that you cook with.
save/seɪv/verbTo keep your work on a computer so it stays there.
water/ˈwɔːtə/nounThe clear liquid that people drink every day.
wind/wɪnd/nounAir that moves quickly outside.
source/sɔːs/nounThe place or person that something comes from.
supply/səˈplaɪ/nounAn amount of something that is available to use.

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Unit 5 · Wildlife & habitats · Pollution & effects

25 words

renewable/riˈnjuːəbəl/adjAble to be replaced by nature, so supplies never run out.
habitat/ˈhæbəˌtæt/nounThe natural place where an animal or plant normally lives and grows.
conservation/ˌkɒnsəˈveɪʃən/nounProtecting nature and wildlife from being harmed.
bird/bɜːd/nounAn animal with wings and feathers that can fly.
fish/fɪʃ/nounAn animal that lives in water and swims.
tree/triː/nounA tall plant with a hard trunk and many leaves.
insect/ˈɪnˌsekt/nounA very small animal with six legs and often wings.
plant/plɑːnt/nounA living thing that grows in soil and has leaves.
population/ˌpɒpjəˈleɪʃən/nounAll the people who live in a city or a country.
natural/ˈnætʃərəl/adjComing from the earth and not made by people.
survive/səˈvaɪv/verbTo stay alive through a very difficult or dangerous time.
ecosystem/ˈiːkəʊˌsɪstəm/nounAll the living things in one area together with the way they depend on each…
extinct/ɪkˈstɪŋkt/adjNo longer alive anywhere, with none of its kind left.
reserve/rɪˈzɜːv/verbTo arrange for a seat or a room to be kept for you.
biodiversity/ˌbaɪəʊdaɪˈvɜːsəti/nounThe wide range of different living things found in one place.
contaminate/kənˈtæməˌneɪt/verbTo make something dirty or unsafe by adding a harmful substance.
damage/ˈdæmədʒ/verbHarm an object or a reputation so it works or looks less well; not used for…
impact/ˈɪmpækt/nounThe strong effect that one thing has on another.
acid/ˈæsəd/nounA chemical liquid with a sour taste that can burn things.
harmful/ˈhɑːmfəl/adjCausing damage to people, animals or things.
toxic/ˈtɒksɪk/adjPoisonous and able to harm people, animals or plants.
dirty/ˈdɜːti/adjCovered with dust or mud; not clean.
health/helθ/nounHow well or badly your body is working.
noise/nɔɪz/nounA loud or unpleasant sound.
smoke/sməʊk/nounThe grey cloud that rises from something burning.

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Unit 6 · Action & policy

22 words

effect/ɪˈfekt/nounA change that happens because of something else.
leak/liːk/nounA hole that lets liquid or gas escape.
poison/ˈpɔɪzən/nounA substance that can kill you if you swallow it.
spill/spɪl/verbTo let liquid fall out of its container by accident.
regulation/ˌreɡjəˈleɪʃən/nounAn official rule made by a government or an organization.
fine/faɪn/adjIn good health and with nothing to worry about.
organization/ˌɔːɡənəˈzeɪʃən/nounA group of people who work together for a shared purpose.
solution/səˈluːʃən/nounA way of dealing with a problem so that it ends.
support/səˈpɔːt/nounHelp or encouragement that you give to someone.
target/ˈtɑːɡət/nounA result that you are trying hard to reach.
tax/tæks/nounMoney that people must pay to the government.
agreement/əˈɡriːmənt/nounAn arrangement that two sides both accept.
ban/bæn/verbTo say officially that something is not allowed.
campaign/kæmˈpeɪn/nounA planned set of actions to reach a social or political goal.
policy/ˈpɒləsi/nounA plan of action agreed by a government or company.
responsible/riˈspɒnsəbəl/adjHaving the duty to look after something or to deal with it.
volunteer/ˌvɒlənˈtɪə/nounA person who offers to do a job without being paid.
awareness/əˈweənəs/nounKnowing that something exists or that it matters.
protection/prəˈtekʃən/nounThe act of keeping someone or something safe from harm.
sustainability/səˌsteɪnəˈbɪlɪti/nounUsing resources in a way that does not damage the planet long term.
sustainable/səˈsteɪnəbəl/adjAble to continue for a long time without damaging nature or resources.
conserve/kənˈsɜːv/verbKeep something safe from harm, or stop it from being used up.

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