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Innovation in Learning

A A GENERAL ISSUES

Population science
Lesson code: NVD1-8VBB-84ED-P INTERMEDIATE

1 Warm-up
The global population is growing rapidly. What problems do you think this could cause in the future?

2 Key words
Match the following words and phrases to their correct definitions:

1. the developing world a. a guess at the size or number of something

2. secondary education b. something that encourages you to do something
3. primary education c. the countries which have less developed economies in Africa,
Southeast Asia and South America
4. fertility rate d. the education of children between the ages of 11 and 18 years old
5. environmental resources e. the education of children between the ages of 5 and 11 years old
6. estimate f. the number of babies each woman has
7. child mortality g. the number of deaths of children within a particular time
8. incentive h. things that exist naturally such as plants, water, oil, etc. which
people can use

3 Find the information

Read the article `Educate girls to stop population rising' and find the following information:

1. The present global population

2. The expected global population in 2050 according to current trends
3. The global population in 2050 according to United Nations estimates
4. The average current fertility rate
5. The estimated average fertility rate in 2050
6. The percentage of Indian boys put through secondary education
7. The percentage of Indian girls put through secondary education
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Population science
A A A A
`Educate girls to stop population rising'
If girls stayed longer at school, they would have fewer children, professor says.
By Steve Connor, Science editor, Thursday, 4 December 2008
1 The sudden growth in the global population could
be limited significantly if teenage girls in the
developing world were given the opportunity of
completing a secondary school education, says a
leading expert in human numbers.
2 "A secondary school education is one of the most
important factors that causes them to have fewer
babies in later life," said Joel Cohen, Professor of
Populations at the Rockefeller University in New
York. That could cut the expected growth in the
human population by as much as three billion by
2050. The present global population is 6.7 billion
but will rise to as much as 11.9 billion by then if
current trends continue. "Secondary education
motivates people to have fewer babies, it
improves the survival of their children and
improves their ability to care for their own and
their families' health," Professor Cohen said.
3 "Education promotes a shift from the quantity of
children to the quality of children. This reduces the
future number of people using environmental
resources and therefore people and societies can
cope with environmental change more easily."
4 The growth in human population will worsen
environmental problems as more people compete
for limited food, water and land. Attempts at
limiting growth have concentrated on providing
birth control to women, but secondary female
education is seen as increasingly important. The
United Nations estimates that the world population
will hit 9.1 billion by 2050 and that most of this
increase will be in developing countries in Africa
and Southeast Asia. But this "medium" estimate is
based on fertility rates, which will decrease from
2.55 children per woman today to slightly over
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Innovation in Learning
GENERAL ISSUES
two children per woman by 2050.
5 If each woman has, on average, half a child more
than the UN estimates, then by 2050 the world
population may be as high as 10.8 billion. If each
woman has half a child less, it may be as low as
7.8 billion, Professor Cohen said. "Secondary
education can influence that outcome
dramatically. Although other factors exist, women
in developing countries who complete secondary
school have at least one child fewer per lifetime
than women who complete primary school only."
6 "A reduction in child mortality is one way in which
education leads to lower fertility rates. Parents
who are more confident of the survival of their
children have reduced incentives to have many
children," Professor Cohen said. Unfortunately, in
many developing countries, boys are significantly
more likely than girls to go to secondary schools.
In India, for example, 58 percent of boys are sent
to secondary school, and only 47 percent of girls.
7 Professor Cohen said that if the international
community helped to fund the education of girls in
the developing world, it would be possible to limit
global population. "For the next several decades,
almost all rises in numbers of people will occur in
the cities of the less developed regions. This large
shift presents an opportunity: it will be easier to
reach the added children, and to attract and retain
their teachers."
8 "Universal, high-quality primary and secondary
education is achievable within 25 years.
Educating all children well is an affordable and
achievable way of developing people who can
cope with problems."
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Population science
Innovation in Learning

A A A A GENERAL ISSUES

4 Checking understanding
Answer the following questions:

1. What can limit the growth in the global population according to Professor Joel Cohen?
2. What problems will global population growth cause?
3. What has been provided to limit population growth?
4. Where will most of the population increase be?
5. In what way does a reduction in child mortality influence the number of babies that women have?
6. Is the professor optimistic about limiting population growth? Why/why not?

5 Find the word

Find words or phrases in the text that mean:

1. increasing (verb -ing, TITLE)

2. a change or movement (noun, P3 and P7)
3. deal successfully with a difficult situation (verb + preposition, P3 and P9)
4. efforts to achieve something difficult (plural noun, P4)
5. the result of an action or situation (noun, P5)
6. provide money to pay for an event, activity or organization (verb, P7)
7. keep or continue to have someone or something (formal verb, P7)
8. not too expensive

6 Grammar - 1st and 2nd conditional

Look at the following sentences and answer the questions below:

First conditional
The present global population will rise to as much as 11.9 billion by then if current trends continue.

If each woman has, on average, half a child more than the UN estimates, then by 2050 the world
population may be as high as 10.8 billion.

1. Do the above sentences refer to an unlikely situation in the future or a possible situation in the future?
2. Which form of the verb is used in the if clause?
3. Which verb forms or structures are possible in the result clause?
4. What other words or phrases can be used instead of if?
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Population science
Innovation in Learning

A A A A GENERAL ISSUES

Second conditional
If girls stayed longer at school, they would have fewer children
If the international community helped to fund the education of girls in the developing world, it
would be possible to limit global population.
The sudden growth in the global population could be limited significantly if teenage girls in the
developing world were given the opportunity of completing a secondary school education.

1. Do the above sentences refer to an unlikely situation in the present or future or a possible situation in
the future?
2. Which form of the verb is used in the if clause?
3. Which verb forms or structures are possible in the result clause?
4. What are the contracted forms of I would, you would, he would, etc.?

7 Grammar practice
Now complete the sentences below using the correct form of the verb in brackets. Decide if each of
the sentences requires a first or second conditional.

1. If the global population (continue) to grow, one day there (be) serious
environmental problems.
2. We (not/need) to worry about global population growth if we (have)
more environmental resources.
3. Unless we (control) the growth in global population, pollution and traffic congestion
(worsen).
4. If we (run out) of oil in the future, we (have to) rely on other sources of
energy.
5. If it (rain) more in some countries in the developing world, there (be)
fewer droughts.
6. What (we/do) when we finally (use up) all of the Earth's resources?
7. If more women (hold) positions of power, there (be) fewer wars.
8. As soon as the global economy (recover), people (start) to spend
more money again.
9. If advances in medicine and science (continue), people (live) longer.
10. Life (be) much more difficult if we (not/have) electricity.
11. If people (not/drive) their cars so much, cities (be) less polluted.
12. Farmers in developing countries (earn) a decent living if they (receive)
a fair price for their produce.
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Population science
Innovation in Learning

A A A A GENERAL ISSUES

Work in pairs. Look at the following situations. Decide if they are impossible/unlikely or possible and
form a conditional sentence for each one.

e.g. If it rains this weekend, I won't go out.

If I had a vacation next week, I'd go to Portugal.
It will rain this weekend.
You will have a vacation next week.
You speak 10 languages.
You will win the lottery.
Your country will win the football World Cup.
You will go out tonight with some friends.
You will live in another country.
You will meet the president of your country.
You will be late for your next lesson.
You will become fluent in English.

8 Talking point
Discuss the following questions:

1. Are there any parts of your country that are overcrowded? What problems does this cause?
2. Are people having more or fewer children than in the past in your country? What are the reasons for
this? What problems could this cause in the future?

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Population science - Key
Innovation in Learning

A A A A GENERAL ISSUES

1- Warm-up

Encourage a short discussion. General problems may include increased pollution, traffic congestion, increased
competition for limited environmental resources, etc.

2- Key words

1. c 2. d 3. e 4. f 5. h 6. a 7. g 8. b

3- Find the information

1. 6.7 bn
2. 11.9 bn
3. 9.1 bn
4. 2.55 children per woman
5. slightly over 2 children
6. 58%
7. 47%

4- Checking understanding

1. providing girls in developing countries with secondary education

2. environmental problems caused by competition for limited environmental resources
3. birth control for women
4. in the developing countries of Africa and Southeast Asia
5. Parents are more confident of the survival of their children and therefore less motivated to have
many children.
6. Yes. He believes that it will be easier to reach added children in the cities of less developed regions,
and that providing education is affordable and achievable within 25 years.

5- Find the word

1. rising 2. shift 3. cope with (sth) 4. attempts

5. outcome 6. fund 7. retain 8. affordable

6- Grammar - 1st and 2nd conditional

1. a possible situation in the future

2. Present simple
3. will, can, may
4. when, as long as, unless, provided that

1. an unlikely situation in the present or future

2. Past simple
3. would, could, might, should
4. I'd, you'd, he'd, etc.
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Population science - Key
Innovation in Learning

A A A A GENERAL ISSUES

7- Grammar practice

1. continues; could be/will be

2. wouldn't need; had
3. control; will worsen
4. run out; will have to
5. rained; would be
6. will we do; use up
7. held; could/would be
8. recovers; will start
9. continue; will live
10. would be; didn't have
11. didn't drive; would be
12. could earn; received

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