☰ Year plan · English (Connect)

Unit 4 Save and Shine: green changes, campaigns and verb patterns

Week 9 · Unit 4 Save and Shine (A): an article on green industry (reference only), depletion / renewable / sustainable / eco-friendly, a role-play between a factory owner and an adviser, a campaign to cut waste (our own read-aloud text), reusable / campaign / waste / reduce / swap, verbs followed by to + infinitive or -ing · 3 lessons
1

Green industry: a short article, key words and a debate

English Secondary 1 Term 1, Unit 4 opener and Lesson 1: pp. 57–60
GoalRead a short article about a small green change, match key words with meanings, answer True or False with a reason and disagree politely.
New words
sustainable · able to continue without harming the environmentreduce · to make something smaller or lesswaste · things that we throw awayeco-friendly · not harmful to the environmentreusable · able to be used againlandfill · a place where rubbish is buried
Explanation

An article gives facts and sometimes the writer’s opinion. Read the title and the first sentence for the main idea, then look at each paragraph for key details such as numbers, reasons and results. Words that are important for the topic, such as sustainable, reduce, waste and reusable, often appear again. To match a word with its meaning, put the meaning in the sentence and check that it fits. For True or False with a reason, find the sentence first, then write why: False. The article says … , not … A number or a small word such as most, some and all changes the meaning, so read it closely. In a debate, we can disagree politely. Use phrases such as I see your point, but …, I agree with you in part, but … and I understand, however …. Give a reason after because, and do not say You are wrong. Your book has an article about green manufacturing on pages 58 and 59. Read it after this lesson and try the same skills.

PhraseUse
I agree because …to support an idea
I see your point, but …to disagree politely
In my opinion …to give your own view
For example …to give a reason or example
Worked examples

Mr Samy’s bakery used to give every customer a plastic bag. Last year he decided to change. Customers now bring their own cloth bags, and those who forget can buy a reusable bag for five pounds. Mr Samy says the bakery has reduced its plastic waste by about 70 percent in six months. A customer who brings a bag receives a free roll on every tenth visit. The flour comes from a mill in the next town, so the lorries do not travel far. Mr Samy believes that small businesses can be sustainable if they plan well. Some customers complained at first, but most now agree that the change is easy.

Read the article. A grown-up can read it aloud first.
Main idea: a small bakery reduced its plastic waste by asking customers to bring or buy reusable bags. The details are the 70 percent, the free roll and the nearby mill.
True or False with a reason: “Every customer was happy at once.” False. The text says some customers complained at first.
Polite disagreement: A: “Shops should stop giving plastic bags.” B: “I see your point, but some people forget their bags, so shops could sell cheap reusable ones.” B gives a reason and a solution.
Class activity

Mini debate. With a grown-up, discuss: “Should shops stop giving plastic bags?” Take turns. Use In my opinion …, I see your point, but … and I think so because …. After two minutes, write one sentence that shows what you both agreed on.

Practice
1
What has the bakery done to reduce plastic waste?
2
By how much did the plastic waste fall, and in how long?
3
True or False: The flour comes from a mill far away. Give a reason.
4
Match: sustainable / reusable / waste — (1) things that we throw away (2) able to be used again (3) able to continue without harming nature
5
Write a polite way to disagree with: “Recycling is a waste of time.”