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Listen&Learn: Eutrophication

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Posted by: Jaksyn Peacock

Learn about a process commonly caused by fertilizers in lakes.

Pre-listening vocabulary

• nutrient: something that plants and animals need for energy and growth
• fertilizer: a substance that humans use to help crops and other plants grow
• algae: plants that grow on the surface of water
• deplete: to reduce the amount of something by using it all up
• suffocate: to die from a lack of air
• aquatic: relating to water

Listening activity

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Gapfill exercise

Eutrophication is a process where a body of fills up with plant nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus. This usually happens when rain washes crop fertilizers into a lake. The fertilizers, which use nitrogen to help plants grow, cause excess amounts of algae to grow on the of the water. This is called an algal bloom. When the algae die, bacteria use large amounts of to decompose the plant matter. This process is harmful because it depletes the lake’s oxygen, causing fish at the to suffocate. Eventually, the lack of oxygen can create an aquatic dead zone: a place where little to no aquatic can survive.

Comprehension questions

[wp_quiz id=”20787″]

Discussion/essay questions

1. Fertilizers are very useful for humans. They help us grow enough crops to feed large populations. Do you think that we can prevent eutrophication while continuing to use fertilizers? Why or why not?

Transcript

Eutrophication is a process where a body of water fills up with plant nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus. This usually happens when rain washes crop fertilizers into a lake. The fertilizers, which use nitrogen to help plants grow, cause excess amounts of algae to grow on the surface of the water. This is called an algal bloom. When the algae die, bacteria use large amounts of oxygen to decompose the plant matter. This process is harmful because it depletes the lake’s oxygen, causing fish at the bottom to suffocate. Eventually, the lack of oxygen can create an aquatic dead zone: a place where little to no aquatic life can survive.

Written and recorded by Jaksyn Peacock for EnglishClub

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13 comments

• English Club Indonesia says:
  

  To prevent eutrophication, we need fertilizers with other chemical substances.

• STEVEN says:
  

  I heard and read about Eutrophication

• Aissatou Sow says:
  

  Thank you

• Mariama kalokoh says:
  

  I learn more about Eutrophication

• Yaritza Alvarez says:
  

  thanks for the help.

• JHojaniluz Carrasquero says:
  

  thanks for you help

• Abnar says:
  

  Thanks so much for your helpful text , it helps us to increase our scientific information along with learning English.

• Claudio says:
  

  Listening is the most difficult skill for me, if I have a low-intermediate level or so in the other ones, I am a beginner in it.

• Claudio says:
  

  Listening is the most difficult skill for me, if I have a low-intermediate level or so in the other ones, I am a beginner in listen and understand.

• Samithra says:
  

  I want to more practice.i heard several times to this audio.but I could not fill last two blanks.

• Jorge Hernandez says:
  

  Always there is something new to learn.

• Reza says:
  

  Great,I learned a lot.

• Christine PENNEC says:
  

  GREAT ! INTERESTING!