The environment

There are many different words refering to features of the environment. Here are some arranged on small to large scales.
   brook (suối) --- stream --- river
   hillock (mô đất) --- hill --- mountain
   cove (vịnh nhỏ, vũng) --- bay --- gulf (vực biển)
   copse (bãi cây nhỏ) --- wood --- forest
   puddle (vũng nước nhỏ0 --- pond (ao) --- lake
   footpath (lối mòn) --- lane (đường nhỏ) --- road

You have to be careful about the use of 'the' with features of the environment:

Look at this encyclopaedia entry about Iceland and note any words that refer to particular features of environment.
_ Iceland, an island republic in the North Atlantic. The landscape consists largely of barren plains and mountains, with large ice fields particularly in the sourth west. The island has active volcanoes and is known for its thermal spring and geysers. With less than 1% of the land suitable for growing crops, the nation's economy is based on fishing, and fish products account for 80% of the exports. Area: 103,000 km2. Population: 227,000. Capital: Reykjavik.

Here are some other nouns which are useful when talking about the environment. Check their meanings with a dictionary if necessary.
_ Where land meets sea: coat, shore (bờ biển), beach, estuary (cửa sông), cliff (vách đá), cape (mũi đất), peninsula (bán đảo).
_ Words connected with rivers: source, tributary river (nhánh sông), waterfall (thác nước), mouth, valley (thung lũng), gorge (hẽm núi, đèo)
_ Words connected with mountains: foot, ridge (chóp), peak (đỉnh, chóp), summit (điểm cao nhất), glacier (sông băng).

1. waterfall/ 2. cliff (vách đá)/ 3. glacier (sông băng)/ 4. peninsula (bán đảo)
5. estuary (cửa sông)/ 6. tributary (nhánh sông)/ 7. volcano/ 8. straits (eo biển)
9. geyser (mạch nước phun)/ 10. gorge (hẻm núi)/ 11. summit or peak of a mountain
12. chain or mountains

There are many enviroment problems in the world today.
   air
   river and sea pollution
   overfishing
   the greenhouse effect
   the destruction of the ozone layer
   destruction of rainforests
   battery farming
   waste disposal (vức bỏ phí)
   overpopulation (dân số quá đông)

sandy beach/shore (adj- nhiều cát)
steep gorge/hill (adj- dốc, dốc đứng)
shallow brook/bay (adj- sâu)
rocky coast/mountain (adj- lỏm chỏm đá)
turbulent river/sea (adj- xáo động)
dangerous cliff/current (adj- nguy hiểm)