Bringing Back the Night: a Fight against Light Pollution

By: Paul Bogard

Background:

Most people believe that electric light is a good thing. Electric lights help keep us
safe when we walk or drive at night. They make us feel secure in our homes after
dark. Lights in our electronic devices help provide us with information and
entertainment. This 2013 article by Paul Bogard, an American university
professor, presents a different way of looking at light. Bogard argues that an
excessive amount of artificial light is harming our health. He claims that this “light
pollution” is a problem not only for those who want to see the stars at night but
also for every creature on earth.

 PART 1 Page (65 – 67 [until “nocturnal animals”])

Summary:

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Fill in the following box

Line No. Quotation (Expression) meaning

1- To grow anything = is to
Grow darker become anything
1

2/3
Went into effect To go into effect is = to be applied

10
“Slash the country’s overall To Slash the bill = is to reduce
the cost
energy bill .....
 Quotations:
1. Page 67: “ We have levels of light hundreds and thousands of times higher
than the natural level during the night”

The author here is explaining how big the problem of light pollution really is.

These words are said by Paul Bogart to emphasise how big our problem really is,
because when the artifitial lights are more than what they supposed to be by that
much.

 PART 2 Page (67 [starting “some 30”] – page 70 [until “disruption])

Summary:

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Fill in the following box

Line No. Quotation (Expression) meaning

The BIG result of a small

“ripple effects.... action
73

84 “Humans are animals as They get affected by the

well” same effects as animals
 Quotations:

1- Page 69: “Humans are animals as well, and so when light/dark cycles mess up
seasonal patterns of trees or breeding cycles of amphibians, there’s no reason to
think that it’s not doing the same things to us.”

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  PART 3 Page 70 [starting “in fact] – Page 72

Summary:
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Line No. Quotation (Expression) meaning

Significantly worse Alot worse

11

143 Goes far to explain .... Explains it well.

Quotations:

“Experts say that it’s a lot more important now to use light effectively than abundantly.”
Page 72 Line NO.151

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Determine the setting:
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Mention another title

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Exercises

Practice A:
Ordinances- Façade- nocturnal- affluent- Aesthetics- burgeoning- concede- impede
-mitigate-abundantly

1. Find the word related to the way something looks. …………………………………………..

2. Which vocabulary word describes that something growing? …………………

3. Which word is the antonym of “allow”? …………………..

Practice B:

“Humans are animals as well, and so when light/dark cycles mess up seasonal patterns of trees or
breeding cycles of amphibians, there’s no reason to think that it’s not doing the same things to us.”

1. which word is related to reproduction? ………………………

2. Which word refers to spoiling or corrupting something………………………

3. Which words are antonyms? ……………………..

Practice C:

Complete the following sentences:

1. Light pollution is ………………………………………………………………. .

2. France applied one of the most comprehensive ……………………………………………………….

Practice D:
"We have levels of light hundreds and thousands of times higher than the natural level during the
night”

This extract conveys the idea of how bad light pollutions has become in modern times. Explain.

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Practice E:

Think about the differences between France and Brazil in terms of actions taken about light
pollution.

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Practice F:

For the following set of words, circle the word that does not belong. Explain your answer on the
given line below.

Abundantly - Nocturnal - Burgeoning

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Practice G :

Rewrite each sentence replacing the italicized word with the vocabulary word that is its synonym.
1. Many countries around the world should start applying laws to face light pollution. ………………

2. The ecosystem and the night animals’ life cycle are being destroyed. ……………….

Practice H:

"Researchers and dark-sky advocates are seeking to mitigate the harmful effects of new lighting
technologies and devise solutions to the flood of light that erases the night in many parts of the
world”.

The previous excerpt implies that not everyone is equally oblivious about light pollution. DISCUSS.

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Practice I

Choose the antonym that suits the word dramatically on page 67 – last paragraph ….the
computer-generated maps that dramatically depicts...

a) Decreasingly b. abundantly c. luckily

Practice J

Word choice Literal meaning True meaning

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Within our
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grasp
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Practice K :

◘ The words in bold are in the wrong place. Rearrange them:

Light pollution aesthetics the life cycle of impedes animals and the environment for the sake of
nocturnal.

1. ………………………… 2. ………………………….. 3. …………………………….

◘ Unscramble the bold words:

1. Plants aren’t gurbeoning because of light pollution. ……………………..

2. The deface of this building is beautiful. ………………………

Use the first letter given to complete the sentences:

1. We need to M……… the damage of light pollution.

2. Astronomy believes that too much light i…… the vision of the night sky

Correct the mistake in the following sentences:

1. Too much light concedes the life cycle of nocturnal animals. ………………

2. Affluent countries have no light pollution. ……………...