Page 84 - More_3_2nd_edition_Student_39_s_book_Neat

CLIL Science

Recycling plastics

1 2 3 4 5 6

1 Look at the photos. Which object is not made of plastic? Write the names of five more
things that are made of plastic.

2 Complete the information in the factfile with these words.

oxygen atoms elements (x 2) hydrogen carbon

Factfile

1
Everything is made of .................................................... - they are so small that there are more than one million
2
atoms in this full stop.  There are at least 117 different .................................................... , each with its own kind of
Oxygen
5
4
3
atom. .................................................... (O), .................................................... (H), ............................................ (C) and chlorine (Cl) are
6 .................................................... . Plastics are chains of carbon atoms attached to other elements such as hydrogen.
13
3 Work in pairs. Read about the two groups of plastics and decide which things in the list
CD2
below can be recycled. Then listen and check.

Thermoplastics These melt but do not change when heated and can be recycled.
Thermosetting plastics These can melt and change shape only once, so cannot be
recycled, but they can be cut up and used as fuel in power stations.

Type of plastic Some uses Thermoplastic or
thermosetting plastic?

Polyethylene Fizzy drinks bottles, plastic bags, yoghurt pots
Polyethylene Fizzy drinks bottles, spectacle lenses
terephthalate

Polystyrene Take away hot food boxes, coffee cups This is thermoplastic but it
is difficult to recycle

PVC (polyvinyl chloride) Window frames, rain coats
Polyamide (nylon) Clothes, astro turf
Polypropylene Carpets
Polyurethane Surf boards, car parts

WEBQUEST
Find out:
What happens to recycled plastic?
How much plastic is recycled in your country?

82 UNIT 8 ❯ Go to www.cambridge.org/elt/more for extra CLIL