The World Around Us
Environment, global issues, and extended discussion. The Sunday group debates which problem they would solve first — climate, inequality, migration, technology — and finds they're all connected.
📖 Reading: The Sunday Debate
"If you could solve one global problem," Maya asked the group, "what would it be?"
"Climate change," said Priya without hesitation. "It's the issue that underpins all the others. If the planet isn't habitable, nothing else matters."
"I'd say inequality," said Omar. "The gap between the richest and poorest is growing. Until that changes, most other solutions are just patches on a wound."
"I think about migration a lot," said Maya. "Including my own. People move because they have to or because they want a better life. Both are valid. But the way the world talks about migration is often dehumanising."
"And technology," said Leo. "I keep coming back to technology. Not as a problem but as a context. Everything is shaped by it now — politics, work, relationships, identity."
"These aren't separate issues," said Priya. "Climate change affects migration. Inequality shapes who benefits from technology. Everything is connected."
"So what do we do?" asked Leo.
"We have these conversations," said Maya. "We notice. We stay informed. We choose, where we can."
"And we make good coffee," added Leo.
"The coffee," said Omar seriously, "is also a global supply chain issue. Everything connects."
"I stand corrected," said Leo, and went to the machine.
🔑 Vocabulary Box
Eight key words from this lesson.
| Word | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|
| underpin | To be the main support or foundation for something | v. — Climate change underpins all other issues. |
| habitable | Suitable for living in | adj. — If the planet isn't habitable, nothing matters. |
| inequality | Unjust difference in status, rights, or opportunities | n. — Inequality is growing globally. |
| dehumanising | Treating people as if they are not fully human | adj. — Migration is often discussed in dehumanising terms. |
| supply chain | The system by which a product moves from production to customer | n. — Coffee is a global supply chain. |
| informed | Having access to and understanding of relevant information | adj. — We should stay informed. |
| context | The wider situation or circumstances surrounding an event | n. — Technology is a context, not just a tool. |
| patch | A temporary fix that doesn't address the root problem | n. — Most solutions are just patches on a wound. |
📚 Key Verbs & Structures in This Lesson | |
underpin | Climate change underpins all other global issues. |
connect | Everything connects — climate, inequality, migration. |
stay informed | We should stay informed about global issues. |
make a difference | Can individuals make a real difference? |
📚 Grammar Focus
📚 Vocabulary for Global Issues | |
Environment | climate change, carbon emissions, sustainability, renewable energy |
Inequality | wealth gap, social mobility, access, privilege, poverty |
Migration | displacement, refugee, asylum seeker, integration, identity |
Technology | artificial intelligence, automation, digital divide, surveillance |
Useful Structures for Global Issues Discussion
📚 Useful Structures for Global Issues Discussion | |
Cause and effect | Climate change is causing / has caused / will cause... |
Problem-solution | The issue of X can be addressed by / through... |
Concession | Although X is important, Y is equally / more pressing. |
Personal stance | As someone who has... / In my experience... / I feel strongly that... |
🎭 Dialogue: One Problem to Solve
Each friend names one global issue they would solve first. The conversation lands on a single insight: the issues aren't separate, and the language we use shapes the solutions we offer.
If you could solve one problem in the world, what would it be?
Climate change. Without a habitable planet, nothing else matters.
I'd say inequality. It underpins almost everything else.
What about technology? AI is changing everything.
These aren't separate. Climate change affects who migrates. Inequality shapes who benefits from AI.
As someone who migrated, I'd also add: how we talk about people who move.
The language we use shapes the solutions we offer.
So: change the language, change the world?
Practice Exercises
3 questionsNew exercises to reinforce what you learned. Different from the lesson material.
What global issue does Priya choose, and why?
What does Omar say about inequality?
How does Maya talk about migration in relation to herself?
Practice Exercises
3 questionsNew exercises to reinforce what you learned. Different from the lesson material.
Definition: 'habitable'
Definition: 'dehumanising'
Definition: 'underpin'
🎭 Now It's Your Turn — Mini-Debate
Hold a structured mini-debate with a partner on one of these questions:
- Should wealthy countries do more to address climate change than developing ones?
- Is technology a solution to global inequality or a driver of it?
- Should borders be more open or more controlled?
- Student A: Argue one position.
- Student B: Argue the opposite.
- Rules: use discourse markers, opinion phrases, concession language, and at least 4 vocabulary words from this lesson.