تلوّث الهواء والأرض · Programme: Sequencing events · Grammar: Linkers (so, therefore, because…)
By the end of this lesson, I can:
- I can name kinds of air and land pollution and their effects on health.
- I can tell events in order with first, then, after that, finally.
- I can join a cause and a result with because, so, therefore, as a result and that’s why.
- I can pronounce the letter “u” in different words (sun, fumes, glue, burn).
🖼️ Picture dictionary قاموس مصوّر
tap 🔊 to listen📚 كلمات الدرس
12 كلمة من هذا الدرس في القاموس المدرسي: المعنى بالعربية والفرنسية، والنطق، ومثال.
📖 Read: One smoky spring in our neighbourhood (school newspaper) أقرأ
By Yassine Ferchichi, 9th year
Last spring, something strange happened in our neighbourhood. First, a small paint factory near the market started working day and night. It released thick grey fumes into the air, so the sky above our houses became dirty. Then, on a hot day without wind, a brown cloud of smog covered the streets. Many old people stayed at home because they had breathing problems. My little sister got a skin rash after she played in the garden.
After that, some workers dumped empty barrels of solvents and glues on the waste land behind our school. These products are inflammable. Therefore, a small fire started there one afternoon. Luckily, the firefighters came quickly. Later, the rain carried the chemicals into the soil and, as a result, the grass and young trees died.
Finally, our class wrote a letter to the town council. Two weeks later, officials visited the factory and it had to put filters on its chimneys. The air is cleaner now. But remember: pollution travels far. Some gases cause acid rain, and others damage the ozone layer. That’s why we must all act early!
Do you understand? أفهم
Answer in your copybook first, then check.
- What did the paint factory release into the air?
Answer
Thick grey fumes.
- Why did many old people stay at home?
Answer
Because they had breathing problems caused by the smog.
- What happened after the workers dumped the barrels?
Answer
A small fire started, because solvents and glues are inflammable.
- What was the result of the chemicals in the soil?
Answer
The grass and young trees died.
- How did the story end?
Answer
The class wrote to the town council, officials visited the factory and it put filters on its chimneys.
🧩 Grammar القواعد
Linkers join two ideas. Some introduce a cause (why?), others introduce a result (what happened then?).
- because + cause: The air is dirty because factories release fumes.
- so + result (after a comma): Factories release fumes, so the air is dirty.
- Therefore, / As a result, / That’s why + result (usually at the start of a new sentence): Glue is inflammable. Therefore, keep it away from fire.
To tell events in order, use sequencing words: first – then – after that – finally.
because تُقدّم السبب، أمّا so / therefore / as a result / that’s why فتُقدّم النتيجة. ولترتيب الأحداث نستعمل first ثمّ then ثمّ after that وأخيرًا finally.
Cause or result?
| Linker | It introduces… | Example |
|---|---|---|
| because | 🔎 a cause | Fish died because the river was polluted. |
| so | ➡️ a result | The river was polluted, so fish died. |
| therefore | ➡️ a result (formal) | The river was polluted. Therefore, fish died. |
| as a result | ➡️ a result | The river was polluted. As a result, fish died. |
| that’s why | ➡️ a result (spoken) | The river was polluted. That’s why fish died. |
Same idea, two directions
CAUSE so RESULT = RESULT because CAUSE
People burn rubbish, so the air smells bad.
The air smells bad because people burn rubbish.
Telling events in order
| Step | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 1️⃣ | First, | First, the factory opened. |
| 2️⃣ | Then, | Then, smoke covered the town. |
| 3️⃣ | After that, | After that, people got ill. |
| 4️⃣ | Finally, | Finally, the factory put filters on its chimneys. |
Put a comma after First, Then, After that, Finally, Therefore, As a result at the start of a sentence. No comma after That’s why.
💬 Useful expressions عبارات مفيدة
Sequencing events
Giving causes and results
🔊 Pronunciation النطق
Worked examples أمثلة محلولة
Try first, then read the solution.
Join the two sentences with so: Paints are inflammable. You must keep them away from fire.
Step-by-step solution
- The first sentence is the cause; the second is the result.
- Put a comma before so, then add the result.
✓ Paints are inflammable, so you must keep them away from fire.
Rewrite with because: The factory released toxic fumes. As a result, people had headaches.
Step-by-step solution
- Find the result: people had headaches.
- because comes before the cause.
- Result + because + cause.
✓ People had headaches because the factory released toxic fumes.
Order and link: (a) The fish died. (b) A truck spilled oil into the river. (c) Volunteers cleaned the river.
Step-by-step solution
- The cause comes first: (b).
- Its result: (a).
- The solution comes last: (c).
✓ First, a truck spilled oil into the river. Then, the fish died. Finally, volunteers cleaned the river.
⚠️ Common mistakes أخطاء شائعة
⭐ Remember أحفظ
- Air pollution: fumes, smog, acid rain, holes in the ozone layer.
- Land pollution: dumped waste, chemicals in the soil.
- because + CAUSE; so / therefore / as a result / that’s why + RESULT.
- Order events with first, then, after that, finally.
- The letter u sounds different: sun /ʌ/, fumes /juː/, glue /uː/, burn /ɜː/.
Quick quiz اختبار سريع
4 questions · instant feedback1. Choose the right linker: The air is polluted … factories release fumes.
2. Which linker introduces a RESULT?
3. Which word means a mix of smoke and fog over a city?
4. In which word does “u” sound like /juː/?
✍️ Write: Project step 1: a pollution problem near you أكتب
Choose one pollution problem in your town or village (smoke, rubbish, a dirty beach, noise…). Write a short paragraph that tells how the problem started and what its effects are.
Steps
- Name the place and the problem.
- Tell the events in order with first, then, after that, finally.
- Give at least two results with so, therefore or as a result.
- End with one idea to solve the problem.
A model text to compare with (after writing mine)
There is a big problem near my village: people burn plastic rubbish. First, some families started to leave their bags near the old olive trees because the rubbish truck did not come often. Then, someone set fire to the bags to get rid of them. The smoke is black and smells terrible, so many children cough at night. After that, the wind carried the ash into the fields. As a result, the olives are dirty and farmers are angry. Finally, our teacher helped us write to the mayor. We hope the truck will come twice a week. That’s why we must sort our rubbish and never burn it.
One good example among many: compare, don’t copy.
😊 The lighter side استراحة
Prevention is better than cure.
What gets dirtier the more it washes?
Answer
Water.
Why did the cloud stay at home? It was feeling a little under the weather!
✅ Exercises تمارين
All exercises →6 exercises on three levels, with new questions every time.
- Choose the right answerTo do
- ClassifyTo do
- Situation 1To do
- Situation 2To do
Practise: Air and Land Pollution
True or false, complete, choose, classify and situations: instant correction with explanations.
Got the lesson? Try it yourself
6 exercises · instant correction · new questions every time
Start the exercisesPictures: Twemoji (CC-BY 4.0). Texts, explanations and exercises: Scolaire.tn.