Pull

'topullapart'meanstoseparatetwoormorethings.
Ididn'tlikethedresswhenIhadfinished,soIpulleditapartandstartedagain.
Theteacherhadtopullthetwoboysaparttostopthemfighting.
'topullapart'canalsomeantocriticiseanideaorsomethingwritten.
Shepulledmyargumentapartinaboutthirtyseconds.
Thenewspapercriticspulledhislatestnovelapartsayingitwasn'tasgoodashislast.
'topullaway'iswhenavehiclestartsmoving.
Heknockedthecyclistoverashewaspullingawayfromthejunction.
ThebuspulledawayjustasIarrivedatthestop.
'topullback'meanstomovesomethinginabackwardsdirection.
HethoughtIwasstandingtooclosetotheedgesohepulledmeback.
WhenIpulledbackthecovers,Ifoundalittlekittenhiddeninthebed.
'topulldown'meanstodemolishabuildingorotherstructure.
Theoldtheatrewaspulleddownandreplacedbyablockofflats.
Theypulleddownalotofhouseswhentheybuiltthenewringroadaroundthecity.
'topulldown'canalsomeantomovesomethingfromahigherpositiontoalowerone.
ThesunwasshininginmyeyessoIpulleddowntheblinds.
HerTshirtwastooshort.Shehadtokeeppullingitdowntocoverherstomach.
'topullin'iswhenavehicleisdriventoaplacetostop.
Thebank'soverthere.Stopandpullinbehindthatcar.I'llgetouthere.
Wehaveverylittlepetrolleft.We'llhavetopullinatthenextservicestationandget
some.
'topullin'canalsomeantoattract.
He'saverypopularsingeratthemoment.Hecanpullinanenormouscrowd.
Themusicfestivalpullsinhugenumbersoftouristseveryyear.
'topulloff'meanstosucceedindoingsomething.
We'llmakealotofmoneyifwecanpulloffthisdeal.
Idon'tknowhowgoodsheis.Doyouthinkshecanpullitoff?
'topullon'meanstoputonclothesquickly.
Comeon,getdressed.Pullonasweaterandlet'sgo.
WhenIarrivedhewasalmostready.Hewasjustpullingonhishatandgloves.

'topullout'meanstoextractsomething.
Itwasverypainful.Thedentistpulledouttwoofmyteeth.
Somebodyhadpulledsomepagesoutofthebook.
'topulloutof'meansdecidenottocontinuewithanactivityoragreement.
Wesignedacontract.Wecan'tpulloutofthedeal.
Theypulledoutofthenegotiationsafteronlytwohours.
'topullout'isusedwhenavehicledrivenoutofaplaceintotheroad.
Ididn'tseethemanonthebicycleasIwaspullingoutofthecarpark.
Thecarpulledoutinfrontofthebus.
'topullover'meanstodriveacartothesideoftheroad.
ThecarwasmakingastrangenoisesoIpulledovertohavealookatit.
Ipulledovertoasksomeonetheway.
'topullthrough'meansrecoverafteraseriousillness.
ThedoctorcametotellmethatJohnwouldpullthrough.
Nobodythoughthe'dpullthroughaftertheaccident.
'topullyourselftogether'meanstoregaincontrolofyouremotions.
Stopcrying.It'stimetopullyourselftogether.
Hetookalongtimetopullhimselftogether.
'topulltogether'meanstocooperateandworkasagrouptoachievesomething.
Wecandothis,ifweallpulltogether.
Wehavetopulltogetherduringdifficulttimes.
'topullup'isusedwhenacarslowsdownandstops.
Itstartedtorainjustaswepulledupinfrontoftherestaurant.
AtaxipulledupjustasIcameoutoftheairport.
'topullup'achairmeansyoumoveitinordertositdown.
Comeandjoinus.Pullupachair.
Hepulledupachairandsatdown.
'topullup'alsomeanstocriticisesomeonewhentheymakeamistake.
Ifyoumakeamistake,theywillpullyouuponiteverytime.
He'salwayspullingmeuponmygrammar.

PresentPerfect
(PleasenotethatBritishandAmericanEnglishhavedifferentrulesfortheuseofthistense.The
explanationandexerciseshererefertoBritishEnglish.InAmericanEnglish,itisoften
acceptabletousethepastsimpleinsomeoftheseexamples.)
Weusethepresentperfectwhenwewanttolookbackfromthepresenttothepast.
Wecanuseittolookbackontherecentpast.
I'vebrokenmywatchsoIdon'tknowwhattimeitis.
Theyhavecancelledthemeeting.
She'stakenmycopy.Idon'thaveone.
Thesalesteamhasdoubleditsturnover.
Whenwelookbackontherecentpast,weoftenusethewords'just''already'ortheword'yet'
(innegativesandquestionsonly).
We'vealreadytalkedaboutthat.
Shehasn'tarrivedyet.
I'vejustdoneit.
They'vealreadymet.
Theydon'tknowyet.
Haveyouspokentohimyet?
Havetheygotbacktoyouyet?
Itcanalsobeusedtolookbackonthemoredistantpast.
We'vebeentoSingaporealotoverthelastfewyears.
She'sdonethistypeofprojectmanytimesbefore.
We'vementionedittothemonseveraloccasionsoverthelastsixmonths.
They'veoftentalkedaboutitinthepast.
Whenwelookbackonthemoredistantpast,weoftenusethewords'ever'(inquestions)and
'never'.
HaveyoueverbeentoArgentina?
Hasheevertalkedtoyouabouttheproblem?
I'venevermetJimandSally.
We'veneverconsideredinvestinginMexico.

DesertsofAmerica

LargepartsofthewesternUSAarecoveredindesertandthese
desertsaregrowing.
TheUnitedStateshaslongbeenreluctanttofollowtheleadofotherdevelopedcountries,in
recognisingthethreatofglobalwarmingindeed,whilethingsareslowlychanging,thereisstill
astronglobbyofconservativethinkersintheUSAwhoarguethatglobalwarmingisnot
manmade,sothereisnopointinbotheringaboutit.Butasdramaticclimaticexcessescause
increasingdamageonAmerica'scoasts,andinlandtoo,theproblemsarebecomingtoobigto
ignore.

SanddunedesertinColorado.

IFGLOBALWARMINGturnsouttobeasseriousassomescientistsarenow
forecasting
,
camelsmightbecometheanimalsbestabletoliveinmuchoftheAmericanWestbythetime
thepresentcenturycomestoanend.Ameantemperatureriseofsixdegrees,whichcertain
computermodelsarenowsuggesting,mightleavemuchoftheUnitedStatesofAmerica,from
theMississippitothePacificcoast,uninhabitable.
Inrecentyears,AmericanslivinginpartsofTexas,ArizonaandNewMexicohavehadto
get
usedto
evermorefrequentsummerdayswithtemperaturesinexcessof100Fahrenheit(over
38Celsius)andmostyearsnow,longhotdrysummersareleadingtothedestructionbyfireof
millionsofacresofWesternforests.Slowly,butperceptibly,theWestisalreadyreturningto
desertitisatrendthat
seemsliableto
continue.
Nooneshouldreallybeverysuprisedaboutthis,evenwithouttheadditionalproblemsdueto
globalwarming.Waybackin1878,JohnWesleyPowell,oneoftheearlyexplorersofthe
desertsoftheSouthwest,warnedofthedangersofsettlingthenewlandstothewestofwestof
the100thmeridian.PowellsubmittedawarningtoCongresstothiseffecttenyearslater,butas
oftenhappens,shorttermeconomicinterests,nottosay
vestedinterests
,meantthatPowell's
warningwasnot
heeded
.
Inthosedays,theareanowknownasthe"GreatPlains"wasmorecommonlyreferredtoas
theGreatDesert.FromtheRioGrandetotheCanadianborder,largepartsofthisregionwere

virtuallyuninhabitedanduninhabitable.Movingsandduneswereacommonfeatureofthe
landscape,particularlyinyearsoflowrainfall.Yetdespitethe
inhospitality
oftheterrain,from
themidnineteenthcenturyonwardstheareawasprogressivelycolonizedbysettlerswhomade
useofanywatercoursepossible,toestablishfarmsandhomesteads,usingirrigationand
groundwatertomakeupforthedrynessoftheland,orgrowingplantssuchas
alfalfa
whichdid
notrequiretoomuchrainfall.
Gradually,likeamiracle,the
taming
ofthedesertbegan.Inthetwentiethcentury,amassive
dam
buildingprogrammewassetinmotion.Inmanycases,thedambuildingwasona
gargantuanscale:ontheColumbiaRiveralone,asmanyas55damswerebuilt,includingthe
colossalGrandCouleedamandalthoughafewearlyenvironmentalistspointedtothe
sheer
follyofmanyoftheprojects,theirswereliterallyvoicesinthe
wilderness
.Manypowerful
businessmenandspeculators,oftenwithfriendsinCongress,whohadmuchtogainfromthe
damprojectsandthegenerousfederalsubsidiesthatoftenaccompaniedthem,madesurethat
oppositiontotheirprojectswas
stifled.

LakePowell,initsdesertlandscape.Waterislow.

Ironically,100yearstothedayafterheexploredthespectacularGlenCanyononthe
ColoradoRiver,Powellwashonoredinamannerthatmusthavemadehimturninhisgrave
the250kilometerlonglakethathaddrownedthecanyonwasnamedLakePowell.
Thankstothedamsandtheirrigation,agriculturebegantoflourishinareaswhereitshould
neverhaveflourished,andmillionsofsettlersmovedintotheregion,establishingtownsand
citiesthatputfurtherpressureonthearea's
scarce
waterresources.
Nowseriousproblemsarearisingtheleveloftheregion'smainundergroundwatertable,the
OgallalaAquifer,isfalling,anditssalinityisincreasingtensofthousandsofacresoflandhave
alreadybeentakenoutofagriculture,andthedesertsareonceagainspreadingout.
Today,theremainsoftheGreatAmericanDesertcoveranareaofsome227,000km2,
mostlyinCalifornia,ArizonaandNevadathisisthelandofcactiandyuccas,"JoshuaTrees"
creosotebushes,andtheother
drought
resistantplantsthatcansurviveinthishotaridregion
butthe"
sagebrush
desert"stretchesmuchfurther,andsanddunesand"badlands"arefound
asfarnorthasSouthDakota.

AttheheadofanowfertilevalleyinColorado,GreatSandDunesNationalMonument,the
largestareaofdunesintheUSA,standsasaveryvisiblereminderthatitwillnottakemuchto
bringbackthedesertsthatoncecoveredalargepartoftheAmericanWest.Asixdegreerisein
averagetemperaturescouldbemorethanenoughtodojustthat.

WORDS
alfalfa
:lucerne
dam
:barrage
drought
:dryness
forecast
:predict
getusedto:
become
accustomedto
heed
:respect
inhospitality
:qualityofbeingunsuitableforhumanhabitation
seemsliableto
:mayperhaps
sagebrush
:alowbushthatcoverslargearidareasofthe
Americanwest
scarce
:rare
sheer
:total
stifle
:stop
taming
:domestication
vested
interests
:personalinterests
wilderness
:desert

SavetheEverglades

Trueorfalsequestions
Herearesixstatements:readthearticle,anddecidewhichonesaretrue,andwhicharefalse.

1.Thewesterndesertwasmuchlarger200yearsagothanitistoday.(T/F)
2.Themaincauseofthedesertificationofthewestisglobalwarming.(T/F)
3.LakePowell?isnamedforJohnWesleyPowell,whofirstdiscoveredit.(T/F)
4.GrandCouleedamisoneofmanydamsontheColumbiaRiver.(T/F)
5.AgricultureisnottheonlybiguserofwaterintheAmericanwest.(T/F)
6.TheOgallalaAquiferisalargeandpopularlake.(T/F)

Carefulreadingforinformation
Herenowisaparallelversionofthethreefirstparagraphsofthearticle.Readitcarefullyin
mostcases,theinformation,thoughexpresseddiffrerently,hasthesamemeaningasthe
originalbutintencases,thisisnotthecase,andthesecondtextsayssomethingdifferent.
Underlineallthecases

wheretheinformationgiven
isnotthesameas
theinformation
presentedintheoriginalarticle.

IFGLOBALWARMINGbecomesasseriousassomescientistsarenowpredicting,
camelsmightbecometheanimalsmostsuitedtolivinginalargepartoftheAmerican
Westbytheyear2200.Anaveragetemperatureincreaseofsixdegrees,whichcertain

computermodelsarenowsuggesting,mightleavemuchoftheUSA,fromtheMississippi
tothewestcoast,uninhabited.
Theselastfewyears,AmericanslivinginpartsofTexas,ArizonaandMexicohavehad
toaccustomthemselvestoincreasinglyfrequentsummerdayswithtemperaturesover
100Fahrenheit(nearly38Celsius)andandmostyearsnow,longhotsummerswithout
rainareleadingtothedestructionbyfireofmillionsofacresofWesternforests.Slowly,
butinvisibly,theWestisalreadyrevertingtodesertitisatendencythatseemscertainto
continue.
Noonecouldreallybeverysurprisedaboutthis,evenwithoutthebigproblems
causedbyglobalwarming.Aslongagoas1878,JohnWesleyPowell,oneofthefirst
explorersoftheSouthwesterndeserts,warnedofthedangersofcultivatingthenewlands
tothewestofthe100thmeridian.PowellsubmittedawarningtoCongressonthispoint
tenyearslater,butasoftenhappens,shorttermeconomicconsiderations,nottosay
vestedinterests,meantthatPowellswarningwasnotread.

ESLTEFLConversationTopicsandQuestionsEnvironmentandPollution
Aretherelitterlawswhereyoulive?Ifso,whatisthepenaltyforlittering?
Doyouthinkcarsshouldbebannedfromcitycenters?
Doyouthinkpeopleshouldrecyclenewspapers?Whyorwhynot?
Doyouthinktherearelessonstolearnfromnature?
Howhastheworldchangedsinceyouwereachild?(technology,values,environment,health)
Howoftenisgarbagecollectedinyourneighborhood?
Ifhumansarereallyintelligentandnotsimplymanipulatedbytheirgeneslikeanyotheranimal,
whycan'ttheydoanythingaboutoverpopulation?
Whataresomethingsthatcanberecycled?Whataresomethingswhichyourecycle?
Whataresometypesofpollution?
Whataresomewaysthatyoucanreducepollutioninthiscountry?Whatcanyoudotohelp
preventpollution?
Whatcanyoudotomakethisworldabetterplace?
Whatdoyouthinkofpeoplewhosmokecigarettesindoors?
Whichismoreimportant,increasingpeople'sstandardofliving,orprotectingtheenvironment?
Thinkofasituationinyourareainvolvingthisissue.Whichsidewouldyouchoose?
Whodoyouthinkismoreresponsibleforpollution,individualpeopleorthegovernment?
Explain.

Whatisthemostimportantissuefacingtheenvironmenttoday?
Doyouknowaboutanyantipollutionprogramsinyourcommunity?
Whataboutprogramsinyournativecountry?
Doyouusuallydrinkbottledwater?WhyorWhynot?
Ifyoucouldchooseonealternativeenergysourcetodevelopwhichonewouldyou
choose?Why?
Arecompaniesmoreorlessenvironmentallyresponsiblenowthantheywereinthepast?Why
doyouthinkthatis?
Doyouthinkrecyclingisanimportantcommunityservice?Doyourecycle?
Whoshouldpayforthecostsassociatedwithrenewableenergy?
Shouldwemakethedevelopmentofrenewableenergysourcesaneconomicpriority?
Whataresomewaysenergyiswasted?
Whattypesofenergyarepopularinyournativecountry?
Whatisthemainproblemwithrenewableenergysources?
Whatcanlargecitiesdotoimprovetheirairquality?
Howcanweprotecttheenvironmentandatthesametimeimprovepeople'sstandardofliving?
Doyouthinkoverpopulationisanimportantenvironmentalissue?Whyorwhynot?
ShouldanenvironmentallevybeimposedonSUVsnotusedinthefarmingcommunity?
Howwouldthishelptheenvironment?
Shouldgasformotoristsbemoreexpensive?
Whatwouldbetheadvantagesanddisadvantagesofthis?
Dothinkglobalwarmingisreal?
Doyouthinkthisisaneffectofpollution?
Areworriedaboutglobalwarming?
Ifyouliveonanislandoronthecoastdoesthisincreasethedangerfromglobalwarming?
Why?
What'shappeningtoforestsintheworld?
Whathappenswhenweremoveforests?
Whatcanwedotoprotectforests?
Whyshouldwerecycle?
Doesyourlocalgovernmentmakeiteasyorhardforcitizenstorecycle?
Aretherepeopleinyourcountrywhomaketheirlivingfrompickingupotherpeople'sgarbage?
HowispollutionaffectingtheenvironmentoftheUnitedStatestoday?
Howaboutyourowncountry?