the loss of particular plant and animal life

[I'm a Chubby Baby]

Hi, teachers. I am practicing paraphrasing. For the bold, is it correct to instead use 'the loss of particular plant and animal life'? Thanks!

Some people say that the main environmental problem of our time is the loss of particular species of plants and animals. Others say that there are more important environmental problems. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion. (source: Cambridge IELTS book)

 

[GoesStation]

It doesn't convey the same meaning. The original sentence specifically refers to species; your version refers to groups of individuals which could be of any species.

 

[I'm a Chubby Baby]

It doesn't convey the same meaning. The original sentence specifically refers to species; your version refers to groups of individuals which could be of any species.

Sorry, I don't fully understand the difference. Do you mean mine could mean two or three species?

 

[jutfrank]

I know what you're trying to do, I'm a Chubby Baby, but be careful not to change too much. Remember that when you change vocabulary, you risk using the wrong word. Focus first on changing the sentence structure.

Look:

A) the loss of particular species of plants and animals
B) the loss of particular plant and animal species

B is a good paraphrase of A because it uses different grammar in the noun phrase, even though the vocabulary is basically the same. It's the grammar (the structure of sentences and sentence constituents) that's the main thing we want you to change when paraphrasing.

However, when it comes to vocabulary, there are opportunities for you to show off your 'topic-related' vocabulary. This is where you're going to score highly on the vocabulary side of things. Look:

C) the ________ of particular plant and animal species

Can you think of a word that can go in the gap, to replace loss? If you can, you get good points.

 

[I'm a Chubby Baby]

C) the ________ of particular plant and animal species

Can you think of a word that can go in the gap, to replace loss? If you can, you get good points.

Thanks, jutfrank. Is the answer 'the extinction of certain plant and animal species?

But I want to know what the difference between 'particular species of plants and animals' and 'particular plant and animal life' is ? I don't understand the explanation in #2!

 

[jutfrank]

Well done. Yes, extinction was the word I was looking for.

GoesStation's point was that species and life do not have the same meaning, which is why you shouldn't replace one with the other. You know what species means, right? It's a specific word, with a specific meaning that can't be expressed with a single alternative word.

 

[GoesStation]

But I want to know what the difference between 'particular species of plants and animals' and 'particular plant and animal life' is. [STRIKE]?[/STRIKE]

Never put a space before a question mark. End declarative sentences with a period ("full stop" in British English). Your sentence could be reduced to "I want to know something." That's not a question.