Unit 2

The atmosphere

Extra activities:
Name:
Class: Group: Date:
1. Link the gases on the left with the percentage that each one of them represents in the total amount
of air that we breathe.
Gas

Air percentage

1) Oxygen

a) 78%

2) Carbon dioxide

b) From 0 to 4%

3) Nitrogen

c) 0.9%

4) Argon

d) 21%

5) Water vapour

e) 0.035%

2. Fill in the gaps in the following text:

The Earths atmosphere is divided into five main
are: troposphere, stratosphere,

. From lowest to highest, they

, thermosphere and

The troposphere extends from the Earths surface to an average height of about 12 km. It comprises
between 75-

% of the mass of the atmosphere. It is the layer where most

take place because all atmospheric water

with increasing altitude. It may be
the

phenomena

is found here. The

declines

C on the Earths surface and -60C in

3. Indicate whether the following statements are true or false. Correct the false ones.
a) The movement of air in the atmosphere can be vertical or horizontal.
b) Winds blow from depression to anticyclone regions.
c) Anticyclones are low pressure areas.
d) At night, sea breezes blow from the sea towards land.
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e) In cyclones, masses of hot air rise from the Earths surface.

4. Observe the following image and answer the

1016

questions.
a) What is it? How is it made?
b) What will the weather be like in England? And
in the south of Italy?

1020

c) What are the maximum and minimum

atmospheric pressure values?

A
1024

1020

B
1000

1016
1012

1008

1004

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Unit 2

The atmosphere

5. Unscramble the letters to form the missing words:

a) Low pressure areas are called

. spdesresino

b) The cold air that pushes air masses down towards the Earths surface is known as an
. Its a high-pressure area. yaiceclnont
c) The

is a set of atmospheric conditions that exist for a short period of time

(a few days). aerhetw

d)

is the study of weather. oetemoyrlgo

e) The prediction of future weather conditions is called a weather

f) A

6.

. ocrefats

is a very strong wind. lgea

Listen and repeat. Mark the stress.

a) Atmosphere.

d) Climatology.

b) Anticyclone.

e) Cloudiness.

c) Depression.

7. Link the description with the type of pollution it causes.

Description

Type of pollution

1. Rise in the average temperature of the Earth, due to the

excessive emission of greenhouse gases.

a) Light pollution

2. CFCs emissions.

b) Global warming

3. Combination of solid particles with humidity in the air,

generating a very toxic fog.

c) Acid rain

4. Combination of nitrogen and sulphur oxides, caused by

human activity and which reacts with humidity in the air.

d) Ozone layer hole

5. Not being able to see the stars at night in a city.

e) Smog

8. Complete the text using the following words: waste, cities, sources, diseases, particles, animals,
Air pollution is the introduction of

, biological molecules or other harmful materials into

Earths atmosphere.
Air pollution may come from man-made
industries,

such as: power plants, cars, planes,

deposits, aerosol sprays or from natural sources: volcanic activity,

methane from the decomposition of waste by

, radon gas from

,
decay

within the Earths crust, and so on.

Air pollution causes many negative effects in human beings:

, allergies, lung cancer, or

even death.
The most polluted
Tianjin (China).

30

in the world are: Cairo (Egypt), Delhi and Kolkata (India) and

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dust, radioactive.

The atmosphere

Unit 2

9. Choose the correct words to write complete sentences.

a) Gamma rays and X rays are absorbed in the thermosphere/exosphere.
b) In the stratosphere, the carbon dioxide/ozone layer absorbs dangerous ultraviolet rays.
c) Clouds reflect or absorb part of the solar radiation in the troposphere/thermosphere.
d) The energy reflected/absorbed by the Earth is approximately 46%.
e) The amount of energy absorbed by clouds is 4/8%.

10.

Listen and fill in the gaps to complete the text.

Acid

is an unusually acidic precipitation. It is caused by emissions of two types of

: nitrogen oxide and sulfur

. Both of them react with water vapour in the

atmosphere to produce

acid and sulphuric acid, respectively.

Acid rain has many

effects: corrosion of steel structures,

statues.

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beings, such as asthma and bronchitis or the weathering of

in human

31