Advanced Vocabulary for IELTS 7.0+: Environmental Issues and the Natural World (Part 1)

(B) Gap-Fill Exercise

We live in a 1. _____________ today, of this there can be no doubt. And never is that more apparent than when we compare industrialised nations with the developing world. Call it the 2. _____________ global _____________ then, if you will.

In essence, we have a situation now where, ironically, the 3. _____________ of Africa are the most impoverished. They, it seems, are the victims of mass exploitation by the West. Only recently, some of the travesties caused by Western greed and materialism were exposed, such as the lucrative underground trade in so-called 4. _____________ .

But it doesn’t end there. What we all too often see is _____________ Western nations doing slightly shady deals with 5. _____________ in the impoverished regions of the world and simply 6. _____________ , knowing full well that the proceeds of such deals will be siphoned off into Swiss bank accounts while the ordinary people on the ground continue to endure deplorable living conditions and constant suffering never to benefit from this potentially life-saving 7. _____________ .

By continuing to trade with and support corrupt governments, the West is giving its tacit approval to what is going on. It is, essentially, condoning the gross exploitation of 8. _____________ of Africa and parts of Latin America by an elite few in power.

And as it contributes to their suffering, the West also has the audacity to demand these impoverished nations’ complicity when it comes to solving the Global Warming crisis; it expects them to lower their 9. _____________ and limit the extent of their industrial progress for 10. _____________ .

This is more than a little rich coming from those whose harmful activities and recklessness caused this environmental crisis in the first place. It is more than a little hypocritical for the industrialised world to 11. _____________ less-developed countries now and demand that they 12. _____________ and develop an environmental conscience.

The West has already 13. _____________ of its exploitation of Mother Earth, so what right have we to ask others to suffer while we continue to 14. _____________ of their cheap labour and our industrial superiority?

We have no right whatsoever to ask this sacrifice of them; they are as deserving of a better future as we are, and if we genuinely expect them to give up their push for progress on an industrial level in the name of 15. _____________ , then we must compensate them fairly for their loss – and not simply by transferring money to the rich and powerful, but by ensuring that financial aid reaches every man, woman, and child who desperately needs it.

(C) Vocabulary in Context: Find the Phrases

Silent and unofficial but clear endorsement → tacit approvalTransactions that probably have a less than honest purpose → shady deals

Answer Key

(A) Collocation Matching Answers

• a → xiv
• b → i
• c → vi
• d → ix
• e → ii
• f → iv
• g → iii
• h → viii
• i → vii
• j → v
• k → xi
• l → x
• m → xii
• n → xiii

(B) Gap-Fill Answers

• 1 → two-tiered society
• 2 → two-tiered/society
• 3 → resource-rich countries
• 4 → blood diamonds
• 5 → corrupt administrations
• 6 → turning a blind eye
• 7 → injection of funds
• 8 → the general populous
• 9 → carbon footprint
• 10 → the greater good
• 11 → point the finger at
• 12 → show some restraint
• 13 → reaped the rewards
• 14 → enjoy the fruits
• 15 → environmental protection

(c) Vocabulary in Context:

• tacit approval
• shady deals

Mastering advanced environmental vocabulary is essential for IELTS Speaking and Writing, especially when discussing global warming and development issues. By practicing collocations, gap-fills, and context-based exercises, you can accurately use terms like carbon footprint, blood diamonds, and environmental protection, improving both fluency and lexical range, key factors for achieving a Band 7.0+ in IELTS.  For those aiming for top scores, following the IELTS Exam Preparation Tips for Band Score of 8+ can further enhance your vocabulary and overall test performance.

Also Check: 

• Advanced Vocabulary for IELTS 7.0+: Environmental Issues and the Natural World (Part 2)
• Advanced Vocabulary for IELTS 7.0+: Environmental Issues and The Natural World (Part 3)
• Advanced Vocabulary for IELTS 7.0 + : Medical and Health Issues (Part 4)
• Advanced Vocabulary for IELTS 7.0+ : Medical and Health Issues (Part 3)
• Advanced Vocabulary for IELTS 7.0 +: Medical and Health Issues (Part 1)
• Grammar For IELTS : The Common Grammars And Sentence Structures In English (Part 1
• Grammar For IELTS : The Common Grammars And Sentence Structures In English (Part 2)
• Using Contrast in IELTS Speaking & Writing: Advanced Grammar in IELTS
• 100+ Advanced Vocabulary Word List for IELTS (PDF Available)