CHANGING THE PLANET CH. 1 Flashcards
the cutting down of trees in a large area, or the destruction of forests by people
deforestation
the gas formed when carbon is burned, or when people or animals breathe out
carbon dioxide
the fact of soil, stone, etc. being gradually damaged and removed by the waves, rain, or wind
erosion
the process by which land changes into desert, for example because there has been too much farming activity on it or because a lot of trees have been cut down
desertification
a semi-arid area or climate (= general type of weather) has little rain but is not completely dry
semi-arid
very dry and without enough rain for plants
arid
to eat too much grass in an area or to have too many animals eating grass in an area, which damages the environment
overgraze
rain that contains large amounts of harmful chemicals as a result of burning substances such as coal and oil
acid rain
plants in general, or plants that are found in a particular area
vegetation
a natural or chemical substance that is spread on the land or given to plants, to make plants grow well
fertilizer
a chemical substance used to kill harmful insects, small animals, wild plants, and other unwanted organisms
pesticide
gases ejected from an engine as waste products
exhaust fumes
a large area of land covered with grass
grassland
a person who takes care of a large group of animals of the same type
herder
the young of an animal
offspring
a plant whose yellowish-brown grain is used for making flour, or the grain itself (pszenica)
wheat
Something easy to recognize because it is different from other things
distinctive
to change something, usually slightly, or to cause the characteristics of something to change
alter
to reduce something in size or amount, especially supplies of energy, money, etc.
deplete
to say something suddenly and without thinking, usually because you are excited or nervous
blurt something out
If something …, it causes people to approve of it or agree with it
strike a chord
approximately
roughly
to become four times as big, or to multiply a number or amount by four
quadruple
very interesting because of being unusual or mysterious
intriguing
a person in charge of a meeting or organization
chairman
the quality of being good and deserving praise
merit
a soft substance that is like a wet powder and consists of very small pieces of a solid material that have fallen to the bottom of a liquid
sediment
the process of becoming a fossil (= something preserved in rock for a very long period)
fossilization
the shape of a bone, a shell, or a plant or animal that has been preserved in rock for a very long period
fossil
the act of keeping something the same or of preventing it from being damaged
preservation
clearly or obviously
plainly
lasting for only a short time; temporary
transient
to understand something, especially something difficult
grasp
a powder, produced by the male part of a flower, that causes the female part of the same type of flower to produce seeds. It is carried by insects or the wind
pollen
using only black, white, and grey, or using only one colour
monochrome
a wide area of flat land without trees in Canada and the northern US
prairie
to discover the meaning of something written badly or in a difficult or hidden way
decipher
a process in which small pieces of a solid material fall to the bottom of a liquid and form a layer
sedimentation
a wall built across a river that stops the river’s flow and collects the water, especially to make a reservoir (= an artificial lake) that provides water for an area
dam
able to be seen or understood
discernible
to move or spread slowly out of a hole or through something
seep
to become an acid or to make something become an acid
acidify
to stop something bad from happening, or to keep an unwanted situation or person away, usually temporarily
stave something/someone off
to happen or make something happen sooner or faster
accelerate
in a fast or sudden way
rapidly
to last for a long time, usually longer than it should or longer than people expected
drag on
to prevent something bad from happening
avert
a drug used to treat fevers such as malaria
quinine
a house or place to live in
dwelling
