ENGL102: HTM (Advanced)

Semester 2, 2020

UNIT 2
The Environmental
Impact of Tourism

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2A Reading Comprehension
A. Previewing Vocabulary
Word Example
A. competitor a person/organization that competes against others
B. distort to twist or change things
C. justify to give an explanation or excuse for something
D. omit to not include something
E. portray to show somebody/something in a picture
F. precision the quality of being exact
G. principal most important; main
H. prominent easily seen
I. scale the size or level of something
J. white lie a small lie normally told not to upset another person

(I) Complete the sentences using the words above (word form may be different).
1. Some people ___ themselves as rich and happy on social media websites.

2. I told my wife a ___ because I didn't like the dinner she prepared.

3. The ___ reason for joining the college was that I wanted a new career.

4. The mother should have had more of a ___ role in supporting her child.

5. Their prices are better than any of the other ___.

6. He could not ___ to the bank manager why he needs more money.

7. Her name was ___ from the list because she did not pass the exam.

8. He ___ the picture so it doesn't look like the actual one.

9. ___ is a matter of great importance to calligraphers.

10. What is the ___ of the problem? It can't be so bad.

(II) Find the words from (I) in the reading passage. What is the precise meaning in
the given context?

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B. Reading Passage

Environmental Impact of Tourism

To provide services to visitors, a tourism area must first develop with precision the necessary
infrastructure to support these services. Infrastructure is the underlying foundation or basic
framework for a system or organization. In the case of tourism, infrastructure includes roads,
ports and airports, and utilities which principally relates to electricity, water and sewage
systems. In addition, superstructures will be needed. The superstructures of tourism are the
facilities directly associated with serving visitors’ needs such as welcome centers, hotels,
restaurants, car rental facilities, tour company offices, and retail establishments. Without
these structures in place, it would be difficult to compete against any competitors.

Obviously, the scale of development of the infrastructure and superstructure necessary for
tourism will have an impact on the environment. However, the impact can be minimized
with good design and planning. For example, the use of underground lines for utilities can
retain the more natural look of vistas, whereas appropriate design of buildings, in terms of
colors, height, signage, and landscaping, may even enhance their beauty. Many resort
communities have ordinances that require harmony in architecture, color, and signs so that
human-made structures blend into the natural setting. All decisions pertaining to these
issues need to be justified. For example, in Sedona, Arizona, architecture, color schemes,
and signs must follow design restrictions so that the community fits into its awe-inspiring, red-
rock formation setting. Unfortunately, such design foresight does not always occur. In the
earlier days of tourism development in Hawaii, hotels were built along the beautiful beaches
of Oahu with little regard to the “scenic impact” they would have. Today, these hotels
completely block the view of the ocean. Developers of the other islands of Hawaii have
learned from the mistakes made, and regional planners and developers are now more
careful with their designs.

A substantial increase in the number of people using an area’s resources is likely to have a
detrimental impact on the environment. This impact may simply be annoying, such as
increased traffic or crowded parks; but the impact may be severe enough to cause harm and
distort a fragile natural area. For example, the Taman Negara National Park in Malaysia is
suffering from the impacts of human intervention as visitor numbers have exploded. This
astounding increase in tourists has made wildlife scarce, and the forests’ floors have become
littered with garbage. Likewise, Banff National Park, Canada’s oldest national park,
continues to suffer from the millions of visitors it receives annually. Many places in its tundra
wilderness have been trampled on by so many hikers that in places the route resembles a
boggy like a 20-foot-wide cattle trail.

Air pollution can become a problem with the increased level of vehicle traffic in an area,
along with other activities that cause air-quality problems. For example, the congestion of
cars through Yosemite National Park causes the very air pollution that visitors try to escape
by fleeing to national parks. Some communities have taken serious steps to try to reduce the
other forms of air pollution that can be caused by tourism’s success. In the mountain valleys

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of the Rockies, it is now common for towns to prohibit hearth fires on many winter days,
because wood smoke is so dense and dissipates very slowly.

In addition to air pollution, noise pollution is becoming a new problem in many communities,
especially with the relocation and/or expansion of airports. Noise pollution is even a problem
at the Grand Canyon. Each year, about 80,000 scenic flights take tourists low over the
canyon, creating an airplane buzz that disrupts the tranquility of its splendor. Campaigners
claim that visitors are told white lies so as to not deter them from coming. In 2000, to restore
peace and quiet, Utah’s Zion National Park became the first park outside Alaska to ban nearly
all cars. Tourists now take shuttles from the visitor center to experience the natural sights in
the canyon. Similar limitations have been put in place around the world, including the Jiuzhai
Valley National Park, China.

Light pollution is another issue that has a close relationship with the tourism industry. The
infrastructure and superstructure that support tourism contributes to pollution through the
conveniences and safety that artificial light provides tourists. It has been estimated that over
99% of the population in the 48 contiguous United States lives in an area with light pollution.
The desire to see the night sky without pollution has created a new target market of dark sky
tourism. National Parks such as Yosemite, Acadia, and Death Valley have developed night
sky interpretive programs in order to be portrayed under this banner of tourism. Dark sky
tourism must be proactively managed in order to avoid development that contributes to light
pollution, thereby reducing the ability to see the very resource that attracts the tourists.

Possibly most damaging, however, is the impact that can occur to vegetation, wildlife, and
precious historical attractions. Unplanned or poorly planned development can lead to the
endangerment of flora (vegetation) and fauna (wildlife) species and to the erosion of the very
sites that are the destination’s reason for being. For example, the government of Egypt is
excavating more of the dozens of pharaoh burial sites in the hope that by providing more
sites, they can reduce the amount of tourist traffic that has become prominent around the
Great Pyramids in Giza. Each year, millions of visitors troop through the most famous
pyramids, worsening the water vapor problem that causes salt to leach from the stones and
weaken the structures.

Historic site deterioration can occur in more modern locations as well. Many historic towns
in the United States have applied the brakes to tour buses rolling through their streets. For
example, New Orleans officials stopped all tour bus access to the French Quarter owing to
the damage inflicted on the delicate architecture by the vibration of hundreds of buses
passing through the narrow streets. Other cities are considering similar restraints. Virtually
every year, the National Park Service considers limiting the number of people travelling into
Yosemite National Park to the extent of even omitting locals. In the meantime, roads have
been upgraded to allow better bus access through the park to try to encourage visitors to
leave their cars outside. Mesa Verde, a world-famous archaeological site of early Native
American settlements, limits access to the more popular ruins by utilizing tickets. As the
market for tourism grows, carrying capacity and means to enhance it will be a major concern
for planners and managers.
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(I) For each statement, write (T) for true, (F) for false, or (N) for not given.

Statement T/F/N

1. People can travel to Yosemite National Park to get away from air
pollution.
2. Ticket prices are not cheap in Mesa Verde.

3. Serious issues such as overcrowding at parks can result from a dramatic

increase in the number of tourists.
4. The terms 'superstructures' and 'infrastructure' have different meanings.

5. In the past, more care was taken to ensure that the superstructure blends
well with the natural surroundings of an area.
6. Artificial lights in cities contribute to light pollution.

7. The millions of people visiting the pyramids in Egypt has resulted in

damage to vegetation.
8. Noise pollution is worse than light pollution.

(II) Summarise the passage above in approximately 60 - 80 words.

 focus on the key ideas
 do not copy the text
 use synonyms

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(III) Complete the sentences using the underlined words from the reading passage.
Use each word once.

Pollution is a growing global problem that is being addressed by government

________________________ at all levels. It certainly concerns the tourism industry as it

unfortunately contributes to this problem. ________________________ must ensure that

they have the necessary ________________________ and ________________________

in place to at least limit the density of pollution within the locality. It is in their interest as

________________________, or the number of tourists, may depend on how well

governments are tackling these issues. For instance, the popularity of

________________________ is growing by the day, but if ________________________,

due to artificial lighting, is not controlled then such countries cannot take advantage of this

new revenue.

People no longer desire to visit a polluted area no matter how interesting the historical

________________________ are with ruins dating back centuries. They want to

experience a ________________________ which is free from

________________________ and full of ________________________ such as rare birds.

This can only happen with the implementation of strict ________________________ that

enforces tough penalties upon those who fail to obey the law.

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2B Critical Thinking
A.

Use the reading passage from 2A to suggest solutions for the problems listed below.
Cite the tourist location from the reading passage which has taken the same course
of action. Would this work in Saudi Arabia? Why/Why not?

Air pollution
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Noise pollution
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Light pollution

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Human-made structures not blending into the natural setting

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B. Tourism in Action: Venice

Environmental and cultural issues are not restricted to natural destinations. One of the world’s
most beautiful and historic cities—Venice, Italy—is suffering from tourism’s success. This
cradle of European civilization, 1,500 years old, includes incredible riches in terms of art,
architecture, and history. Ten million visitors each year travel to it and marvel at its beauty.
So what’s the problem? The problem for Venice is its location and its size.

Venice is an island city, constructed on pilings sunk into the sea and connected by causeway
to the rest of Italy. The ancient city is a mere three square miles in size, with a permanent
population of only 70,000 residents. And the streets were built hundreds of years ago, which
virtually prevents the use of cars, buses, and trucks. Its famous canals and gondolas are a
prime form of transit, but they, too, are small. Each day between 50,000 and 150,000 tourists
descend on the city and crowd the streets to the point that simply walking across a town
square becomes nearly impossible. This overcrowding is taking its toll on more than just citi-
zens’ blood pressures. The amount of garbage and trash is massive and difficult to dispose
of due to the city’s size, location, and lack of transportation options. And the crowds of visitors
are taking their toll on the ancient buildings, palaces, and other historic places.

Solutions that are being considered include selling tickets and limiting the number of guests
who can visit the city each day, as well as allowing only tours that follow differing itineraries
so that the crowds are more evenly spread through the streets and the city’s monuments.

(I) The last paragraph provides three solutions for Venice. List some advantages
and disadvantages in the form of a T-Chart.

(II) What do you think is the best solution? Why?

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2C Passives, Gerunds and Infinitives

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2D IELTS Writing Task 1: Graphs
Exercise 1
Look at the chart. Choose the correct responses to the questions.

1. What is being measured in the chart?

o movement from the city to the countryside
o movement from the countryside to the city
o the number of people living in Country A, Country B and Country C
2. How is the number of people measured?
o 100s
o 1000s
o 1,000,000s
3. What is the most noticeable trend?
o Movement increased a little.
o Movement increased considerably.
o Movement increased in only two countries.
4. According to the chart, what is a prediction for the future?
o Country C will have a bigger population than Country A.
o More people will live in rural areas in Country A.
o Movement in Country B will remain stable.

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 5. What would be appropriate to include in conclusion / summary of this chart?
o In conclusion, there has been a noticeable increase in the number of people moving to
cities.
o In summary, Country B will stay the same.
o Overall, the number of people moving to the countryside has increased dramatically.

Exercise 2
Look at the chart. Choose the correct adverbs to complete the sentences.
1. Between 2000 and 2015, Country B’s population movement gradually/ markedly/ surpris-
ingly increased from 10 million to about 25 million.
2. By 2025, the number of people moving from the countryside to the city in Country B will
have tailed off dramatically/ inconsistently/ slightly to around 30 million people.
3. Since 2005, the movement from rural to urban areas in Country C has risen gradually/ signifi-
cantly/ steadily , reaching about 80 million in 2020.
4. The number of people leaving the countryside for the city in Country C is expected to surpass
the number in Country A and continue to climb predictably/ sharply/ slowly , reaching
about 95 million in 2025.
5. Between 2015 and 2020, the number of people moving from rural to urban areas in Country
A is expected to rise abruptly/ markedly/ steadily from just over 70 million to just under 80
million. However, it is predicted to have fallen behind Country C by 2025.

Exercise 3
Look at the chart. Complete the sentences. Use the words in the box.

as many more much than

1. ____________ people – 70 million – left the countryside of Country A for the city in 2015.

2. The chart shows that the movement of people in Country B is generally ____________ lower
than in the other two countries.
3. There were fewer ______________ 20 million people moving from the country to the city in
each of the three countries in 2000.

4. By 2025, _____________ people will be moving to cities in Country C than in each of the
other two countries shown in the chart.

5. In 2006, about 35 million people in Country A moved, while Country C experienced more or
less the same movement ____________ Country B, at approximately 15 million.

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Exercise 4
Look at the chart. Correct the underlined mistakes in the sentences. Use the words in the
box.

between by during for since

1. Since 2025, the number of people in Country C moving from the countryside to the city will
have exceeded 90 million.
2. Country B experienced a steady increase in movement from rural to urban areas for the years
2000 to 2015.
3. There has been a large increase in population movement in all three countries by the figures
began being recorded in 2000.
4. From 2010 and 2015, the number of people moving to urban areas in Country A climbed dra-
matically.
5. The number of people moving to urban areas in Country C and Country A will increase dur-
ing the foreseeable future.

Exercise 5
Look at the chart. Choose the correct words to complete the summary paragraph.
Overall, all three countries drawn/ pictured/shown in the chart have seen a predictable/ significant/
surprising population movement from the countryside to the city, with the as/most/much noticeable
changes being in Country C and Country A. It is predicted that this trend will continue to 2025 in
both these countries. However, Country B will experience a fluctuation/ levelling off/ remain con-
stant of movement at around 30 million people in/since/to 2020 .

Exercise 6
Look at the chart. Complete the sentences. Use the words in the box.

could possibly is more than likely it is certain that probably won’t will

1. By 2025, the population movement from rural to urban areas in Country C will have
nearly doubled since 2015, and the number of people moving _____________ most likely
continue to rise.
2. The trend for Country B ______________ to continue to remain the same at about 30 million
people.
3. Regarding Country C and Country A, ________________ many people prefer to live in cities
rather than villages.
4. Country A’s population movement figures ________________ fall further behind Country
C’s in the years after 2025.
5. Overall, it is fair to say that the number of people moving from rural to urban areas
_______________ remain the same in Country A and Country C in the years after 2025.

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Exercise 7
Look at the chart. Do the sentences contain accurate or inaccurate information? Choose
True or False.

1. Country A’s population movement fluctuated before 2015 and is predicted to rise in the next
few years.
o True
o False
2. The movement of people from villages to cities in Country B is forecast to peak in 2020, and
will probably decline in the foreseeable future.
o True
o False
3. From a low figure of below 10 million people in 2000, the number of people expected to
move from the countryside to cities in Country C will probably exceed 100 million in the
years after 2025.
o True
o False
4. Country C had fewer people moving to cities than Country B and Country A in 2005, and in
2025 there will also be fewer people moving to cities in Country C than in these countries.
o True
o False
5. Country C experienced a steep rise in the number of people leaving the countryside for the
city between 2005 and 2015; the number increased from about 10 million to about 50 million,
and this trend is likely to continue well into the next decade.
o True
o False

Exercise 8
Look at the chart. Is the information given in the sentences shown in the chart? Choose Yes
or No.

1. Country B is an extremely large country, but it will have the lowest population of the three
countries in 2025 at about 30 million; Country A and Country C will have populations of 85
million and 95 million, respectively.
o Yes
o No
2. Country C is going to have the same amount of internal migration as Country A by 2020,
with about 80 million people moving from the country to the cities in both countries accord-
ing to the chart.
o Yes
o No

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 3. Country A is the only African nation to experience a significant movement of people from
rural to urban areas.
o Yes
o No
4. Country C’s urban population is expected to increase well into the next century, by approxi-
mately 120 million.
o Yes
o No
5. After 2005, the number of people relocating from the countryside to the city in Country B is
always significantly lower in comparison with the other two countries shown in the chart.
o Yes
o No

Exercise 9
Look at the chart. Choose the summary that is appropriate, developed and clear.
o A In conclusion, obviously, there is a dramatic increase in the population moving in the time
period shown in the chart. You can see that this trend is likely to increase in all three coun-
tries. Country C should surpass 100 million in the next few decades. Country B will stay the
same during the years of 2020 and 2025 and possibly after this as well. We can also conclude
that the population of all three countries will also increase in the future.

o B Overall, all three countries show a rising urban migration trend, with the most notable in-
crease being for Country C, initially showing the smallest migration but expected to become
the highest around 2020 and in the years beyond.

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Exercise 10

WRITING TASK 1

You should spend 20 minutes on this task.

The chart below shows the movement of people from rural to urban areas in three countries and pre-
dictions for future years.

Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make compari-
sons where relevant.

Write at least 150 words

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