WhAT ArE SpAIn’S ISLAnDS LIKE?

THINK 1 Look, listen and read.

Where are Spain’s archipelagos and what are they called?

Spain has got two archipelagos: the Islas Baleares, in the Mediterranean Sea, and the Islas Canarias, in the Atlantic Ocean.

The Balearic archipelago consists of the islands of Mallorca, Menorca, Eivissa, Formentera and Cabrera. The Sierra de Tramuntana is in Mallorca.

Most of its coasts are cliffed. There are also some flat coasts.

The Canary archipelago consists of the islands of Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Tenerife, La Gomera, El Hierro and La Palma.

The terrain is very mountainous due to its volcanic origin. The Teide volcano, in Tenerife, is 3 718 m high.

The coasts are cliffed and steep.

2 Guess with a classmate. Say the name of an island and guess the archipelago.

3

Eivissa!

It belongs to the Islas Baleares.

The Islas Canarias have got a volcanic origin. Their flora and fauna are different to the rest of Spain. Make a list of four animal and plant species there. Do they face any danger?

Spain’s archipelagos are the Islas Baleares and the Islas Canarias.

WhY Do WE hAVE ThESE LAnDSCApES AnD noT oThErS?

What is the climate like where you live?

Oceanic climate

Cold winters and mild summers. Abundant precipitation throughout the year.

Continental climate

Very cold winters and very hot summers. Abundant precipitations in autumn and spring, and scarce in summer.

Subtropical climate

Mild and warm temperatures throughout the year. Very rare precipitation.

Spain’s

2 Look at the map again. Choose a city from Andalucía and find information about its climate. Complete the table below.

Altitude Temperature Humidity Precipitation high / low warm / cold high / low abundant / rare climates

3

Mountain climate

Cold temperatures throughout the year. Abundant precipitation throughout the year. Snow in winter.

Mediterranean climate

Mild winters and warm summers. Irregular precipitations, more often in spring.

What kind of climate do you like best? What sports can you play in different climatic conditions?

I like the mountain climate.

Yes, I do.

Do you like skiing?

We have got continental, subtropical, oceanic, mountain and mediterranean climates in Spain.

Which landform is closest to where you live?

1 Look, listen and read.

The relief in Andalucía is varied. Andalucía is defined by: a) What are the two most important mountain ranges in Andalucía? b) What is between those mountain ranges? c) What two bodies of water surround the coasts of Andalucía?

• Sierra Morena (north), Sistema Bético (south) and Depresión del Guadalquivir.

• Atlantic coast (from Huelva to the Estrecho de Gibraltar) and Mediterranean Sea (from the Estrecho de Gibraltar to the Región de Murcia).

2 Answer the following questions.

3 Plan a trip from Almería to Sevilla. What main landforms do you need to cross?

First, we have to cross the Sierra de Gádor.

1 Read the text about the Iberian lynx and answer the questions.

In the year 2000 there were less than one hundred Iberian lynx. There was human persecution and scarcity of rabbits. Fortunately, several actions brought it back to inhabit the Peninsula. Its population has recovered: in 2020 there were more than 1 000 specimens. However, it is still considered an endangered species. It is very important to continue taking care of the species and its environment.

a) What’s the difference in the lynx population of 2000 and 2020?

b) Why was the lynx endangered in the year 2000?

c) Is the lynx an endangered species nowadays?

d) What can you do to take care of the Iberian lynx?

In the year 2000 the lynx was almost extinct.

In the year 2020 there were more than 1000 lynx!

2 Look up some of the most common animal species in the Doñana National Park. Choose one of them and make a technical sheet.

Name of the animal:

Feeding:

Years of life: Is it endangered?:

NOW I KNOW…

The project Evaluación de los Ecosistemas del Milenio en Andalucía (EMA) aims to ensure that ecosystem services support human well-being.

Do you take care of ecosystems? How?

1 Look, listen and read.

Climate change is the variation that occurs in our planet’s climate. It is caused by nature and by human action.

Climate change consequences

Torrential rains

2 Which of the consequences of climate change are you most worried about? Explain your ideas.

3 Has the climate in Andalucía changed in recent years? Discuss.

Last year it was extremely warm. It was very hot!

Droughts

4 Look for information about three things that damage landscapes in your town. Propose a solution to each one.

5 Choose one of the examples mentioned above. Explain why it is important.

6 1-2-4

What else can you do to take care of landscapes? Share your ideas with your classmates.

We shouldn’t take long showers.

We should turn off the lights.

It is important to take action and preserve our landscapes and the animals and plans that live in them.