Trees - an essential

part of cities

ESL
Let’s get started
with a warm-up

ESL Brains
Look at a list of videos a friend recommended to you. Complete the gaps with the
words in the boxes to create the video titles.

committed embrace foliage laying purify retain uncover

A. Green cities: ____________ the importance of urban trees

B. Learn to meditate and ____________ your sanity in an ever-changing world

C. Home schooling: ____________ the foundations for your child’s future

D. ____________ the environmental benefits of a vegan diet

E. How trees ____________ the air

F. Politicians who stay ____________ to saving wildlife

G. How green ____________ influences our mental health

ESL 3
Let’s check the answers.

committed embrace foliage laying purify retain uncover

embrace
A. Green cities: ____________ the importance of urban trees
retain
B. Learn to meditate and ____________ your sanity in an ever-changing world
laying
C. Home schooling: ____________ the foundations for your child’s future

D. Uncover
____________ the environmental benefits of a vegan diet
purify
E. How trees ____________ the air

F. committed to saving wildlife

Politicians who stay ____________
foliage
G. How green ____________ influences our mental health

ESL 4
Discuss what you might learn from each of the videos. Then, decide which
one(s) you would like to watch and why.

● Green cities: embrace the importance of urban trees

● Learn to meditate and retain your sanity in an ever-changing world
● Home schooling: laying the foundations for your child’s future
● Uncover the environmental benefits of a vegan diet
● How trees purify the air
● Politicians who stay committed to saving wildlife
● How green foliage influences our mental health

ESL 5
In a moment, you’ll watch a video about the importance
of trees in cities titled:

What happens if you cut down all

of a city’s trees

ESL Brains
part 1/2

Before watching, look at the questions below and discuss possible answers.

A. What did two ancient cities, Uruk and Anuradhapura, have in common?

1. The population of both cities grew until the inhabitants couldn’t feed themselves.

2. Both relied heavily on irrigation systems.

3. Their irrigation systems turned out to be a failure.

B. Which of the following statements about trees is NOT correct?

4. They keep cities clean by retaining toxins.

5. They protect from mudslides and floods.

6. They purify the air.

ESL 7
part 2/2

Before watching, look at the questions below and discuss possible answers.
C. What happened in Manhattan in the 1870s?
1. There were hardly any trees on the island and people started suffering from serious
lung diseases.
2. Intense sunlight damaged buildings and caused sanitation standards to drop.
3. High temperatures combined with poor sanitation standards caused dangerous bacteria
to breed.
D. How does green foliage influence our mental health?
1. Patients recover more quickly if hospitals are surrounded by trees.
2. It increases the quality of the air we breathe.
3. It helps us concentrate better.
E. What are Supertrees?
1. 50-metre tall vertical gardens
2. 50-metre tall trees
3. green areas in some megacities
ESL 8
Watch the video (to 02:17) and check.

A. What did two ancient cities, Uruk and Anuradhapura, have

in common?

1. The population of both cities grew until the

inhabitants couldn’t feed themselves.

2. Both relied heavily on irrigation systems.

3. Their irrigation systems turned out to be a failure.

B. Which of the following statements about trees

is NOT correct?

4. They keep cities clean by retaining toxins.

5. They protect from mudslides and floods.

6. They purify the air.

ESL 9
Watch the video (from 02:17) and check.

C. What happened in Manhattan in the 1870s?

1. There were hardly any trees on the island and people
started suffering from serious lung diseases.
2. Intense sunlight damaged buildings and caused
sanitation standards to drop.
3. High temperatures combined with poor sanitation
standards caused dangerous bacteria to breed.
D. How does green foliage influence our mental health?
1. Patients recover more quickly if hospitals are
surrounded by trees.
2. It increases the quality of the air we breathe.
3. It helps us concentrate better.
E. What are Supertrees?
1. 50-metre tall vertical gardens
2. 50-metre tall trees
3. green areas in some megacities
ESL 10
part 1/2

Let’s check the answers.

A. What did two ancient cities, Uruk and Anuradhapura, have in common?

1. The population of both cities grew until the inhabitants couldn’t feed themselves.

2. Both relied heavily on irrigation systems.

3. Their irrigation systems turned out to be a failure.

B. Which of the following statements about trees is NOT correct?

4. They keep cities clean by retaining toxins.

5. They protect from mudslides and floods.

6. They purify the air.

ESL 11
part 2/2

Let’s check the answers.

C. What happened in Manhattan in the 1870s?
1. There were hardly any trees on the island and people started suffering from serious
lung diseases.
2. Intense sunlight damaged buildings and caused sanitation standards to drop.
3. High temperatures combined with poor sanitation standards caused dangerous bacteria
to breed.
D. How does green foliage influence our mental health?
1. Patients recover more quickly if hospitals are surrounded by trees.
2. It increases the quality of the air we breathe.
3. It helps us concentrate better.
E. What are Supertrees?
1. 50-metre tall vertical gardens
2. 50-metre tall trees
3. green areas in some megacities
ESL 12
Let’s learn some vocabulary!

ESL Brains
Match the sentence halves.

A. It worked in concert 1. with solar energy and

collected rainwater.
B. They absorbed
2. to pollution and natural
C. They contribute
disasters.
D. It increased the
3. natural biodiversity.
resilience
4. with the surrounding forest.
E. It preserves
5. to the city’s poor air quality.
F. They sustain themselves
6. too much solar radiation.

ESL 14
Let’s check the answers.

A. It worked in concert 1. with solar energy and

collected rainwater.
B. They absorbed
2. to pollution and natural
C. They contribute
disasters.
D. It increased the
3. natural biodiversity.
resilience
4. with the surrounding forest.
E. It preserves
5. to the city’s poor air quality.
F. They sustain themselves
6. too much solar radiation.

ESL 15
Watch the video again and decide what the sentences refer to.

A. It worked in concert with the surrounding

forest.

B. They absorbed too much solar radiation.

C. They contribute to the city’s poor air

quality.

D. It increased the resilience to pollution and

natural disasters.

E. It preserves natural biodiversity.

F. They sustain themselves with solar energy

and collected rainwater.

ESL 16
Let’s check the answers.

A. It worked in concert with the surrounding The design of Anuradhapura’s irrigation system.
forest.

B. They absorbed too much solar radiation. Buildings in Manhattan not covered by shade.

C. They contribute to the city’s poor air Tall skyscrapers and underground infrastructure in
Hong Kong.
quality.

D. It increased the resilience to pollution and Copenhagen layout (new development was directed
natural disasters. along five arteries, each sandwiched between a park).

E. It preserves natural biodiversity. Portland’s Forest Park.

F. They sustain themselves with solar energy Vertical gardens called Supertrees.
and collected rainwater.

ESL 17
Discuss the questions.

● Which part of the video surprised you the most?

● Which three facts from the video would you use to convince people
that more trees should be planted in cities?
● Do you think that there are enough trees in your city or the area
where you live? Is planting trees on the list of priorities for your
local government?
● Could too many trees in cities be dangerous? In what way?
● Have you ever planted a tree? If so, tell the story, providing some
detail.

ESL 18
part 1/2

Look at the list of ideas for keeping cities green and choose the correct word in
each sentence.

A. Green areas which already exist in cities should be _____ .

1. executed 2. incorporated 3. preserved 4. purified

B. The local government should _____ tree planting into urban development plans.

1. associate 2. contribute 3. incorporate 4. ensure

C. Schools should be committed _____ educating children about the importance of keeping
urban areas green.

1. to 2. on 3. for 4. towards

ESL 19
part 2/2

Look at the list of ideas for keeping cities green and choose the correct word in
each sentence.

D. Cities should sustain themselves _____ renewable energy.

1. by 2. of 3. on 4. with

E. Citizens should _____ the importance of using public transport.

1. designate 2. recognise 3. ensure 4. sustain

F. The local government should help people _____ the benefits of urban green areas, e.g. by
organising community events in parks.

1. accumulate 2. enforce 3. sustain 4. uncover

G. The local government should work _____ concert with the national authorities.

1. at 2. from 3. in 4. on

ESL 20
part 1/2

Let’s check the answers.

A. Green areas which already exist in cities should be _____ .

1. executed 2. incorporated 3. preserved 4. purified

B. The local government should _____ tree planting into urban development plans.

1. associate 2. contribute 3. incorporate 4. ensure

C. Schools should be committed _____ educating children about the importance of keeping
urban areas green.

1. to 2. on 3. for 4. towards

ESL 21
part 2/2

Let’s check the answers.

D. Cities should sustain themselves _____ renewable energy.

1. by 2. of 3. on 4. with

E. Citizens should _____ the importance of using public transport.

1. designate 2. recognise 3. ensure 4. sustain

F. The local government should help people _____ the benefits of urban green areas, e.g. by
organising community events in parks.

1. accumulate 2. enforce 3. sustain 4. uncover

G. The local government should work _____ concert with the national authorities.

1. at 2. from 3. in 4. on

ESL 22
Let’s talk!

ESL Brains
Read the sentences again and put the ideas in order of importance. Justify
your ranking.

● Green areas which already exist in cities should be preserved.

● The local government should incorporate tree planting into urban
development plans.
● Schools should be committed to educating children about the importance of
keeping urban areas green.
● Cities should sustain themselves with renewable energy.
● Citizens should recognise the importance of using public transport.
● The local government should help people uncover the benefits of urban green
areas, e.g. by organising community events in parks.
● The local government should work in concert with the national authorities.
ESL 24
“Green Future” campaign

ESL Brains
part 1/2

Your city is launching a campaign called “Green Future”, aimed at

educating people about the importance of trees in urban areas. Choose the
best picture for the campaign poster. Justify your choice and explain why
you didn’t pick the other pictures.

ESL 26
part 2/2

Choose the best picture for the campaign poster. Justify your choice and
explain why you didn’t pick the other pictures.

ESL 27
THANKS!

ESL Brains