📝 Daily Practice
🎯 Lesson Goal
This lesson aims to help learners use modals of deduction to analyze and discuss global risks with clarity and precision. You will learn how to express certainty, possibility, and speculation about complex issues confidently in professional and academic contexts.
🧠 Grammar Focus
Modals of deduction help us express certainty or uncertainty about situations, especially when analyzing facts or making judgments. Common modals include must, might, could, may, can’t, and can. Use ‘must’ to indicate strong certainty (e.g., The climate must be changing). ‘Might’ and ‘could’ suggest possibility without full certainty (e.g., This risk might increase). ‘Can’t’ expresses impossibility (e.g., It can’t be ignored). These modals structure as: subject + modal + base verb. They are essential for discussing hypotheses, evaluating evidence, and presenting nuanced opinions in critical debates or reports.
📖 Short Reading
In recent years, experts have increasingly focused on global risks that could reshape economies and societies. For instance, climate change must be one of the most urgent challenges we face. Scientists say it could lead to severe weather patterns that might disrupt food production worldwide. Meanwhile, the threat of pandemics is another issue that can’t be underestimated. Although preventive measures may reduce risks, new viruses might still emerge unexpectedly. Cybersecurity breaches could cause profound damage; their impact must not be overlooked by governments or corporations. Some analysts speculate that economic instability might result from unresolved geopolitical conflicts. While the exact outcomes can’t be predicted, it is clear that proactive strategies should be prioritized. In conclusion, understanding these risks requires not only data but also critical thinking to evaluate what might happen and what must be done next.
✏️ Exercise 1 – Fill in the Blanks
1. The recent heatwaves ____ be a clear indication of climate change. (must / might / can’t)
2. Cyber attacks ____ cause serious disruptions, but not all incidents lead to major damage. (could / can / must)
3. If more preventive actions had been taken, the spread of viruses ____ have been limited. (could / must / can’t)
4. Experts say that the economic crisis ____ be avoided if governments collaborate. (might / must / can’t)
5. It ____ be true that all countries are equally prepared for global challenges. (can’t / must / could)
6. The increase in natural disasters ____ reflect the growing impact of environmental neglect. (must / could / can)
7. Some risks ____ still appear suddenly despite careful predictions. (might / can / must)
8. The government’s failure to act promptly ____ lead to irreversible damage. (can / could / must)
🔗 Exercise 2 – Matching
1. must
2. might
3. can’t
4. deduction
5. geopolitical conflicts
6. proactive strategies
7. speculation
8. instability
✅ Exercise 3 – Multiple Choice
1. Which modal shows a strong logical conclusion about a global risk?
2. You want to express that something is impossible. Which modal do you use?
3. To suggest a risk is possible but not certain, you use:
4. Choose the sentence that correctly uses a modal of deduction.
5. Which sentence expresses that the company has no realistic option but to address cybersecurity threats?
6. When analyzing data, a researcher says, “This result ____ indicate new trends in climate patterns.” Which modal fits best?
7. To describe a hypothesis in a professional report, you say:
8. If you are certain about a global threat, you would say:
📝 Writing Practice
1. Write 5–8 sentences explaining which global risk you think governments should address immediately. Include your opinion, reasons supporting your view, and at least one example illustrating the potential impact of this risk.
📚 Key Vocabulary
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| deduction | conclusion based on evidence |
| certainty | complete confidence that something is true |
| speculation | guessing based on incomplete information |
| urgent | requiring immediate attention |
| disrupt | interrupt or cause problems |
| underestimate | not recognize the full importance of something |
| emerge | appear or come into view |
| profound | very great or intense |
| overlook | fail to notice or consider |
| analyst | person who examines information carefully |
| geopolitical | related to politics and geography |
| instability | lack of stability or security |
| proactive | acting in advance to prevent problems |
| hypothesis | a proposed explanation made on limited evidence |
🔎 Answer Key
- exercise_1_fill_blanks: 1.must 2.could 3.could 4.might 5.can’t 6.must 7.might 8.could
- exercise_2_matching: 1.must – shows strong certainty 2.might – indicates possibility 3.can’t – expresses impossibility 4.deduction – conclusion based on evidence 5.geopolitical conflicts – political disagreements between countries 6.proactive strategies – actions taken before problems arise 7.speculation – guessing without complete information 8.instability – lack of security or steady condition
- exercise_3_multiple_choice: 1.must 2.can’t 3.might 4.The emergency must happen soon. 5.The company can’t ignore cybersecurity threats. 6.could 7.The outcome might be that the risk is real. 8.There must be severe floods next year.
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