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Vocabulary Quiz
scarcity • deforestation • indigenous
piping system • conscious
  1. The in this house is terrible.
  2. There is a of public toilets in this city.
  3. Many people live in that area of the country.
  4. This part of the country used to be so beautiful before became a problem.
  5. He is very of using too much water when he showers.
Comprehension Quiz
Answer the following questions about the interview.
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976 Katia's Green Concerns
Katia talks about some problems and possible solutions for her country.

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The scarcity of water is a concern.

We use the word 'scarcity' to talk about resources that are not easy to find or get. People usually want more than is available. Notice the following:

  1. The scarcity of oil will become a major concern in the near future.
  2. Northern Mexico is very dry so water scarcity is a big problem.



Increased deforestation is seriously effecting wildlife.

Deforestation means the cutting down of trees and the destruction of forests by people. Here are two samples:

  1. Environmentalists fear that deforestation will contribute to global warming.
  2. Deforestation is destroying large areas of tropical rain forest.

indigenous people


A lot of indigenous people have been displaced.

'Indigenous people' are people who naturally exist in a place rather than arriving from another place. Notice the samples:

  1. Mistakenly believing he had reached the Indies' Columbus called the indigenous people of the Americas 'Indians'.
  2. Aborigines are Australia's indigenous people.

piping system


A big problem is with the piping system.

A piping system is how we bring water to cities, buildings and homes. Here are some samples:

  1. The rusty old piping system made bottled drinking water a necessity.
  2. Katia says the local government is fixing the leaky piping system in Mexico city.



People are becoming more environmentally conscious.

When we become more conscious of something we begin to notice and pay more attention. Note the sample sentences:

  1. People are becoming more and more conscious of global warming.
  2. Because of rising energy costs, I've become more conscious of leaving lights on in my home.