Ultimate English B2 Workbook

English B2 WORKBOOK

Contents Unit 1 pages 4-13 Unit 2 pages 14-23 Progress check 1 (Units 1–2) pages 24-25 Unit 3 pages 26-35 Unit 4 pages 36-45 Progress check 2 (Units 3–4) pages 46-47 Unit 5 pages 48-57 Unit 6 pages 58-67 Progress check 3 (Units 5–6) pages 68-69 Unit 7 pages 70-79 Unit 8 pages 80-89 Progress check 4 (Units 7–8) pages 90-91 Unit 9 pages 92-101 Unit 10 pages 102-111 Progress check 5 (Units 9–10) pages 112-113

Reading Dealing with drought A 1 Read the text and answer the questions. If you 1 What kind of pollution are the texts about? recuasne’tit, 2 What type of text is section B? 3 What is the main consequence of plastic pollution? B refuse it! TsSiuircpekedoromfftathhrekeedhtausmgaeangademfpaolsautsn-ttfisocooisdf pcclahauassitniicnsg?ustoed in Ugly scenes marine wildlife all over the world? in paradise Act now. Refuse to buy food which comes Hi guys! We stopped off this week on the tiny Pacific island plastic! With your help we can turn of Onatoa, which really is everyone’s idea of paradise – long wrapped in beaches of stunning white sand and crystal-clear blue things around! water. This should have been a cause for celebration, but as we arrived, we were heartbroken when we saw huge areas Wsbouelsvfieeneetlhsgissotvpoerournbsmleeemmnotbrsyecpeaucntotd-inofgrmiepunrecdshlysmuporaerceoktnaogbiingg. of bottles and other plastic rubbish floating out at sea. Come and join our protest All our fears were confirmed when we arrived on shore: march on Sunday according to the local fishermen, their job is getting tougher 12th February, at 1 pm. and fish numbers have decreased dramatically. They used _ see you in the town to spot whales and dolphins regularly near the shore, but square! nowadays these animals are much rarer. However, the most pressing problem is microplastics, the very small bits of plastic which build up in the fish’s stomachs and stop them from growing to their full size. This reduces the weight of the catch for fisherman. When will this ever end? On Friday we set sail for another island where amazing sea turtles climb up onto the shore to reach a lake. C The Great Pacific Plastic is everywhere nowadays, which get caught up in old plastic so it’s no surprise that lots of it fishing nets. However, most of Garbage Patch gets thrown away and ends up in the ‘garbage patch’ is in fact made the ocean. However, the biggest up of tiny pieces of microplastics amount of plastic waste can be which threaten the entire food found far out at sea. Streams in the chain by blocking out the sunlight sea called currents carry the waste on which plankton and tiny sea for thousands of miles to form creatures feed. permanent floating islands like So, who’s to blame and who should the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. clear up the problem? It’s a tricky Most people’s idea of plastic waste question as no country is willing is bottles, bags and other large to face the huge cost involved. All items, and there are certainly we can do is to educate people to plenty of those floating on the avoid single-use plastics, like cups oceans’ surface. It causes serious and straws, and stop the problem harm to marine life such as seals, from happening in the first place. 26

D Letter to the editor DItIaNobwioeaHshepnuronwmaauhrorywctosvirpehwchoewddeefohEeuveIrurulrvseedrmegIcbcitastenitoacetakoighrsnaos,irppttetgnkkrfblIcpoh,aieecesheebtttstufsedheohstoamsnwleiiorbcmteehnaeibouxrvtaocliwmhpylevinmoeutorieaernnnieewuitrsttgssatstsaihisotthostmiw,htnoaofmlouyIoeprnoppyarphosdlsflsalapakoahctosuvpstaooootfrsiteendonpiniec.tzcdgcrihtiieeaw.nnfeamrrpgoAorlnsttglyaoaa-hnueoidtpcwindrspsvhepn.heapaedtiaworAnastrhtmptgincaeilnwevlpkmayesafeimers.nevrhgktnguwyeaoeiotnirtrpatrbpygestekyalaoasestssbwns,eitekcmdtoepiecelhifeletaqcvuar.nupuesnIsbWosagiegospteac.ehxphgkrdPoeIeeetaoesopudnhgerhipseesnisiwanenveoglpdsgsdaeinttp.terwahettrynlaaohIslsoyeitdgiusf,oix,rihgollth Yours faithfully, Rachel Selby 2 Read the texts again and answer the questions. 1 What is the main purpose of section A? 5 According to section C, the most harmful plastic A to teach people how to reuse plastic waste consists of containers A big plastic containers B to ask people to join a campaign B old fishing nets C to arrange a demonstration C single-use plastic items D to encourage people to work together D very small bits of plastic 2 In section B, what does this refer to? 6 In section D, what has Rachel decided to do? A the beautiful white sand A stop using plastic B the amount of plastic in the sea B persuade the government to act C their arrival on the island C stop buying meat and fish D the welcome rest they would get D find alternatives to supermarkets 3 According to section B, what has affected local 7 In section D, what solution to the problem of fishermen the most? plastic packaging is mentioned? A They don’t see whales and dolphins any more. A using your own plastic containers B They catch fewer fish. B buying fresh products C The fish they catch are smaller. C shopping at markets, not at supermarkets D The plastic waste is more than just bottles. D asking shopkeepers to offer only paper bags 4 According to section B, where is the Great Pacific 8 Which sections mention who is responsible for Garbage Patch located? reducing plastic use? A in the middle of the ocean A Sections A and C B near the coast B Sections A and D C near islands C Sections B and C D in different places, depending on the currents D Sections C and D 3 Circle the correct words. 1 It’s up to governments to raise / produce awareness about environmental problems. 2 It has not rained all year, and the country is facing the risk of flood / drought. 3 I’m running in a sponsored marathon to save the rainforests; it’s for a good reason / cause! 4 The young plants have to be carefully trained / nurtured so they will produce flowers in spring. 5 The ice cap covering the North Pole is shrinking / falling dramatically due to global warming. 6 The town has invested heavily to revitalise / cultivate the old market hall. 7 The increased levels of air pollution in cities are putting people’s lives at risk / danger. 8 We need to plant more trees and improve / restore our forests or it will be difficult for them to survive. Reading 27

Vocabulary in Use Environmental issues 1 Circle the correct words. 1 Human activities, such as agriculture and deforestation, are the main causes of climate transformation / change. 2 If we do not stop global weather / warming, there will be serious consequences for the planet. 3 Rising temperatures / levels have led to the ice cap melting at the Poles. 4 Greenhouse gas emissions / fuels have reached a record level this year due to increased traffic. 5 If sea levels / temperatures rise significantly, cities built on the coast could be in serious danger of flooding. 6 Severe storms / winds over the past month have blown down many of the trees in the park. 7 Extreme temperature / weather, causing heat waves and droughts, has seriously affected agriculture in this country. 8 Our aim is to increase our use of renewable energies and end our dependence on fossil emissions / fuels. 2 Complete the pairs of sentences with the correct words. reserve preserve prevent avoid 1 This wildlife organisation aims to 5 One way to help the environment is to the dolphins’ natural eating too much meat. habitat in order to help them survive. 6 The government has passed strict laws to 2 An area of grassland has been converted into industries from dumping a nature to protect toxic waste into rivers. endangered species of butterflies. risk endanger deny refuse 7 The baby turtles being 3 Very few people would that eaten by birds and crabs as they try to reach climate change is seriously affecting the planet. the water. 4 Some people to accept 8 The toxic waste in coastal waters could that many species are in serious danger of seriously the lives of extinction. local fishermen. 3 Replace the words in bold with the correct form of these phrasal verbs. bring about cut down on dry up give off heat up wipe out work out The Desert No plants except a lonely cactus, endless sand hills, and a hot, dry wind in my face. The Sahara? No, this is Almeria in Spain, where I’m taking part in the 2021 Desert Marathon Marathon. Due to global warming, huge areas of southern Europe which were once covered in forests have 1 got hotter heated up by 4-5°C in relatively few 28 years. The once rich soil has 2 lost its water and turned into lifeless sand. Whole populations of animals and plants have been completely 3 destroyed . But it could get even worse! If we don’t 4 reduce the burning of fossil fuels, which 5 emit greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and cause global warming, more and more parts of southern Europe will turn into desert. Next year’s edition of the Desert Marathon will take place in Italy. Fighting climate change is difficult, as it is a global rather than a local problem, but one way to 6 produce change could be to raise awareness of the issue and pass stricter laws against greenhouse gas emissions. If these policies 7 succeed as planned, we will at least stop the trend, even if we cannot bring the forests back. On the other hand, failure to do so means we will have more choice of places to hold our annual Desert Marathon!

4 The words in bold are in the wrong sentences. Write them in the correct places. 1 In many countries, renewable power energy is increasingly being used to produce electricity. 2 Every year, millions of fish die from the toxic disasters in rivers. 3 New types of fish are being introduced into rivers, which threatens the native resources . 4 We have traditionally depended on fossil energy such as coal, gas and oil to produce energy. 5 Many species are endangered because their natural fuels are being destroyed. 6 Coal and gas are natural species which will not last forever. 7 In hot climates, people heat the water they need for washing using solar habitats . 8 Ecological waste , such as wildfires or industrial accidents, can be avoided by passing stricter government laws. 5 Complete. Use the noun form of these verbs. achieve dispose encourage ignore prevent protect store survive 1 Some people deny that climate change exists, but this shows their ignorance of the facts. 2 Huge facilities need to be built to stock the electricity generated by solar power. 3 Illegal hunting is threatening the of many endangered species. 4 There are laws focusing on the of environmental crimes such as starting wildfires or illegal hunting. 5 The of toxic waste near rivers or cities has led to major environmental disasters. 6 Volunteers need plenty of from everybody to continue their excellent work collecting rubbish on the local beaches. 7 The main aim of our organisation is the of the environment against pollution. 8 One of Greta Thunberg’s greatest has been to make more politicians aware of environmental problems. mini Practice 6 Read and choose the correct answers. Make your garden a butterfly paradise! Most people love the idea of sitting in a garden, enjoying the warm sun and watching beautiful butterflies flying around. However, unless we protect our butterfly populations, this may soon be an impossible dream. Too many 1 chemicals are used on plants these days, and this has severe consequences for the butterflies’ 2 . We urgently need to 3 public awareness and encourage the use of alternative, eco-friendly 4 to protect the plants against diseases and harmful insects. Otherwise, there is a serious danger that native butterfly species will be 5 . Furthermore, another significant 6 to butterflies is the type of plants we grow in our gardens. Everybody loves nice green grass, but too much of it has a negative 7 on butterfly populations. Ideally, a butterfly-friendly garden would 8 lots of colourful flowers. The best colours are pink, red and purple: this is because these colours 9 ultraviolet light which attracts butterflies to the flowers, and they also lay their eggs on the leaves. No one can 10 that protecting butterflies is as important as maintaining an attractive garden. The two go hand in hand. 1 A poisonous B extreme C negative D risky 2 A homes B situations C habitats D positions TIPS 3 A rise B change C improve D raise Question 1: Which adjective describes 4 A resources B chances C ways D products chemicals which are harmful to living things? 5 A worked out B wiped out C brought about D dried up Question 9: Which phrasal verb has the same 6 A problem B threat C difficulty D mistake meaning as ‘to produce’? 7 A event B impact C change D poison Vocabulary in Use 29 8 A obtain B limit C contain D consist 9 A heat up B cut down on C give up D give off 10 A refuse B deny C avoid D protest

Grammar in Use 1 Complete. Use will (’ll) or be going to. 1 ‘Who can help me print this environmental poster?’ ‘Don’t worry, I ’ll do (do) it! 2 ‘See that lovely blue sky?’ ‘Yes, it (definitely / not / rain) today. Let’s go for a bike ride!’ 3 If everything goes according to plan, I (spend) the next two months in a volunteer camp helping villagers to save water. 4 Alice is from a small village, and I expect she (find) it difficult when she moves to the city. 5 ‘ (you / watch) that documentary about the environment tonight?’ ‘Yes, I plan to!’ 6 In the future, technological improvements (probably / help) us reduce the amount of paper we use. 7 Many people believe coastal cities (not / survive) when global warming causes floods. 8 I really don’t think people (want) to live on the moon in the future, even if it sounds exciting. 9 This year we (not / travel) abroad on holiday for a change. 10 Scientists warn that we (probably / lose) as many as 1,000 endangered species every ten years. 2 Read and circle the correct answers. dark? Is our future bright or Scientists predict that unless we take urgent steps to prevent it, by the year 2050 planet Earth 1 will have reached / will be reaching a point of no return. Scientists predict that by then, the world’s population 2 will have doubled / will be doubling. It seems likely that most of us 3 will have lived / will be living in cities, but many will no longer be clean, healthy places to live in. If current trends continue till 2050, we 4 will be facing / will have faced dangerous levels of air pollution in cities, mainly due to industries and traffic. Unless we limit the use of private cars in large cities, a time will come when we 5 will have breathed / will be breathing a toxic mixture of gases that will be extremely harmful to our health. Trying to look on the bright side, by 2050 our supplies of oil 6 will have run out / will be running out and everyone 7 will have driven / will be driving electric vehicles. In addition, it is likely that industries 8 will have recycled / will be recycling their own waste and won’t give off so much CO2 and other gases. Whether Earth has a bright or dark future very much depends on what happens with our energy sources. 3 Complete the sentences using will or shall. 1 Shall we take (we /take) the bus into the city centre today instead of using the car? 2 Don’t worry, (I / not / be) late! I’m setting off right now. 3 That film sounds too good to miss! I think (I / come) too! 4 Let’s go to the beach this weekend, ? 5 I haven’t decided what to do tonight yet. (I / probably / stay) at home. 30

4 Circle the correct answers. 1 Do not leave your house as soon as / after / 5 After / Before / As soon as everybody until you have checked all the lights have been starts using bikes to get around the city, local switched off. government will have to make the roads safer. 2 Once / Before / While I’ve finished university, 6 Global warming will not get better before / I’ll have the right qualifications to work in an until / when power stations all over the world environmental agency. stop using fossil fuels to produce electricity. 3 After / By the time / The moment supermarkets 7 After / The moment / While more and more stop using plastic packaging, it may be too late species are becoming extinct, the world’s to save many ocean species. forests are disappearing. 4 The situation will get much better before / 8 To save water, you should turn the tap off as soon as / until the government signs the new before / the moment / while you finish environmental deal. cleaning your teeth. 5 Circle the correct tag questions. 1 This summer, I think I could volunteer to help with that environmental project, couldn’t I / don’t I? 2 Putting your rubbish in different containers at home isn’t very difficult, is it / isn’t it? 3 We’ve never seen such bad weather here before, have we / haven’t we? 4 Some species will probably die out in the next few years, will they / won’t they? 5 No one likes to live on a dirty polluted planet, don’t they / do they? 6 There probably won’t be enough food for so many people in the future, will there / won’t there? 7 It must be a terrible experience to live through an earthquake, isn’t it / mustn’t it? 8 We don’t have to continue buying plastic bottles of water, do we / have we? mini Practice 6 Read and complete the text. Write one word in each gap. One Bug Mac and a diet cola, please! Grasshopper pizza, worms in tomato sauce, ant burgers… It all sounds really disgusting, doesn’t 1 ? According to leading environmental experts, the only way the world’s population will have enough food in the future is 2 we all get used to eating insects. What’s more, eating insects will improve our diet because they are low fat, sugar-free, and full of goodness. But above all, 3 are millions of insects everywhere! In fact, the number of insects is going to increase as global warming heats up the planet and this 4 definitely make living conditions more suitable for insects. Frankly, the idea of eating insects doesn’t really appeal to most people, 5 it? Even if they 6 been well cooked and chopped up so they don’t look like insects anymore, the idea of biting into something which crawls along the floor is definitely unattractive. I’m sure it’s just a question of education: 7 we stop thinking of insects as dirty and disgusting creatures, we will not be able to see them as a food source. However, scientists predict that 8 100 years’ time, a wide range of worms, ants and other bugs will be on the menu in most fast-food restaurants. TIPS Question 1: What is the missing subject of the verb ‘sounds’? Question 7: Read the second half of the sentence before choosing which temporal fits best. Grammar in Use 31

Listening TIPS L isten to eight conversations and choose the picture Question 3: Listen to the speaker’s emotion (A, B or C) which answers the question. and use of emphasis (adverb + adjective)? 1 Question 4: They both like some things – but which exhibit do they both like? AB C 2 ABC 3 AB C 4 AB C 5 AB C 6 AB C 7 AB C 8 AB C 32

Writing 1 Read the writing task and answer the questions. In your English class, you have been talking about the environment. Now your English teacher has asked you to write an essay for homework. Write your essay using all the notes and giving reasons for your point of view. (140–190 words) Worldwide, the destruction of natural habitats is worse in the oceans than it is on land. Do you agree? Notes Write about: 1 the loss of habitats 2 the effects of overfishing 3  (your own idea) 1 What kind of text do you have to write? 2 What is the statement you have to agree or disagree with? 3 Which points do you have to include? 2 Which linking expression is best? Circle the correct words. 1 Although / However some action has already been taken, a lot more needs to be done. 2 Huge areas of forest are being cut down and, as a result / on top of that, many animals are losing their habitats. 3 The main reason / For that reason that some species of turtles are dying out is that they eat plastic bags floating in the sea. 4 Many countries continue to overfish despite / because of the fact that scientists have warned that it leads to disaster. 5 Furthermore / In conclusion, companies are dumping a lot of toxic waste into rivers. 6 Consequently / Finally, there is the problem of pollution in the sea which is destroying the habitat of many marine creatures. 3 Complete the paragraph plan with these words. Then write your essay. first note general statement own idea reason or an example strong conclusion Writing Paragraph 1: Introduce the topic using a 1 and give your opinion about it. Paragraph 2: Use the 2 to support your opinion. Give a reason or an example. Paragraph 3: Use the second note to support your opinion, include a 3 . Paragraph 4: Add your 4 . Paragraph 5: Summarise your main points. Restate your opinion in your own words and provide a 5 . 33

B2 Practice 3 1 Read and choose the correct words. Eco-houses in Switzerland London-born architect Chris Donlon and his friends recently took the decision to move to the mountains of Switzerland, where they would build their own village. ‘We found an old village which had been 1 in a flood,’ Chris explains, ‘and after getting permission from the government, we started working on the project. The first step was to avoid using the building materials 2 used in houses which harm the environment. We decided to use natural 3 like local glass, stone and wood for the main structure of the buildings, which could be found nearby and did not involve high transport costs.’ ‘The houses are powered mainly by solar 4 , which comes from six solar panels on the roof, and is then 5 in large batteries behind the house. However, the houses also stay warm thanks to the glass walls and roof, which trap the sun’s heat. Waste 6 is also a very important feature of the buildings. All water is recycled for watering the garden, and organic kitchen waste is used to 7 the soil with plant food’. Chris and his friends feel positive about the whole process. They will soon be living their eco-dream, doing their part to 8 energy. 1 A smashed B destroyed C broken D endangered 2 A finally B completely C normally D constantly 3 A resources B products C elements D contents 4 A fuel B electricity C energy D strength 5 A maintained B collected C disposal D stored 6 A destruction B disposal C disappearance D departure 7 A restore B generate C produce D replace 8 A maintain B store C conserve D collect 34

2 Read and complete the text. Write one word in each gap. Saving the sea otter Did you know that the sea otter’s favourite activity is sunbathing? These cute, loveable creatures 1 most of the day floating on their back on the surface of the water, eating or playing with each other. Sea otters also hold hands 2 keep warm, as the hands are the only parts of their bodies which are not covered in thick, warm fur. The sea otter is now in serious danger of extinction. There has been a huge reduction 3 the amount of the underwater plant known as kelp where the animals live. This is also 4 to intensive fishing and the destruction of their habitat. As a result, experts say that by 2040, the world population of sea otters will 5 decreased so much that they may disappear altogether. However, Andrew Cook, an American marine biologist, feels 6 positive about the future. ‘We have recently launched a campaign to raise money from the public,’ he says. ‘That way, we hope we can plant more areas with kelp and bring 7 a big change in the situation. As 8 as new laws are passed to create safe areas for sea otters, their population levels will start to rise again.’ 3 Read and complete the text with the correct form of the words given. School pre-cycling champion Meet Melissa Owen, who was recently named pre-cycling champion at her secondary school in Southampton. Pre-cycling is all about not creating waste. Since she saw a TV documentary when she was 10, Melissa has been aware of the 1 effects that waste materials such as plastic and toxic DISASTER FRUSTRATE chemicals are having on the environment. 2 by the lack of AWARE interest shown by her local government, Melissa decided to do a school project to raise 3 of the issue among her classmates. ‘It’s quite funny,’ she laughs, ‘most people think I’ve won a bike race or something! I have to explain to people what pre-cycling is all about. They don’t know!’ ‘Creating zero waste is practically 4 ! But my point is that POSSIBLE CHOOSE we should make a 5 and only buy things which do not create NECESSARY 6 waste. Don’t use paper, but read and write everything you want on computer screens or mobile phones. Buy food from places which do not use plastic packaging or single-use plastic cups and plates, which are so 7 to the environment.’ HARM IGNORE Melissa believes that people’s 8 is the real problem: they simply don’t know that there are alternatives to plastic. If they did, Melissa believes things would change quickly. B2 Practice 3 35

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