English Level 4

Online meeting worksheet

Unit 1
There are many ways to solve problems

Objective: The purpose of this practice is to describe some of the ways people have to
solve some of the challenges our world has nowadays. 

Practice: Listening and discussion about the audio “Plastic-eating worm could remove the
world's waste”

Audio:

Steps:
Before our online meeting:

1. Listen to the audio about a natural solution to the plastic waste and highlight the
correct word:

A natural solution to the growing / grown crisis of plastic waste in the environment may

be at hand / head. Researchers have discovered that a tinny (tiny) / tiny (tainy) caterpillar,
commonly known as a waxworm, has a taste (dar un bocado) / tasty (sabroso) for plastic.
Researchers from Cambridge University in the UK say that the waxworm devours
plastic on / at "uniquely high speeds". They say that it is possible to utilize this
environmentally-friendly solution to globally / global waste on an industrial scale. Millions
of waxworms could be bread / bred to spend their days breaking down and consuming /
consumption plastic bags, bottles, household items and other discarded / distracted waste.
Around a trillion plastic bags end up / down in landfills around the world each year. They
take centuries / centurions to biodegrade.

Researcher Dr Paolo Bombelli said: "It's extremely, extreme / extremely exciting because

breaking down plastic has proved such / so challenging." He said the waxworm can break
down a notoriously toughen / tough plastic like polyethylene more than 1,400 times
faster that / than other organisms. The waxworm uses enzymes in its saliva / salvia to
break the plastic's chemical bonds. It might be possible one day to replicate /
calculate these enzymes and spray / splay them on waste to make it decompose. Another
researcher said: "We are planning to implement thus / this finding in a viable way to
get rid / riddance of plastic waste, working towards a solution to save our oceans, rivers,
and all the environment from an / the unavoidable consequences of plastic
accumulation."

2. Read the following ways to solve some problems. Analyze the challenges, their
solutions, how the solutions work, what are the causes of the problems. Then,
analyze your own solution, how it works, what the problem is and what its cause
is.

Ways to Solve Problems

Assumes Cause of
Solution How It Works Challenge
Problem is

Add Give more money, Lack of resources More teachers in schools,

something people, equipment, more money for fire
or stuff department

Take Remove source of One thing or Fire bad teachers, get rid of
something problem person causing poor textbooks
away problem

Educate Give information People don't Say No to Drugs campaign

about the problem know what to do
and solution

Make laws or Create a new law Current rules School dress code revised to
rules or rule, or reform don't solve require uniforms
existing rules problem

Enforce laws Provide a way to Current rules are School calls parents if students
or rules enforce or else adequate but don't adhere to dress code
provide more aren't enforced
resources (like
 Assumes Cause of
Solution How It Works Challenge
Problem is

more police or
money for
regulators) to
enforce existing
rules or laws

Change Change the way Something isn't Change meeting time from
method or something is done being done the Tuesday morning to Saturday
procedure or organized right way to get more people to come

Motivate Use advertising or People know Anti-smoking ads

emotional appeals what they should
to get people to do do, but don't do it
or not do
something

Build Give new facilities More buildings or Build a new football stadium
something or organization a new to encourage fan support
new organization is
needed because
nothing currently
existing will solve
problem

Work out a Get opposing sides Problem is mostly Trade agreement talks
compromise together to work lack of agreement between countries
out a mutual
agreement

Adapt a Take a solution that Current solution Adding taxes on cigarettes

solution that worked does not fit decreases smoking, so put a
works somewhere else problem tax on unhealthy snack foods
and apply it to this
problem

Change Present Attitudes are Parents give children money to

attitudes information or causing problem do chores
incentives to
 Assumes Cause of
Solution How It Works Challenge
Problem is

change the way

people feel about
situation

It is your turn…

Assumes Cause of
Solution How It Works Challenge
Problem is
Have more Create a death Punishment policies Corruption
competent penalty for are very weak
politicians corruption
Not legalize, but a regularization Illegality creates a Drug trafficking
regularize drugs creates low black- very profitable
market profitability black market
and government tax
revenue.

References

https://breakingnewsenglish.com/1704/170430-plastic-eating-waxworm.html

https://owlcation.com/academia/How-to-Write-a-Propose-a-Solution-Essay

Worksheet prepared by: Deisa Gómez. April, 2021