ENGLISH FORM 3 CHAPTER 3: THE WONDERS OF NATURE
Unit 3: The Wonders of Nature
Form 3 English • Interactive Nature & Grammar Guide
🌿 Astonishing Environment
The Mud Maid
This is a magical sleeping sculpture located in the Lost Gardens of Heligan. What makes it a wonder?
- It changes with the seasons (growing grass and ivy).
- Its base is made entirely of wood, mud, and cement.
Coral Reefs
Reefs are beautiful underwater ecosystems, but they face danger from humans.
- Some divers use cyanide (a poison) to collect fish.
- Traders do this because they receive a high price for reef fish in aquarium markets.
Hover or tap the cards below to reveal vocabulary definitions!
Preserve
VerbTo keep something in its original state or in good condition.
“We must preserve nature.”
Sculpture
NounThe art of making two- or three-dimensional representative or abstract forms.
“The Mud Maid sculpture.”
Cyanide
NounA highly toxic chemical compound. Sometimes illegally used in fishing.
Environment
NounThe natural world, as a whole or in a particular geographical area.
📖 Understanding Text Types
What are you reading? Look at the formats below:
The 4 Main Purposes of Texts:
📊 Gives Facts
Like a news report or encyclopedia. True, proven information.
🎭 Entertains
Like a story book or comic. Meant to be enjoyed.
🎓 Educational
Like your school textbook. Meant to teach you something new.
🗣️ Gives Opinions
Like a blog or a review. It’s what the writer thinks or feels.
🦈 The Truth About Sharks
Many tourists go to places like Florida, Hawaii, and the Bahamas to dive with sharks. In 2002, shark attacks gave them a negative image, making feeding them illegal in some areas. But are sharks really monsters?
❌ The Media Myth
- Sharks are evil creatures that hunt humans.
- Sharks kill a massive amount of people every year.
- If a shark bites you, it wants to eat you completely.
✅ The Scientific Fact
- Snakes and dogs actually attack and kill more people than sharks do!
- Sharks confuse humans with their normal food, like seals or fish.
- Most attacks are just one quick bite. The shark will realise its mistake and leave.
⏱️ Grammar I: Present Perfect
Hover over the rows below to see the verbs highlighted!
| Tense | When do we use it? | Examples |
|---|---|---|
|
Present Perfect Simple have/has + past participle |
For actions that happened in the past but have a result now, or for life experiences without a specific time. |
• I have seen a shark before. • She has visited the Mud Maid. • They have not finished planting the trees. |
|
Present Perfect Continuous have/has been + verb-ing |
For actions that started in the past and are still continuing right now. Focuses on the duration (how long). |
• He has been diving for two hours. • We have been studying nature since morning. • It has been raining all day. |
🅰️ Grammar II: Articles
Articles are small words that give big clues about the nouns they stand next to!
A / An (Indefinite)
Use for singular, countable nouns when talking about them in general or for the first time.
- “I saw a shark.”
- “She is an environmentalist.”
The (Definite)
Use when talking about a specific thing, something mentioned before, or when there is only one (like the sun).
- “The shark I saw was huge.”
- “Look at the moon!”
Zero Article (∅)
Use NO article for plural nouns or uncountable nouns when speaking in general.
- “∅ Sharks are predators.”
- “I love ∅ nature.”
📝 Writing: Informal Emails
When writing an email to a friend about a trip or an experience, you should plan your paragraphs and use a friendly tone.
Subject: My amazing trip!
1. Friendly Opening
“Hi Sam! / How are things? / Thanks for your last email.”
2. Plan Your Paragraphs
- Paragraph 1: Introduction and reason for writing.
- Paragraph 2: Main details (e.g., describing the coral reef or the Mud Maid).
- Paragraph 3: Additional info or asking your friend a question.
3. Friendly Ending
“Write back soon! / Speak to you later! / Lots of love,”
Unit 3: The Wonders of Nature
Test your knowledge on the environment, shark tourism, the Mud Maid, and grammar rules!