Listening
Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
- surpass / sərˈpæs / (v.) – to be better or greater than someone or something
Example:The young painter’s talent surpassed others in the competition and won first place.
- threshold / ˈθrɛʃ oʊld / (n.) – the point or level at which something begins or changes
Example:If the temperature goes below the threshold of freezing, water will turn to ice.
- erosion / ɪˈroʊ ʒən / (n.) – the process in which the ground or rocks are slowly changed or damaged by things like wind, rain, or water
Example:The heavy rain caused erosion on the hillside, and some of the soil washed away.
- eject / ɪˈdʒɛkt / (v.) – to push or force something out of something else
Example:The volcano started to eject hot rocks and ash, so people were asked to leave their houses to stay in a safe place.
- stark / stɑrk / (adj.) – very simple or empty, especially with no decoration or anything extra
Example:His room was stark and cold, with plain white walls and no pictures or colors.
Article
Read the text below.
Harmful bleaching of the world’s coral has grown to include 84% of the ocean’s reefs in the most intense event of its kind in recorded history, the International Coral Reef Initiative (ICRI) announced in April.
It’s the fourth global bleaching event since 1998, and has now surpassed bleaching from 2014-17 that hit some two-thirds of reefs, said the ICRI, a mix of more than 100 governments, non-governmental organizations and others. And it’s not clear when the current crisis, which began in 2023 and is blamed on warming oceans, will end.
“We may never see the heat stress that causes bleaching dropping below the threshold that triggers a global event,” said Mark Eakin, executive secretary for the International Coral Reef Society.
Last year was Earth’s hottest year on record, and much of that is going into the oceans.
That’s deadly to corals, which are key to seafood production, tourism and protecting coastlines from erosion and storms. Coral reefs are sometimes dubbed “rainforests of the sea” because they support high levels of biodiversity—approximately 25% of all marine species can be found in, on and around coral reefs.
Corals get their bright colors from the colorful algae that live inside them and are a food source for the corals. Prolonged warmth causes the algae to release toxic compounds, and the coral ejects them. A stark white skeleton is left behind, and the weakened coral is at heightened risk of dying.
The bleaching event has been so severe that NOAA’s Coral Reef Watch program has had to add levels to its bleaching alert scale to account for the growing risk of coral death.
Efforts are underway to conserve and restore coral but scientists say it’s essential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that warm the planet, such as carbon dioxide and methane.
“The best way to protect coral reefs is to address the root cause of climate change. And that means reducing the human emissions that are mostly from burning of fossil fuels … everything else is looking more like a Band-Aid rather than a solution,” Eakin said.
This article was provided by The Associated Press.
Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.
Discussion A
- The coral bleaching event has now surpassed the damage from 2014-17, affecting 84% of the world’s reefs. Do you believe it is still possible to restore the coral reefs? Why or why not? What actions do you think should be taken to protect coral reefs in the future? Discuss.
- Coral reefs support high biodiversity, often described as “rainforests of the sea.” How do you think losing coral reefs would affect both marine life and humans? Do you think your country’s economy would be strongly affected if coral reefs were destroyed? Why do you say so? Discuss.
Discussion B
- In the article, Eakin says that “everything else is looking more like a Band-Aid rather than a solution.” What do you think he means by that? What do you think are the risks of only using Band-Aid solutions for serious problems, like climate change or pollution? Discuss.
- In your opinion, why is it sometimes easier for people or governments to choose short-term fixes instead of solving the root cause of a problem? Do you think it’s better to wait and fix a problem completely, or are quick, urgent solutions more important? Why? Discuss.
