CLASSROOM Grammar Elite
for Junior Secondary Students
Words by Theme

Theme: Nature and environment (p.168)

1. 
   Climate change (n. phr.): changes in the earth’s weather caused by human activity increasing the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
   
   
   e.g.
   Climate change (氣候變化) has threatened (危及) biodiversity (生物多樣性), causing concern (擔憂) from all walks of life (各界人士), especially conservationists (環保人士) and biologists (生物學家).


2. 
   Accelerate (v.): to happen faster or earlier
   
   
   e.g.
   Extreme weather (極端天氣) has slowed the growth (生長) of crops (農作物). Some scientists suggested accelerating (加快) their growth with chemicals (化學品), but they could not guarantee (保證) that those chemicals had no side effects (副作用).


3. 
   Go green (v. phr.): to do more to protect nature and the environment
   
   
   e.g.
   Using reusable bags (環保袋) instead of plastic bags (膠袋) for daily (日常的) shopping is a good way to go green (保護環境).


4. 
   Daily routine (n. phr.): a usual order and way of doing something everyday
   
   
   e.g.
   Environmental protection (保護環境) should be carried out (落實) in our daily routines (日常活動). For instance, we should buy clothes in moderation (節制), which can indirectly (間接地) reduce carbon dioxide (二氧化碳) emission (排放).


5. 
   Fossil fuel (n. phr.): fuels that were formed underground from plant and animal remains millions of years ago
   
   
   e.g.
   Scientists pointed out that increasing energy efficiency (能源效益) could cut down (減少) the use of fossil fuel (化石燃料), which is a non-renewable energy (不可再生能源).


6. 
   Petroleum (n.): oil that is found below the surface of the earth and is used to make substances like petrol and diesel oil
   
   
   e.g.
   Some geologists (地質學家) believe that petroleum (石油) was formed from the remains (屍體) of prehistoric (史前的) sea animals that were compressed (壓縮) and heated (加熱) in the earth’s crust (地殼).


7. 
   Carbon footprint (n. phr.): the amount of carbon dioxide that is produced by the activities of a person or an organisation
   
   
   e.g.
   Experts (專家) are concerned (擔心) that hydropower (水力發電), despite its effectiveness (成效) in reducing carbon footprints (碳足跡), could increase erosion (腐蝕) in some areas.


8. 
   Plastic (n.): a man-made substance that can be shaped when soft into many different forms and has many different uses
   
   
   e.g.
   A growing number of sea creatures (生物) are being entangled (纏繞) or covered (壓蓋) in plastics (塑膠物) discarded (丟棄) by tourists.


9. 
   Campaign (n.): a planned group of activities to achieve a particular social, commercial or political aim
   
   
   e.g.
   A tree planting campaign (運動) has been organised and some philanthropists (慈善家), media workers (媒體工作者) and international actors are expected to join in.