Vocabulary Topic: Environment and Nature (B1)

This B1 level topic focuses on acquiring the vocabulary needed to discuss aspects of the natural world, environmental issues, and related concepts.

Scope:

Building on basic A1/A2 nature words (e.g., boom - tree, bloem - flower, zon - sun, regen - rain), B1 expands this to include:

1. Landscapes and Natural Features:

• More specific terms: het bos (forest), de heuvel (hill), de berg (mountain), de kust (coast), het strand (beach), de rivier (river), het meer (lake), de woestijn (desert), het platteland (countryside).
• Related concepts: het landschap (landscape), de omgeving (surroundings).

1. Plants and Animals:

• Broader categories: het zoogdier (mammal), de vogel (bird), het insect (insect), de vis (fish), de plant (plant).
• Common specific examples relevant to the region or general knowledge.
• Terms related to farming/agriculture: de boerderij (farm), het gewas (crop).

1. Weather and Climate:

• More nuanced weather descriptions: bewolkt (cloudy), zonnig (sunny), winderig (windy), mistig (foggy), de storm (storm), de hittegolf (heatwave), de temperatuur (temperature), het klimaat (climate).
• Natural phenomena: de overstroming (flood), de droogte (drought), de aardbeving (earthquake).

1. Environmental Issues:

• Pollution: de vervuiling (pollution), luchtvervuiling (air pollution), watervervuiling (water pollution), het afval (waste), het plastic (plastic).
• Climate Change: de klimaatverandering (climate change), de opwarming van de aarde (global warming), de uitstoot (emission), broeikasgassen (greenhouse gases).
• Conservation and Solutions: het milieu (environment), beschermen (to protect), duurzaam (sustainable), de duurzaamheid (sustainability), recyclen (to recycle), de energie (energy), hernieuwbare energie (renewable energy - e.g., zonne-energie, windenergie).
• Nature conservation: het natuurgebied (nature reserve), bedreigde diersoorten (endangered species).

Skills Developed (B1):

• Describing the natural environment around you.
• Discussing the weather in more detail.
• Understanding and talking about basic environmental problems (e.g., pollution, waste).
• Expressing opinions on environmental topics.
• Understanding news reports or texts about nature and the environment.

Learning Focus:

• Acquiring specific nouns, verbs, and adjectives related to these sub-topics.
• Learning relevant compound nouns (e.g., luchtvervuiling, klimaatverandering).
• Practicing using this vocabulary in descriptive sentences and discussions.