Describe an environmental problem

IELTS Cue Card/ Candidate Task Card 303 with Model Answer:

Describe an environmental problem you know about.

You should say:

• what it is
• how it is caused
• what negative effects it has

and explain what can be done to prevent this environmental problem.  

[You will have to talk about the topic for one to two minutes. You have one minute to think about what you're going to say. You can make some notes to help you if you wish.]

Model Answer:

Air is perhaps the most important element of the environment, and "air pollution" is a severe environmental problem that I know about. Thank you very much for this interesting question, and I will answer it here in brief.

Air pollution has become a grave issue for the present world, and the global air index shows that air quality in many metropolitan cities is dangerous to live there. Air gets polluted mainly from burning fossil fuels and we use such fuels extensively to run our cars and continue our productions in factories. Cutting trees indiscriminately has also contributed to air pollution. Manufacturing industries discharge a large amount of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, organic compounds, and chemicals into the air, thereby depleting air quality. Waste dumped in landfills generates methane, which is harmful to air quality as well. Finally, our lifestyle choices also contribute to polluting air.

Air pollution has many severe and negative effects on our health and the environment. First, it is responsible for several respiratory and heart conditions like asthma, chronic bronchitis, and heart diseases. Due to the direct or indirect negative effects of air pollution, millions of people die globally each year. Just like humans, animals also face many devastating effects of air pollution. In a sense, air pollution is dangerous to our well-being, and to the survival of the world. 

     

Well, it appears to me that two main types of preventive measures could be adopted for preventing air to get polluted in such a magnitude. Firstly, the government should take measures from its end to control the pollution. In this case, the government can impose strict rules and regulations to control the use of fossil fuels. Running different campaigns is also necessary to create awareness among people. On the other hand, mass people should contribute to recycling and reusing things to prevent waste disposal. They should also plant trees in their backyards and rooftop to lessen the extent of air pollution.