What is floating between California and Hawaii?

Answer each question with 2–3 sentences.

1. How much plastic do you use in a normal day?
2. Do you take your own bag to the shop?
3. Have you ever seen rubbish on a beach?
4. What do you do with old plastic bottles?
5. Do you buy water in plastic bottles?
6. What is the easiest way to reduce waste?

Read each word and the example. Then say a sentence about the ocean or waste.

Choose the word that fits.

1. Things that people throw away are called .
2. A strong movement of water in the sea is a .
3. A very small piece of plastic is called a .
4. Plastic can on the surface of the sea for years.
5. Volunteers will the beach on Saturday.
6. To make water dirty or harmful is to it.
7. Scientists can only the size of the patch, not measure it exactly.
8. A cup that is used once and thrown away is .

Choose the right answer, then press Check answers.

1. a current is a strong movement of
   people in a streetwater in one directionair in a room
2. to float = to stay
   in a boxunder the groundon top of water
3. marine = connected with
   the mountainsthe seathe sky
4. a barrier is something that
   gives lightblocks movementmakes food
5. to estimate = to say
   exactly whereroughly how muchclearly why
6. a ban is an official rule that
   explains somethingpays for somethingforbids something

Use these phrases to describe what is done and what is thought.

• ...is being collected...збирають заразThe plastic is being collected by special boats.
• ...has been found...було знайденоPlastic has been found in remote places.
• ...is thought to be......вважається...It is thought to be larger than France.
• ...is estimated to......за оцінками...It is estimated to contain tens of thousands of tonnes.
• ...are being tested...тестують заразNew ways to clean are being tested.
• ...has been banned...забороненоIn some places, single-use bags have been banned.
• It is said that...Кажуть, що...It is said that most of the plastic is in small pieces.
• ...had been thrown...було викинутоMost of it had been thrown away on land.

Read the text. Hover over the dotted words for help.

1. The garbage patch is a solid island.
   TrueFalse
2. A large part of it is thought to be old fishing nets.
   TrueFalse
3. All studies give exactly the same numbers.
   TrueFalse
4. Floating barriers are being tested.
   TrueFalse
5. The text says it is easier to clean the sea than to stop the rubbish.
   TrueFalse

1. Why is plastic in the ocean so hard to clean up?
2. Who should pay for cleaning up: companies, governments or everyone?
3. Is recycling enough, or must we use less plastic?
4. How reliable are numbers about things that are hard to measure?

Common mistakes: is being + past participle for something in progress, has been + past participle for a result, and is thought to be. ✗ Plastic is collecting now → is being collected. ✗ It thinks to be dangerous → It is thought to be dangerous.

1. The plastic
   is collectingis being collected
   by special boats.
2. Plastic
   has foundhas been found
   in remote places.
3. It
   is thoughtthinks
   to be larger than France.
4. New ways to clean the sea
   are being testedare testing
   now.
5. Single-use bags
   have bannedhave been banned
   in many places.
6. It
   estimatesis estimated
   to contain tens of thousands of tonnes.
7. Most of it
   had been thrownhad thrown
   away on land.
8. It
   is saidsays
   that most plastic is in small pieces.

Each sentence has one mistake. Type the correct words.

1. The beach is cleaning at the moment. →
2. Plastic has find in remote places. →
3. It thinks to be very large. →
4. New barriers are testing now. →
5. Plastic bags have banned in this country. →
6. It estimated to contain a lot of plastic. →

Answer in detail. Use the passive with is being, has been and reporting verbs.

1. What is being done in your country to reduce plastic?
2. What has been banned or changed where you live?
3. What is being tested in the world today to help the oceans?
4. How much of what we throw away do you think is recycled?
5. What is said about plastic in the news near you?
6. What will be different in ten years, in your opinion?

Three people talk about plastic in the ocean. Compare their views. Who is the most worried? Who is the most practical? What would you change in your daily life?

Your teacher will time you.

1. Plan for one minute, then speak for one or two minutes.
2. Part 1: describe something that is being done now to solve an environmental problem.
3. Part 2: say what has been found or changed in recent years.
4. Part 3: say what is thought or estimated about the future, and what should be done.

1. What do you throw away most often?
2. How do you sort your rubbish at home?
3. Do you use disposable things?
4. Have you ever taken part in a clean-up?
5. What is being built or changed in your area?
6. Do you like swimming in the sea?
7. What would you like to ban?
8. What have you changed in your habits recently?

1. Who in your family recycles the most?
2. Who takes out the rubbish?
3. Who do you know that volunteers?
4. Who in your town cleans the streets?
5. Who was the first to talk to you about plastic?
6. Who has changed their habits?

1. Should plastic bags be banned everywhere?
2. Should companies pay for the waste they make?
3. Is it right to put the blame on ordinary people?
4. Will the oceans be cleaner in 2050?
5. Are bans or taxes more effective?