Use of English

Protecting the Planet

Environmental protection is no longer a topic that can be pushed to the (0) MARGINS of public debate. As the effects of climate change become harder to ignore, governments, businesses and individuals are all being called (1) .......... to take responsibility. Yet meaningful progress depends not only on large-scale policies but also on a willingness to change everyday habits. People are often encouraged to cut (2) .......... on waste, reduce energy use and think carefully about the products they buy. These actions may seem minor in isolation, but taken together they can have a significant (3) .......... on the natural world. One of the main difficulties is that environmental damage is often gradual, making it easy for people to take resources for (4) ........... Forests are cleared, oceans are polluted and species disappear at a rate that would once have been unthinkable. Unless this trend is reversed, future generations may be left to deal with the (5) .......... of our inaction. For this reason, experts stress that education plays a vital role in encouraging people to act more responsibly and to see themselves as part of a wider (6) ........... Protecting the environment is not simply about avoiding harm; it is also about ensuring that communities can (7) .......... in the long term. If we fail to act now, the cost of repairing the damage will far (8) .......... any short-term economic benefit.