Hydroelectric dams have been linked to the extinction of tigers and jaguars

admin 2022年1月15日

Intermediate

world news, world news - intermediate

Pre-reading questions:

I will read each question. Then, please answer them.

Why do animals become extinct?
What do dams do?

Vocabulary:

I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me.

expansion /ik-SPAN-shuhn/

[noun] – to increase in size, number, or importance, or to make something increase in this way
The company’s expansion on their commercial operations during the 1980s had a huge impact on their services.

impact /IM-pakt/

[noun] – a powerful effect that something, especially something new, has on a situation or person
The new measures are going to prevent the impact of the new tax system.

construction /kuhn-STRUHK-shuhn/

[noun] – the work of building or making something, especially buildings, bridges, etc.
The bridge has a magnificent engineering and construction.

reputation /rep-yuh-TEY-shuhn/

[noun] – the opinion that people in general have about someone or something, or how much respect or admiration someone or something receives, based on past behavior or character
Dan has the reputation of being a good doctor.

assess /uh-SES/

[verb] – to judge or decide the amount, value, quality, or importance of something
They assessed the cost of the project at $2,500.

Article reading:

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According to a new study, the global expansion of hydroelectric dams has had a severe impact on tiger and jaguar ecosystems. Dam construction, primarily in Asia, has destroyed more than one-fifth of the world’s remaining tigers, according to studies. Tiger extinction is supposed to have occurred as a result of the dams in various local wooded areas. Dams on their ranges are expected to triple, putting jaguars in grave danger.

In the modern world, tigers have not fared well. Despite their iconic and scary reputation, the animals have gone from over 90% of their native range in the previous century. Despite recent population increases, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) still considers them as an endangered species, having a population of around 3,500. A similar story may be found with the jaguars. The range of these thin carnivores has been reduced by half, from the southwest of the United States to Argentina.

They assessed the number of forest areas flooded to generate reservoirs for the dams and concluded that about 13,000 square kilometers of tiger habitat had been flooded. This is thought to have had a significant effect on tiger populations. That forest was broken up into smaller areas as a result of the creation of a big reservoir smack in the middle of the region, and those tigers were often unable to survive in that fragmented forest habitat.

Comprehension questions

I will read each question. Then, please answer them based on the article.

According to a new study, what did the global expansion of hydroelectric dams do to tiger and jaguar ecosystems?
According to the article, which has an iconic and scary reputation?
What does IUCN stand for?
What did the IUCN assess?
What does the IUCN still consider as an endangered species?

Discussion questions

I will read each question. Then, please answer them.

Where is the nearest dam in your area? Could you tell me something about it?
What benefits does the dam give to your area? Please explain your answer.
If you could do something about the extinction of tigers and jaguars, what would you do? Why?
Do you agree with the idea of building more dams?
What do you think about building hydroelectric dams? Please explain your answer.