More than 150 countries reached a last-minute deal on December 10 at the climate change conference in Montreal. They agreed to extend the life of the Kyoto Protocol on global warming. New talks will begin from May 2006 to discuss further reductions in greenhouse gas emissions after the year 2012. Unfortunately, the United States will only join talks that do not require them to accept any agreements. President Bush said the Kyoto Protocol hurts the U.S. economy. He believes scientists will find other ways of cutting greenhouse gases. America produces 25 percent of the world’s pollution but has just four percent of the global population.

Former U.S. President Bill Clinton received a warm welcome before his 30-minute speech at the conference. He said Mr. Bush was “flat wrong” and received thunderous applause. Mr. Clinton said: “There is no longer any serious doubt that climate change is real, accelerating and caused by human activities.” Environmentalists were happy with things at the end of the marathon 12-day talks. The World Wildlife Fund said: “The Kyoto Protocol is alive and kicking.” Greenpeace agreed that the Protocol was stronger now than it was two weeks ago. Canada’s Environment Minister closed the meeting by stating: “We are going to reconcile humanity with its planet.”

WARM-UPS

1. OTHER ENERGY: In pairs / groups, talk about the energy sources we could use instead of fossil fuels. How effective do you think they are? When do you think they will be a major part of your life?

Wind farms Solar cells Nuclear power Biofuels

Hydrogen-powered cars Underground thermal energy Wave power George W. Bush’s scientists

2. 2005 WEATHER: With your partner(s), talk about how global warming changed the world’s weather and environment in 2005. Talk about the things below and where they happened. Which caused the greatest harm? What will happen if each gets worse year by year?

Deadly hurricanes and typhoons Forest fires Flooding

Melting glaciers Drought and famine Fish populations disappearing

3. KYOTO PROTOCOL SEARCH: Talk to as many other students as you can to find out what they know about the Kyoto Protocol. After you have talked to lots of students, sit down with your partner(s) and share your information. Tell each other what you thought was interesting or surprising. Would you like a stronger Kyoto Protocol?

4. CHAT: In pairs / groups, decide which of these topics or words are most interesting and which are most boring.

Climate change / Montreal / last-minute deals / greenhouse gases / pollution / the Kyoto Protocol / Bill Clinton / human activities / marathons / Greenpeace / kicking

Have a chat about the topics you liked. For more conversation, change topics and partners frequently.

5. 2-MINUTE CLIMATE DEBATES: Have the following (for-fun) 2-minute debates. Students A take the first argument, students B the second. Change partners often.

1. Global warming is not manmade. vs. Global warming is totally manmade.
2. The Kyoto Protocol hurts industry. vs. The Protocol creates new industries.
3. President George W. Bush knows what he’s talking about. vs. Excuse me?
4. It’s too late to save the environment. vs. The Earth will repair itself
5. The crazy weather in 2005 was due to global warming. vs. Not true.
6. Scientists will find answers to stop global warming. vs. I don’t think so.
7. China and India should reduce greenhouse gases. vs. America first.
8. There is great hope for the environment. vs. There’s no hope.

6. CLIMATE: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word “climate”. Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories.

BEFORE READING / LISTENING

1. TRUE / FALSE: Look at the article’s headline and guess whether these sentences are true (T) or false (F):

a.	The Montreal climate change conference was not a failure.	T / F
b.	An agreement was reached in the very last minute on more talks.	T / F
c.	America does not want to sign agreements on reducing pollution.	T / F
d.	Mr. Bush says scientists will find ways of reducing greenhouse gases.	T / F
e.	Former President Bill Clinton said George W. Bush was “flat wrong”.	T / F
f.	Bill Clinton is a big opponent of the Kyoto Protocol.	T / F
g.	Environmentalists were very angry at the lack of progress in Montreal.	T / F
h.	A Canadian Minister said we need to reconcile with our Earth.	T / F

2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article:

a.	deal	long
b.	extend	cuts
c.	talks	got
d.	reductions	loud
e.	hurts	agreement
f.	received	harmonize
g.	thunderous	discussions
h.	accelerating	damages
i.	marathon	quickening
j.	reconcile	prolong

3. PHRASE MATCH: Match the following phrases from the article (sometimes more than one combination is possible):

a.	150 countries reached a last-minute	to accept any agreements
b.	They agreed to	25 percent of the world’s pollution
c.	join talks that do not require them	and kicking
d.	find other ways of cutting	applause
e.	America produces	extend the life of the Kyoto Protocol
f.	Bill Clinton received	12-day talks
g.	thunderous	humanity with its planet
h.	the end of the marathon	deal
i.	The Kyoto Protocol is alive	a warm welcome
j.	We are going to reconcile	greenhouse gases

WHILE READING / LISTENING

GAP FILL: Put the words in the column on the right into the gaps in the text.

New life given to Kyoto Protocol

More than 150 countries ________ a last-minute deal on December 10 at the climate ________ conference in Montreal. They agreed to extend the ________ of the Kyoto Protocol on global warming. New talks will begin from May 2006 to discuss further ________ in greenhouse gas emissions after the year 2012. Unfortunately, the United States will only join ________ that do not require them to accept any agreements. President Bush said the Kyoto Protocol ________ the U.S. economy. He believes scientists will find other ________ of cutting greenhouse gases. America produces 25 percent of the world’s pollution but has just four percent of the ________ population.		ways change reductions reached global life hurts talks
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton received a ________ welcome before his 30-minute ________ at the conference. He said Mr. Bush was “flat wrong” and received ________ applause. Mr. Clinton said: “There is no longer any serious ________ that climate change is real, accelerating and caused by human activities.” Environmentalists were happy with things at the end of the ________ 12-day talks. The World Wildlife Fund said: “The Kyoto Protocol is alive and ________.” Greenpeace agreed that the Protocol was ________ now than it was two weeks ago. Canada’s Environment Minister closed the meeting by stating: “We are going to reconcile ________ with its planet.”		kicking thunderous humanity marathon warm stronger speech doubt

LISTENING

Listen and fill in the spaces.

New life given to Kyoto Protocol

More than 150 countries reached a last-minute _____ on December 10 at the climate change conference in Montreal. They agreed to _______ the life of the Kyoto Protocol on global warming. New talks will begin from May 2006 to discuss ________ reductions in greenhouse gas emissions after the year 2012. Unfortunately, the United States will only join talks that do not ________ them to accept any agreements. President Bush said the Kyoto Protocol hurts the U.S. economy. He believes scientists will find other ________ of cutting greenhouse gases. America produces 25 percent of the world’s pollution but has just four percent of the ________ population.

Former U.S. President Bill Clinton received a ________ welcome before his 30-minute speech at the conference. He said Mr. Bush was “flat ________” and received thunderous applause. Mr. Clinton said: “There is no longer any serious ________ that climate change is real, accelerating and caused by human activities.” Environmentalists were happy with ________ at the end of the marathon 12-day talks. The World Wildlife Fund said: “The Kyoto Protocol is ________ and kicking.” Greenpeace agreed that the Protocol was stronger now than it was two weeks ago. Canada’s Environment Minister ________ the meeting by stating: “We are going to ________ humanity with its planet.”

AFTER READING / LISTENING

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionaries / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words ‘climate’ and ‘change’.

• Share your findings with your partners.
• Make questions using the words you found.
• Ask your partner / group your questions.

2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

• Share your questions with other classmates / groups.
• Ask your partner / group your questions.

3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

5. STUDENT “KYOTO PROTOCOL” SURVEY: In pairs / groups, write down questions about the Kyoto Protocol and global warming.

• Ask other classmates your questions and note down their answers.
• Go back to your original partner / group and compare your findings.
• Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

6. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall exactly how these were used in the text:

150 2006 2012 accept scientists four percent

warm wrong accelerating marathon kicking reconcile

CLIMATE CHANGE DISCUSSION

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

1. Did the headline make you want to read the article?
2. How often do you worry about climate change?
3. What do you know about the Kyoto Protocol?
4. What do you know about events at the Montreal Conference?
5. Do you think the agreement to meet again in May 2006 is a good ending to the conference?
6. What do you think of America’s rejection of the Kyoto Protocol?
7. What do you think of America producing 25 percent of the world’s pollution?
8. How does the world stop the new economic powers such as China, India and Brazil from adding to global warming?
9. What would you say to people who say global warming is not manmade?
10. Were you affected by global warming this year?

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

1. Did you like reading this article?
2. What do you think about what you read?
3. Do you think the Kyoto Protocol is the answer to the environment’s problems?
4. Do you think the USA will ever accept Kyoto or similar protocols?
5. What do you think of Bill Clinton saying George W, Bush is “flat wrong”?
6. Do you think alternative energy sources can give the world the power its needs?
7. What happens to the world after the oil finishes?
8. Do you think governments can “reconcile humanity with its planet”?
9. What can or do you do to conserve energy?
10. Did you like this discussion?

AFTER DISCUSSION: Join another partner / group and tell them what you talked about.

1. What was the most interesting thing you heard?
2. Was there a question you didn’t like?
3. Was there something you totally disagreed with?
4. What did you like talking about?
5. Which was the most difficult question?

SPEAKING

PRACTICAL ENERGY: In pairs / groups, talk about how successful the following sources of energy could be. Write down ideas for the costs and benefits of each source.

ENERGY	COSTS	BENEFITS
Fossil fuels
Solar power
Wind power
Thermal energy
Nuclear power
Wave power
Hydro-electric power
Biofuels

• Change partners and share and compare the costs and benefits you thought of.
• Decide on the three most practical sources of energy for your country.
• Talk about the possibility of each of the alternative energy sources above replacing fossil fuels.
• Return to you original partner(s) and share and compare the three energy sources you chose. Make sure you agree.
• Make and give a presentation of your choices. Vote on the best ideas.

HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google’s search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find more information on the Kyoto Protocol. Share your findings with your class in the next lesson. Did you all find out similar things?

3. 2005 WEATHER: Write a short report about the world’s weather in 2005 and all the terrible things that happened. Read your report to your classmates in your next lesson. Does everyone agree with you?

4. LETTER TO MR. BUSH: Write a letter to U.S. President George Bush. Tell him what you think of his ideas on the environment and the Kyoto Protocol. Show what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give him some advice. Did you all write about similar things and give similar advice?

ANSWERS

TRUE / FALSE:

a. T

b. F

c. T

d. T

e. T

f. F

g. F

h. T

SYNONYM MATCH:

a.	deal	agreement
b.	extend	prolong
c.	talks	discussions
d.	reductions	cuts
e.	hurts	damages
f.	received	got
g.	thunderous	loud
h.	accelerating	quickening
i.	marathon	long
j.	reconcile	harmonize

PHRASE MATCH:

a.	150 countries reached a last-minute	deal
b.	They agreed to	extend the life of the Kyoto Protocol
c.	join talks that do not require them	to accept any agreements
d.	find other ways of cutting	greenhouse gases
e.	America produces	25 percent of the world’s pollution
f.	Bill Clinton received	a warm welcome
g.	thunderous	applause
h.	the end of the marathon	12-day talks
i.	The Kyoto Protocol is alive	and kicking
j.	We are going to reconcile	humanity with its planet

GAP FILL:

New life given to Kyoto Protocol

More than 150 countries reached a last-minute deal on December 10 at the climate change conference in Montreal. They agreed to extend the life of the Kyoto Protocol on global warming. New talks will begin from May 2006 to discuss further reductions in greenhouse gas emissions after the year 2012. Unfortunately, the United States will only join talks that do not require them to accept any agreements. President Bush said the Kyoto Protocol hurts the U.S. economy. He believes scientists will find other ways of cutting greenhouse gases. America produces 25 percent of the world’s pollution but has just four percent of the global population.

Former U.S. President Bill Clinton received a warm welcome before his 30-minute speech at the conference. He said Mr. Bush was “flat wrong” and received thunderous applause. Mr. Clinton said: “There is no longer any serious doubt that climate change is real, accelerating and caused by human activities.” Environmentalists were happy with things at the end of the marathon 12-day talks. The World Wildlife Fund said: “The Kyoto Protocol is alive and kicking.” Greenpeace agreed that the Protocol was stronger now than it was two weeks ago. Canada’s Environment Minister closed the meeting by stating: “We are going to reconcile humanity with its planet.”

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