Prime Time 7/8, Writing, Arbeitsheft

89 among the young. Communicating by writing on paper, as in letters, is perhaps the least common way of interacting among the younger generation. Working with a skeleton text a) 1: N, 2: G, 3: J, 4: D, 5: H, 6: C, 7: M, 8: E, 9: K, 10: I, 11: A, 12: B, 13: L, 14: F Young people have become the dominant force in online communication . They might arguably be one of the overall most technically advanced generations. However, that’s not to say they still don’t have a lot to learn, especially when it comes to developing soft skills for face-to-face communication. As the generation that grew up with smartphones and the blessings of the internet, their biggest strength could also be a critical weakness. There was once a time when communication meant that you had to write letters or give someone a call . A good example of this is when you watch old movies. The people there needed to use a landline telephone or they would send letters. Modern communication, however, is internet based and fully digitalised . Its rapid expansion has allowed for people who once didn’t have the chance to share their ideas on a larger scale to get in touch with the whole world . Perhaps one of the reasons why many young people struggle with soft skills is because they’ve always had the chance to communicate via digital media and were not forced to meet people in person . At no other point in history have we had access to such a vast number of people in almost no time , which is a great thing for many, but not for all of us . Topic 15 (Key) Aspects of climate change Beispielantworten 1. greenhouse effect industrialisation natural causes man-made emissions increase in CO 2 2. gradual increase in global temperature widespread melting of the polar ice caps deserts expand through previously fertile lands inland waterholes dry up, and sea levels rise more extreme weather conditions, including flooding and storms become more frequent 3. human intervention the burning of fossil fuels mass deforestation tree felling, particularly in the rainforests Arctic ice melt could trigger uncontrollable climate change at a global level a) Beispielantworten Arctic scientists have pointed out in a recent report that the effects of Arctic warming could soon be felt as far away as the Indian Ocean, issuing a stark warning that changes in the region could cause uncontrollable climate change at a global level. In November 2016 temperatures in the Arctic were about 20 °C above what was expected, which scientists described as “off the charts”. Sea ice recorded for the time of year was at the lowest extent yet. “The warning signals are getting louder ,” said Marcus Carson of the Stockholm Environment Institute. “These developments also make the potential for triggering tipping points and feedback loops much larger.” Climate tipping points occur when a natural system, such as the polar ice cap, undergoes sudden or overwhelming change that has a profound effect on surrounding ecosystems, often irreversible. In the Arctic, the tipping points identified in the new report include: growth in vegetation on the tundra, which replaces reflective snow and ice with darker vegetation, which absorbs more heat; higher releases of methane, a potent greenhouse gas, from the tundra as it warms; shifts in snow distribution that warm the ocean, resulting in altered climate patterns as far away as Asia, where the monsoon could be affected ; and the collapse of some key Arctic fisheries, with knock-on effects on ocean ecosystems around the globe. Scientists have speculated for some years that so-called feedback mechanisms, by which the warming of one area or type of landscape has knock-on effects for whole ecosystems, could suddenly take hold and change the dynamics of Arctic ice melting from a relatively slow to a fast-moving phenomenon with unpredictable and potentially irreversible consequences for 4  1  2  Nur zu Prüfzwecken – Eige tum des Verlags öbv