Unit 02

UNIT 02 NATURE adapt v. To adapt is to change something to make it easier to live in a certain place. This animal found a way to adapt to its surroundings. continent n.A continent is one of the major divisions of land on Earth. There are seven continents in the world. disaster n. A disaster is a sudden event that happens, such as a flood or tornado, and causes much destruction. The tornado was the worst disaster to ever hit the city. environment n.The environment is the natural world in which people, animals, and plants live. A rainforest needs a moist environment in order to thrive. flame n. A flame is a burning gas you can see when there is a fire. The flames burned hot in the fireplace. flood n. A flood happens when a large amount of water from a storm covers an area that is usually dry. The water from the flood reached the top of our front door. flow v.To flow is to move in a steady, continuous stream. We watched the water flow over the rocks. forecast n. A forecast is the weather that you think might happen in the future. The forecast calls for rain on Wednesday. freeze v.To freeze something is to bring it's temperature to or below 0°C. Water will freeze at 0 degrees Celsius. frozen adj. Frozen means that something is turned into ice. The frozen lake shimmered like diamonds.

global adj, Global means that it involves the whole world. Pollution and air quality is a global problem. humid adj, Humid means that it has a lot of moisture in the air. It was so humid outside that water dripped down the window. impact n. An impact is a powerful force, effect, or influence. The high winds had a terrible impact on the tall trees. landscape n. The landscape of a place is its distinct quality or appearance. The landscape we saw on our trip through England was incredibly beautiful. oxygen n. Oxygen is a chemical in the air that is necessary for breathing. The woman put on an oxygen mask because it was hard for her to breathe. peak n. A peak is the pointed top of a mountain. I could see the mountain peak above the clouds. polar adj. Polar means relating to the North or South Pole. This bear gets its name because it lives in a polar region of the world. rise v.To rise is to move upward. We watched the water rise an inch an hour. root n.A root is the part of a plant that usually grows under the ground. The giant root of the tree began growing above ground. underwater adj.Underwater means that something is located or takes place under the surface of the water. My dog decided to take a swim underwater.

A Letter from Far Away Dear Minjoon, Greetings from the southernmost continent! Yes, here I am in Antarctica. The landscape here is beautiful-if you like ice. Everything here freezes in a matter of minutes. The land is frozen, the water is frozen-the environment all around me is frozen! when I look out my window, I can see peaks of icebergs sticking up through the surface of the water. I know there are animals, like seals, whales, and penguins that swim underwater here, but I don't see how they do it. Just the idea of sticking a toe into the water makes me want to put on another sweater! But I guess over time, they've been able to adapt to this polar paradise. In some areas, however, I do notice that the ice is melting. It means frozen land is breaking apart. Today I saw some penguins leaping from one chunk of ice to another. The melting ice makes the water in certain areas rise and flow faster than normal, too. I guess that's the impact of global warming, and that's what I'm here to study. I can tell you that the first thing I want to do when I get home is to sit in front of a fire and watch the flames jump up and down as they warm my feet. I hope all is well with you. I'll write soon. Jia