Save the Earth!

Imagine the forest near your town disappears. What should people do? What must the government do?

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أنقذوا الأرض! · Programme: Giving advice; obligation; prohibition · Grammar: should, ought to, must, don’t…

By the end of this lesson, I can:

  • I can give advice with should / shouldn’t and ought to.
  • I can express obligation with must and prohibition with mustn’t and Don’t…
  • I can talk about forests, wild creatures and how to protect them.
  • I can hear and say /ʌ/ (hunt), /ɑː/ (park) and /ɔː/ (law).

🖼️ Picture dictionary قاموس مصوّر

tap 🔊 to listen
🪓logging قطع الأشجارIllegal logging destroys large parts of the forest every year.
🛑to prevent يمنع / يتفادىWe can prevent forest fires if we don’t leave rubbish behind.
👮offender مخالف للقانونOffenders who cut trees illegally must pay a fine.
🐾creatures مخلوقات / كائنات حيّةThe forest is home to thousands of creatures.
🏹hunter صيّادThe hunter waited for hours behind a rock.
🛡️safe آمنWild animals are safe in a national park.
😔regret ندم / أسفHe killed the bird without regret.
✈️jet طائرة نفّاثةA jet uses a lot of fuel to cross the sea.
🥗diet نظام غذائي / حِميةA healthy diet includes fruit and vegetables every day.
🔥forest fire حريق غابةA cigarette can start a forest fire in summer.
💶fine غرامة ماليةYou must pay a fine if you throw rubbish in the street.
🐢endangered مهدّد بالانقراضSea turtles are endangered in the Mediterranean.

📚 كلمات الدرس

12 كلمة من هذا الدرس في القاموس المدرسي: المعنى بالعربية والفرنسية، والنطق، ومثال.

📖 Read: Ask Amira! – the eco-advice page of a teen magazine أقرأ

🧒
Aziz, 14, SfaxMy uncle is a hunter. Last week he shot a beautiful bird without any regret. What should I tell him?
👩
AmiraYou should talk to him calmly. Explain that many creatures are endangered. Hunters must respect the hunting seasons, and they mustn’t kill protected species. Tourists fly thousands of kilometres by jet to see wild animals — we ought to protect the ones near us!
👧
Lina, 15, Aïn DrahamEvery month, I see trucks full of trees leaving our forest. I’m sad and angry.
👩
AmiraIllegal logging is a crime. You should write to the forest office with photos and dates. The authorities must punish offenders and plant new trees. And everyone can help prevent fires: don’t light fires in the forest and don’t leave glass bottles behind.
🧑
Rayen, 16, TunisI want to go on a diet, but I love chips and fizzy drinks. Help!
👩
AmiraYou shouldn’t stop eating — that is dangerous. You ought to eat more vegetables, fruit and legumes, and you should drink water instead of fizzy drinks. A healthy body and a healthy planet go together: local food is good for both!

Do you understand? أفهم

Answer in your copybook first, then check.

  1. What did Aziz’s uncle do?
    Answer

    He shot a beautiful bird without regret.

  2. What mustn’t hunters do?
    Answer

    They mustn’t kill protected species.

  3. What should Lina do about the logging?
    Answer

    Write to the forest office with photos and dates.

  4. Give two ways to prevent forest fires from the text.
    Answer

    Don’t light fires in the forest; don’t leave glass bottles behind.

  5. What advice does Amira give Rayen?
    Answer

    Don’t stop eating; eat more vegetables, fruit and legumes and drink water instead of fizzy drinks.

🧩 Grammar القواعد

All these words are followed by the base verb (except ought to).

  • Advice (a good idea): should / shouldn’t, ought to — You should plant a tree. You ought to recycle.
  • Obligation (necessary, a rule): must — Offenders must pay a fine.
  • Prohibition (not allowed): mustn’t or the imperative Don’t … — You mustn’t hunt here. Don’t litter!

should وought to لإسداء النّصيحة، must للإلزام (يجب)، mustn’t أو Don’t للمنع (لا يجوز / ممنوع). يأتي بعدها الفعل في صيغته الأصليّة.

Advice, obligation, prohibition

FunctionWordsExample
💡 adviceshould / ought toYou should switch off the lights. We ought to walk more.
💡 negative adviceshouldn’t / ought not toYou shouldn’t waste water.
📏 obligationmustFactories must clean their waste.
🚫 prohibitionmustn’t / Don’t …You mustn’t cut the trees. Don’t pick the flowers!

How strong is it?

From advice to rule
should / ought toa good idea
mustnecessary
mustn’t / Don’tforbidden 🚫

Signs in the park

🪧 Read the signs
  • 🚯 Don’t drop litter.
  • 🔥 You mustn’t light fires.
  • 🐕 Dogs must be on a lead.
  • 🌼 Visitors should stay on the paths.

💬 Useful expressions عبارات مفيدة

Giving advice

You should … You ought to … You shouldn’t … If I were you, I would … Why don’t you …?

Obligation and prohibition

You must … You mustn’t … Don’t …! It’s forbidden to … … is not allowed.

🔊 Pronunciation النطق

/ʌ/
huntermustsunlove
/ɑː/
parkcarheartplant
/ɔː/
lawwarnsmallmore

Worked examples أمثلة محلولة

Try first, then read the solution.

Example 1Give advice

Your friend often leaves the tap open while he brushes his teeth. Give him advice.

Step-by-step solution
  1. It is advice, not a rule: use should.
  2. Should + base verb.

✓ You should close the tap while you brush your teeth.

Example 2Rule or prohibition?

Sign: 🚫🔥 in a forest. Write the rule in two ways.

Step-by-step solution
  1. It is a prohibition.
  2. Use mustn’t, or the imperative Don’t.

✓ You mustn’t light fires in the forest. / Don’t light fires in the forest!

Example 3Correct the sentence

You ought eat more vegetables.

Step-by-step solution
  1. ought is always followed by to.
  2. ought to + base verb.

✓ You ought to eat more vegetables.

⚠️ Common mistakes أخطاء شائعة

❌ You should to recycle.✅ You should recycle. — no to after should / must.
❌ You ought recycle.✅ You ought to recycle. — ought always needs to.
❌ He musts pay a fine.✅ He must pay a fine. — no -s on modals.
❌ You don’t must hunt here.✅ You mustn’t hunt here. — the negative of must is must not / mustn’t.

⭐ Remember أحفظ

  • should / ought to + verb = advice; shouldn’t = negative advice.
  • must + verb = obligation; mustn’t / Don’t … = prohibition.
  • No -s and no to after should and must; but ought TO.
  • Logging, hunting and fires threaten forests and their creatures.
  • /ʌ/ hunter – /ɑː/ park – /ɔː/ law.

Quick quiz اختبار سريع

4 questions · instant feedback

1. Which sentence gives ADVICE?

2. Complete: You ought … plant more trees.

3. A person who breaks the law is an…

4. Which word has the sound /ɔː/?

✍️ Write: Rules for a green school أكتب

Your school wants to become a “green school”. Write a short text with advice, obligations and prohibitions for pupils and staff.

Steps
  1. Start with one sentence about why the school must be green.
  2. Give two or three pieces of advice with should / ought to.
  3. Write two rules with must and two prohibitions with mustn’t or Don’t.
  4. End with a slogan.
0 wordsYour text is saved automatically in this browser.
A model text to compare with (after writing mine)

Our school is our second home, so we must keep it clean and green. Every pupil should bring a reusable water bottle, and classes ought to switch off the lights at break time. Teachers should encourage us to use both sides of the paper. Everybody must put waste in the right bin, and the cleaners must water the trees twice a week in summer. You mustn’t write on the desks or the walls. Don’t pick the flowers in the school garden and don’t leave the taps running. Remember: a green school is a happy school!

One good example among many: compare, don’t copy.

😊 The lighter side استراحة

💡
Proverb

Don’t cut the branch you are sitting on.

🧩
Riddle

What has roots that nobody sees, and is taller than trees?

Answer

A mountain.

😄
Joke of the day

Why did the tree go to the dentist? To get a root canal!

✅ Exercises تمارين

All exercises →

6 exercises on three levels, with new questions every time.

Level 2Practice
Level 3Challenge

Practise: Save the Earth!

True or false, complete, choose, classify and situations: instant correction with explanations.

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Pictures: Twemoji (CC-BY 4.0). Texts, explanations and exercises: Scolaire.tn.

Lesson 14 · 6 exercisesPractise now