Nature & the Environment

1. Which environmental problems are people most concerned about in your country?

   여러분의 나라에서 사람들이 가장 우려하는 환경 문제는 무엇인가요?

2. Do you think protecting natural places is important?

   여러분은 자연환경을 보존하는 것이 중요하다고 생각하나요?

3. Do you think it is the responsibility of governments alone to protect the environment?

   환경을 보호하는 것이 정부만의 역할이라고 생각하나요?

4. How can we teach children about the importance of protecting the environment?

    아이들에게 환경을 보호하는 것의 중요성을 가르치려면 어떻게 해야 할까요?

5. What do people enjoy doing when they visit rivers, lakes or the sea?

     Why do you think these activities are popular?

    사람들이 강, 호수, 바다를 가면 무엇을 하며 즐기나요? 그런 활동이 왜 인기 있다고 생각하나요?

6. How important is it for a town or city to be located near a river or the sea?

     마을이나 도시가 강이나 바다 옆에 위치하는 것이 얼마나 중요한가요?

7. Have there been any changes in the number of jobs available in fishing and water transport  industries, do you think?

   어업이나 해운업 관련 일자리 수에 어떤 변화가 있었나요?

< Sample answer >

1. Which environmental problems are people most concerned about in your country?

Right…There are various environmental issues that weigh on people’s minds in Korea… Um, firstly, Korea’s developing at an electrifying speed, so there’s a lot of industrial activity and… factories release harmful gases into the atmosphere… So often there’s a great deal of smog and the public suffer from respiratory problems. Also… those fumes contribute to the destruction of the ozone layer, which contributes to the greenhouse effect and global warming or climate change. So basically… there are a few things the public is concerned about.

2. Do you think protecting natural places is important?

Uh, of course… I might need a few seconds to collect my thoughts… Environmental conservation is vital for several reasons… Firstly, I think it’s important to respect animal rights… I mean, often the destruction of animal habitats occurs because of industrial development or pollution, and we’ve got no right to do that… The earth doesn’t belong to humans – we share it with wildlife. Next… the ecosystem is an incredibly delicate thing – if one species goes extinct because the environment is destroyed, other species could die out as well, and that could lead to our own extinction, too… So yeah, I reckon it’s essential.

3. Do you think it is the responsibility of governments alone to protect the environment?

Well, no… The government should play an active role in environmental conservation, but individuals and companies need to do their bit too… In terms of individuals, we should make sure to recycle our own waste and encourage others to do the same… When it comes to businesses, it’s their responsibility to deal with industrial waste in an environmentally-friendly way. For example… Plenty of companies simply dump toxic waste into the sea which harms marine life, and that needs to stop. So basically the public and enterprises needs to participate in the protection of the environment as well as the government.  

4. How can we teach children about the important of protecting the environment?

OK… Parents and schools are key influences when it comes to children… Parents could encourage an environmentally-friendly lifestyle by recycling and conserving energy at home, and instilling the same habits in their kids… At school, children could learn about ways to conserve electricity such as how to properly insulate your home, and they could also study the ill effects of human activity on the environment such as climate change… So those are a few ways.

5. What do people enjoy doing when they visit rivers, lakes or the sea? Why do you think these activities are popular?

Well… I suppose people enjoy doing a variety of things…Active people tend to participate in water sports like waterskiing or surfing… Those sports are a good way to cool off in the summer… On the other hand, other people sometimes go to rivers or the sea to unwind… So they engage in more relaxing activities like sunbathing, reading, or fishing… So those are a few things people do.

6. How important is it for a town or city to be located near a river or the sea?
Erm… I’ve never thought about that one before… I guess I could take Seoul as an example… In terms of spirituality, Seoul was founded between a mountain and a river because it’s good fengshui and allows humans to live peacefully… And on an economic level, port cities and riverside cities tend to be prosperous because they are important centres for trade… Also, when it comes to leisure, rivers and the sea are perfect places for citizens to unwind… So overall I’d say there are various advantages to founding a city or town near a river or the sea.

7. Have there been any changes in the number of jobs available in fishing and water transport industries, do you think?

OK… That’s a tough one…I suppose that overall, the number of jobs has declined… I mean, in terms of the fishing industry, although fishing is extremely important for economies around the world, the development of technology has reduced the number of employees necessary when slaughtering fish, for example… And when it comes to the water transport industry, more people are travelling by plane or train, and cruises are less popular, so I guess there are fewer jobs there too. So in general, perhaps the employment rate has decreased.

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