NewsToEnglish
News DeskCultureNearly 200 Countries Meet in Armenia to Review 23 Biodiversity Targets
Verified Curriculum CorpusPublished: Oct 19, 2026
Culture·CEFR B1·Intermediate

Nearly 200 Countries Meet in Armenia to Review 23 Biodiversity Targets

Article Level ·●B1·Intermediate
3 min read·177 words·Audio: 1:34
Cinematic editorial photograph: Nearly 200 Countries Meet in Armenia to Review 23 Biodiversity Targets
AI-generated with Meta Muse Image on OpenRouter · owned by newstoenglish
Studio Audio Available
Controls floating below ↓
Studio Narration
00:00
01:34

Lesson Overview & Key Takeaways

  • Story Summary: Countries are checking progress on biodiversity goals, but evidence shows they are off track on all of them.
  • CEFR Target: Level B1 (Intermediate) — calibrated for clear sentence structure and targeted reading fluency.
  • Core Vocabulary: biodiversity, target, on track, ecosystem, declined.
  • Skills Practised: Reading comprehension, dual-accent listening, and contextual grammar.
Reading PassageRead-along: word by word (UK)
100%
Nearly 200 countries are meeting in Armenia this week. They are checking whether the world is to meet 23 These were agreed in Montreal in 2022. However, a recent meeting in Nairobi showed bad news. Countries there concluded they are off track on all 23 A key goal is to protect 30 percent of Earth's land and sea. On land, governments have agreed to protect 27.5 percent so far. Monitored vertebrate populations have fallen by 73 percent over 52 years. Freshwater have by 85 percent. The convention on biological diversity was created at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit. It sat alongside pacts on climate change and desertification. About 85 percent of the world's wetlands disappeared between 1700 and 2000. A Canadian study found that marshes in Southern Ontario deliver C$4.2 billion in water filtration each year. As those vanish, water treatment costs rise sharply. The previous summit in Cali, Colombia, ended without a clear agreement. Talks ran out of time, so an extra round was needed in Rome.

Study this lesson

Activities for CEFR B1, all based on the story above.

1. Grammar focus

One structure from the story, explained, with sentences taken from the text.

Present perfect

has / have + past participle

Use has or have + a past participle (has found, have built) for something that happened in the past and is still important now. We do not say exactly when.

From the story
  • Monitored vertebrate populations have fallen by 73 percent over 52 years.
  • On land, governments have agreed to protect 27.
  • Freshwater ecosystems have declined by 85 percent.

Notice: Find each has / have + participle. What is the result that matters now?

2. Vocabulary

Useful words and phrases from the story, with meanings and examples.

Words from the story

6 Target Terms
biodiversity/ˌbaɪəʊdaɪˈvɜːsɪti/
noun · B1

the variety of living things (plants, animals, ecosystems) found in a place or on Earth

“Rainforests are known for their incredible biodiversity.”

Often with: protect biodiversity, loss of biodiversity, biodiversity crisis

target/ˈtɑːɡɪt/
noun · B1

a specific goal or aim that people agree to work towards

“The school set a target of reducing waste by the end of the year.”

Often with: meet a target, set a target, reach a target

on track/ɒn træk/
idiom · B1

making progress towards a goal as expected; likely to succeed

“After finishing the first chapter, she felt on track to complete her novel.”

Often with: be on track, stay on track, off track

ecosystem/ˈiːkəʊsɪstəm/
noun · B1

a community of living things and their physical environment working together

“Pollution can damage a delicate ecosystem beyond repair.”

Often with: marine ecosystem, freshwater ecosystem, damage an ecosystem

declined/dɪˈklaɪnd/
verb · B1

became smaller, lower, or weaker over a period of time

“The number of wild bees in the region has declined in recent years.”

Often with: decline sharply, decline over time, decline by a percentage

habitat/ˈhæbɪtæt/
noun · B1

the natural home or environment where an animal or plant lives

“Building roads through forests destroys the habitat of many species.”

Often with: protect a habitat, lose habitat, natural habitat

3. Check your understanding

Questions about the story. Answer first; each question explains the answer.

Reading Comprehension

Fact Verification
Passage

Nearly 200 countries are meeting in Armenia this week. They are checking whether the world is on track to meet 23 biodiversity targets. These targets were agreed in Montreal in 2022. However, a recent meeting in Nairobi showed bad news. Countries there concluded they are off track on all 23 targets. A key goal is to protect 30 percent of Earth's land and sea. On land, governments have agreed to protect 27.5 percent so far. Monitored vertebrate populations have fallen by 73 percent over 52 years. Freshwater ecosystems have declined by 85 percent. The convention on biological diversity was created at the 1992 Rio Earth Summit. It sat alongside pacts on climate change and desertification. About 85 percent of the world's wetlands disappeared between 1700 and 2000. A Canadian study found that marshes in Southern Ontario deliver C$4.2 billion in water filtration each year. As those habitats vanish, water treatment costs rise sharply. The previous summit in Cali, Colombia, ended without a clear agreement. Talks ran out of time, so an extra round was needed in Rome.

1. What did countries conclude at the meeting in Nairobi?
2. What is the key goal mentioned in the text?
3. Why was an extra round of talks needed in Rome?

Short-Answer Comprehension

Precision Recall

Answer the prompt in a concise phrase or sentence. Your answer will be checked against stored accepted answers, and you can compare your wording with the authentic editorial model response.

4. Practice

Activities with instant feedback. Try each one before you look at the answer key.

Contextual Syntax Drill

Grammar & Tenses

Fill in each blank with the grammatically correct passive or active form of the verb indicated in parentheses.

1. The 23 biodiversity targetsin Montreal in 2022.(passive voice, past simple)
2. The convention on biological diversityat the 1992 Rio Earth Summit.(passive voice, past simple)
3. The previous summit in Cali, Colombia,without a clear agreement.(past simple, active voice)

Lexical Matching Drill

Vocabulary in Context

Select the matching definition for each target news term extracted from the report.

biodiversity
target
on track
ecosystem
habitat

5. Write or speak

A short task in your own words.

Guided Writing Practice & Model Comparison

Productive Synthesis
Writing Prompt:

Write a concise summary in your own words (target: 50–90 words). Incorporate the target vocabulary: biodiversity, target, ecosystem, habitat.

Target range: 50–90 words·Current: 0 words
Self-Assessment Checklist Rubric0 of 4 criteria met

Review your draft against each pedagogical criterion before completing the exercise:

Answer key and explanations

Try the activities first: you learn more by checking your own answers. Then compare.

Frequently Asked Questions About This Lesson

What English proficiency level is this news lesson?

This lesson is calibrated to CEFR B1 (Intermediate). It features 177 words adapted from verified journalism, offering an accessible yet authentic challenge for learners.

Does this lesson provide audio pronunciation?

Yes, this lesson includes studio narration in both British (UK) and American (US) accents with real-time word highlighting to improve your listening and pronunciation.

How can I practice with this article?

Read the article at your own pace, listen to the aligned narration, explore highlighted vocabulary definitions in the text margins, and test your understanding with the interactive exercises below the story.