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In IELTS Speaking, wild animals is a common topic and in this lesson we will discuss endangered animals, and how we can protect them.
We will look at essential vocabulary, idioms and popular debates.
Table of Contents
IELTS Speaking vocabulary: Protecting wild animals
When talking about animals, many students make the following mistake:
Polar bear is in danger 😣
What it should be, is one of the following:
Polar bearS ARE in danger 😁
THE polar bear is in danger 😁
When talking about animals in general we should use either the singular with ‘THE’ or use the plural.
_____
Here is some useful vocabulary you should know to help you talk confidently about this topic
Wildlife = animals living in the wild (in nature).
To be extinct = to no longer exist
The dodo was a flightless bird, but it is now extinct
The following expressions mean something may become extinct in future:
- To be in danger of extinction
- To be endangered
- To be a threatened species
- To be a vulnerable species
The following words mean to kill an animal
- To poach = to kill an animal illegally
- To hunt = to chase and kill an animal
- To slaughter = to kill livestock usually for food
Vocabulary connected to the environment
Ecosystem (n.) = a natural environment, where everything is connected.
A balanced ecosystem
To be out of balance
Killing animals can put the ecosystem out of balance
Habitat (n.) = living space of animals
The natural habitat
Species (n. singular and plural)
Population (n.)
The population of turtles is decreasing
To live in the
- wild (in nature)
- wilderness
- jungle
- rainforest
- desert
- sea
- tundra
IELTS Speaking lesson: Protecting wild animals - task
Which of the following animals are in danger?
Find out more here.
Click arrow to open/close answers
Tell me about a wild animal that is endangered and why it is in danger.
Write your answer in the comments below.
IELTS Listening: The importance of protecting wild animals
Listen to the passage in the video and answer this question
- Is the speaker for or against saving endangered animals?
Click arrow to open/close answers
Listen again and fill in the gaps with one word only.
- It is far too _____ to save endangered animals
- The money is ________ spent saving humans
- We are not ______ on Pandas, so there is no need to save them
- When animals __________ it is just nature at work
- We shouldn’t ________ nature from taking its course
Click arrow to open/close answers
- It is far too _costly / expensive____ to save endangered animals
- The money is __better___ spent saving humans
- We are not _dependent / reliant_____ on Pandas, so there is no need to save them
- When animals ___disappear______ it is just nature at work
- We shouldn’t ___stop_/ prevent ______ nature from taking its course
Listening Passage tape script is at bottom of the page
How we can protect endangered animals
- Build sanctuaries or zoos
- Set up conservations centres
- Stop poaching and hunting
- Reduce deforestation
- Raise awareness of the issue (on social media)
- Help the endangered animals to breed (=to reproduce)
- Provide food and shelter
- Don’t interfere with / in their habitats
- Support a charity like WWF
- Stop buying products that come from hunted animals
Find out more about ways to protect threatened animals here:
https://www.endangered.org/15-ways-to-help-protect-endangered-species/
Speaking meditation and visualisation
Idioms to talk about wild animals
Like a bull in a china shop = clumsy
To have the memory of a fish = short memory
I feel like a fish out of water = don’t feel comfortable
That’s another kettle of fish = something completely different
I drink like a fish = too much (alcohol)
To wreak havoc = cause big problems (chaos)
Poaching is wreaking havoc with the ecosystem
I don’t stand a chance = have no possibility / it’s very difficult
These animals don’t stand a chance, unless we protect them
To be on the brink of = on the edge of / not the verge of
Pandas are on the brink of extinction
The elephant in the room = the obvious thing that nobody is talking about
Listening tape script
Should we protect wild animals?
The first reason not to bother with protecting some endangered species is the astronomical cost. Surely, there are better ways to spend those millions of pounds, such as education, hospitals, starvation and the like.
What’s more, some species like the wolf are a danger to humans, as well as the livestock we keep. Why should we save them? As for the cute panda, it’s not like we depend on them, surely it’s just a waste of money trying to rescue them from the brink of extinction. (The edge of extinction)
Let’s not forget as well, mass extinctions happen as a part of nature. Remember the dinosaurs? If the disappearance of certain species is a part of nature, why should we interfere?
My Listening Passage was based on a text adapted from the BBC
http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20150715-why-save-an-endangered-species
More Free IELTS Speaking Lessons
If you liked this lesson, leave a comment below!
There are more lessons you can follow in the links below too.
PHOTOGRAPHY in IELTS Speaking. Learn vocabulary of taking, storing and sharing photos.
ENVIRONMENT in IELTS Speaking. Learn different ways to protect our environment and discuss it with idioms and vocabulary in this lesson.
FEELINGS in IELTS Speaking. Vocabulary you need to describe a range of different feelings, as well as talking about topical issues such as mental health.
