Republic of Tunisia Ministry of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Technology 
Virtual University of Tunisia 
 
 

English for Science and

Technology
Water scarcity

Course Designers:

Asma Maaoui Gaaloul

Souhir Essid Bouhawel

Hassen Rebhi

Warning! 

This digitized teaching product is the exclusive property of the UVT. It is strictly 
forbidden  to  reproduce  it  for  commercial  purposes.  Only  the  printing  or 
downloading for personal use (1 copy per user) is allowed. 
 
 Virtual University of Tunisia   English for Science and Technology 
    
Water scarcity  

Objectives:
• Completing and interpreting a quiz
• Reading for gist and for detailed information
• Listening for gist and for detailed information
• Interpreting pictures
• Taking notes/ brainstorming for writing
• Getting familiar with the major uses of articles

Skills: reading, listening and writing

Language: Collocations with “water”
Articles (consolidation)
Expressing ability using “can” and “be able to”

Pre-activity
Activity 1
A QUIZ: ARE YOU A CONSIDERATE WATER CONSUMER 

a- Do you water your garden in the evening?

Yes No

b- Do you use a vessel when you wash up the dishes?

Yes No

c- Do you use a bucket of water and a rag when you wipe the floor?
Yes No

d- Do you use a bucket of water and a rag when you wash the family’s car?
Yes No

e- Do you have special economical water equipments?

Yes No

f- Do you notify the “Sonede” as soon as you notice any leakage?

Yes No

g- Do you take bath very often?

Yes No
2  Asma Maaoui Gaaloul, Souhir Essid Bouhawel, Hassen Rebhi
 
 Virtual University of Tunisia   English for Science and Technology 
    
Water scarcity  
h- Do you take a shower very often?
Yes No
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Activity 2
Match each picture below with the corresponding caption

A poor woman with her a girl is 
collecting water from running 
water at a construction site at  Ethiopian children drawing 
Ramtheerth area. People are  their drinking water from a 
facing acute water scarcity in  filthy nearby stream. 
Gulbarga 

Water shortages oblige 
African families to collect 
water from dry riverbeds 

The coming water scarcity in Africa. In a few years from now, 
almost all sub‐Saharan countries will be below the level at 
which water supply is enough for all. Even worse, most of 
them will be in a state of water‐stress or scarcity.

1 --------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------- 2 ------------------------------------------------------
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3  Asma Maaoui Gaaloul, Souhir Essid Bouhawel, Hassen Rebhi
 
 Virtual University of Tunisia   English for Science and Technology 
    
Water scarcity  

3 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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4------------------------------------
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4  Asma Maaoui Gaaloul, Souhir Essid Bouhawel, Hassen Rebhi
 
 Virtual University of Tunisia   English for Science and Technology 
    
Water scarcity  
Main activity
1. Reading
Read the text and answer the following questions:

Scientists have discovered more details about how plants use water. Their
findings could help to engineer plants that grow better and more effectively in
conditions with higher levels of carbon dioxide. Plants naturally take in carbon dioxide
they need for photosynthesis, the process of changing light energy to chemical
energy. The carbon dioxide enters the plants through tiny holes or pores on the
surface of leaves. However, each time a plant takes in one molecule of carbon
dioxide gas, it loses hundreds of water molecules.

Scientists say plants lose ninety-five percent of the water they take in through
these pores. Some plants' pores can tighten to save water during conditions of high
carbon dioxide. Other plants are not able to do this as well. Now, scientists know how
these tiny pores tighten in plants.

Julian Schroeder is a professor of biology at the University of California, San

Diego. Mister Schroeder says that carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere are much
higher now than they were in the past. However, he says, many plants are not
closing their pores in order to hold in more water. He and his team have identified
proteins that control the tightening of a plant's pores. The proteins are enzymes
called carbonic anhydrases. The findings were published last month in the journal
Nature Cell Biology. Mister Schroeder believes the enzymes could be changed in
some plants to increase their ability to store water.

The researchers added carbonic anhydrase genes to plants that do not react
to higher levels of carbon dioxide. They observed that for every molecule of carbon
dioxide taken in by the plants, they lost forty-four percent less water. The scientists
say the photosynthesis process continued normally in these plants. They say this
suggests that changing plants to save more water will not affect plant growth. This
method might be used to help engineer food crops that are resistant to extremely dry
conditions. The discovery could help farmers meet a growing demand for food as
water supplies decrease. However, the scientists say more research is needed.

http://www1.voanews.com/learningenglish/home/agriculture/a-23-2010-01-25-voa1-
84659672.html

5  Asma Maaoui Gaaloul, Souhir Essid Bouhawel, Hassen Rebhi
 
 Virtual University of Tunisia   English for Science and Technology 
    
Water scarcity  
1. Read the text and complete the missing information:

Naturally, a plant takes in 1 --------------------------------- and loses 2 ----------------------------------.

2. Read the text above and the picture below and describe the process of
photosynthesis:

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6  Asma Maaoui Gaaloul, Souhir Essid Bouhawel, Hassen Rebhi
 
 Virtual University of Tunisia   English for Science and Technology 
    
Water scarcity  

3. The text talks about two aspects of a new method that helps plants save water.
Read the text and describe them:

- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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2. Listening

Listen to the passage and answer the following questions:

1. Listen to the passage and tick the list of areas in which water scarcity is a series
threat:

America- Africa- Asia- the Pacific- Europe

2. Listen to the passage and identify the name of the new method adopted to reduce
water crisis

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3. Listen to the passage and complete the missing information:

7  Asma Maaoui Gaaloul, Souhir Essid Bouhawel, Hassen Rebhi
 
 Virtual University of Tunisia   English for Science and Technology 
    
Water scarcity  
The American and South Korean researchers are investigating a new 1-------------------
for turning sea water into drinking water. The new technology is called ion
concentration 2 --------------------------- The process uses electricity to help separate
electrically charged salt3 ------------------- from water to make it 4 -------------------------

4. Listen again and explain what details show that water scarcity is an international
and human concern. Tick the correct alternatives.

• Scientists, governments and aid organizations around the world are

increasing their efforts to meet these goals.

• The World Health Organization and the United Nations both seek to solve
water scarcity problems.

• The American and South Korean researchers are investigating a new

technology for turning sea water into drinking water.

5. Listen to the podcast again and write down meaningful collocations containing
the word “water”.
Adjective Noun Noun Expressions
clean drinking water -----------------------------------------------------
unsafe sea samples -----------------------------------------------------
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water crisis
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purification
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8  Asma Maaoui Gaaloul, Souhir Essid Bouhawel, Hassen Rebhi
 
 Virtual University of Tunisia   English for Science and Technology 
    
Water scarcity  

Post-activity
1. Language

Articles
To review how English articles are used, go back to unit one on Computers and
Computing.

Expressing ability with “can”/ “be able to”

Study the examples used in the reading text above:

1. Some plants' pores can tighten to save water during conditions of high carbon
dioxide.

2. Other plants are not able to do this as well.

Can Could (past)

Expressing physical, mental and potential ability

Can expresses four types of ability:

PHYSICAL MENTAL ABILITY POTENTIAL ABILITY TO

ABILITY ABILITY SUCCEED IN
REACHING A
GOAL

- The Internet can transfer video files onto personal computers.

- People can use computers.
- Contestants can become famous after appearing on American Idol
- I was able to buy an iphone after saving for two months.

Physical Ability
CAN BE ABLE TO
To have the physical ability. To have the physical ability.

High-speed connections are able to

High-speed connections can download
download large video files in seconds.

9  Asma Maaoui Gaaloul, Souhir Essid Bouhawel, Hassen Rebhi
 
 Virtual University of Tunisia   English for Science and Technology 
    
Water scarcity  
large music files quickly.

People are able to exercise to lose

People can exercise to lose weight.
weight.
Smart phones can connect to the Smart phones are able to connect to
Internet. the Internet.

Mental Ability
CAN KNOW HOW TO
To have the mental ability or capacity To have the mental ability or capacity

We can solve our economic problems
Engineers can design safer buildings.
Farmers can grow pesticide-free fruit
and vegetables.
We know know how to solve our
economic problems.
Engineers know how to design safer
buildings.
Farmers know how to grow pesticide-
free fruit and vegetables.

Potential Ability
CAN HAVE POTENTIAL
To have the possibility of; be capable of To have the possibility of; be capable of
becoming becoming

Overspending can crash the economy Overspending potentially crashes the

of a country. economy of a country.
Overeating can cause diabetes. Overeating potentially causes diabetes.
Singing contestants potentially
Singing contestants can become
become famous by appearing on
famous by appearing on American Idol.
American Idol.

http://www.grammar-quizzes.com/modal4.html

Activity 1

Fill in the blanks with the appropriate articles:

A new study in West Africa shows how farm irrigation systems powered by the sun
can produce more food and money for villagers. 1 ------------------ study in Benin found
that solar-powered pumps are effective in supplying water, especially during the long
dry season. Sub-Saharan Africa is 2 ------------------ part of the world with the least
food security. The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization estimates that
more than one billion of 3 ------------------ world's people faced hunger last year.
Around two hundred sixty-five million of them live south of the Sahara Desert. Lack of
rainfall is one of their main causes of food shortages.

10  Asma Maaoui Gaaloul, Souhir Essid Bouhawel, Hassen Rebhi
 
 Virtual University of Tunisia   English for Science and Technology 
    
Water scarcity  
Jennifer Burney from Stanford University in California led the study 4 ------------------
research team helped build three solar-powered drip irrigation systems in northern
Benin. Between thirty and thirty-five women used each system to pump water from
the ground or a stream. Each woman was responsible for farming her own one
hundred twenty square meters of land. They also farmed other land collectively.

5 ------------------ solar-powered irrigation systems produced an average of nearly two

metric tons of vegetables per month. During the first year, the women kept 6 -----------
monthly average of almost nine kilograms of vegetables for home use. They sold the
surplus produce at local markets. The earnings greatly increased their ability to buy
food during the dry season which can last six to nine months.

People in the two villages with7 ------------------ systems were able to eat three to five
more servings of vegetables per day. But making the surplus available at markets
also had 8 ------------------ wider effect. The study compared the villages with two
others where women farmed with traditional methods like carrying water in buckets.
The amount of vegetables eaten in those villages also increased, though not as
much.

9 ------------------- researchers note that only four percent of the cropland in sub-
Saharan Africa is irrigated. Using solar power to pump water has higher costs at first.
But the study says it can be more economical in the long term than using fuels like
gasoline, diesel or kerosene. And solar power is environmentally friendly.

By June Simms 2010-1-10

Activity 2

Fill in the blanks below with words from the list. One word is repeated several times.

purification- drink- source- water- safe

The lack of 1-------------------- drinking water is the primary cause of disease in the
world today. Everyday, tens of thousands of people die from causes directly related
to contaminated 2-----------------------. And for those who survive, without good health,
there is little chance for a normal and productive life. A surprising statistic to many is
that contaminated water causes 80% of the health problems throughout the world.
Much of the reason is because in rural areas of developing countries, the only water
3--------------- for people to wash with and 4------------------- from is often a badly
polluted shallow well (less than 10 feet deep) or mud-hole used by both animals and
humans. In those areas where there’s actually a stream or river, they’re often polluted
as well, because animal and human wastes are emptied directly into it without proper
5----------------- and treatment. Throughout the world, 6----------- supplies in developing

11  Asma Maaoui Gaaloul, Souhir Essid Bouhawel, Hassen Rebhi
 
 Virtual University of Tunisia   English for Science and Technology 
    
Water scarcity  
countries are contaminated with a wide variety of microorganisms that cause typhoid,
diarrheal diseases, amoebic dysentery, cholera, and other notoriously virulent
diseases.

http://www.globalwater.org/background.htm

Activity 3

Complete the sentences below with: able to/ can

1. Unpredictable seasonal rains and periods of just a few days without rain at critical
stages in the cropping cycle --------------------------- regularly decimate their
production, leading to food shortages.
2. Water resources in certain countries are only -------------------------- supply around
15 percent
3. Water conflicts -------------------------- arise in water stressed areas among local
communities and between countries because sharing a very limited and essential
resource is extremely difficult.
4. The absence of clear and well-established international rules, organizing water
use and distribution, ----------------- lead to inequitable allocation of water.
5. Farmers are unlikely to be ----------------------- use this technology without outside
2. Writing
Activity 1

The following pictures highlight the problem of water scarcity in the world. Use
these pictures to describe the phenomenon.

12  Asma Maaoui Gaaloul, Souhir Essid Bouhawel, Hassen Rebhi
 
 Virtual University of Tunisia   English for Science and Technology 
    
Water scarcity  

 
http://www.waterstrategies.co.uk/water-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_supply_
stress.html
and_sanitation_in_the_United_States 

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Activity 2
Water scarcity is a serious problem in Tunisia. What has been done to promote
greater access to clean water and reduce the effects of water scarcity?

Write a descriptive article in which you describe the major achievements reached to
reduce the overconsumption of water using expressions you studied in this lesson
and notes you wrote in activity 1 (writing)

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13  Asma Maaoui Gaaloul, Souhir Essid Bouhawel, Hassen Rebhi