Английский язык (стр. 7 )

6.  We should find other ways of generating electricity.

Ex. 16 . Translate the following sentences from Russian into English.

1.  В процессе ядерного деления высвобождается огромное количество тепла, которое используется в ядерной энергетике.

2.  На атомных электростанциях процесс ядерного деления контролируется таким образом, чтобы выделение энергии не сопровождалось взрывом.

3.  Некоторые радиоактивные вещества, образующиеся в реакторе, остаются опасными на протяжении тысяч лет.

4.  Ядерный реактор не взрывается подобно атомной бомбе, однако авария на атомной станции может произвести разрушительный эффект на огромной территории.

5.  Ядерная энергия является хорошим источником электричества на сотни тысяч лет, но вопрос в том, насколько это безопасный источник.

6.  Не поискать ли нам другие способы производства электроэнергии, или же выбрать такой стиль жизни, который не требует большого её потребления?

Ex. 17. Speak about the advantages and disadvantages of living in a big city and in the countryside.

Ex. 18.Prepare some fact-files about Nature and Ecology:

1.  “Take care of the Earth and it will take care of you”

2.  “The nation that destroys its soil destroys itself” (Franklin Roosevelt)

3.  “Ecology has become the political substitute for the word Mother”

Ex. 19. Translate the text with the help of the dictionary.

Text C

HUMANITY AND ENVIRONMENT

Nature Protection

Computers project that between now and the year of 2030 we are going to have an increase of the average temperature between 1,5-4,5 degrees C. Sea levels will rise by several meters, flooding coastal areas and ruining vast tracts of land. We have upset sensitive equilibrium of nature releasing harmful substances into the air, polluting rivers and oceans with industrial waste. People tear up the countryside to accommodate their rubbish and this widens the range of environmental problems. It looks like the end of civilization on the Earth.

Acid Rains

One of the most alarming forms of air pollution is acid rain. It results from the release into the atmosphere of sulphur and nitrogen oxides that react with water droplets and return to earth in form of acid rain, mist or snow. Acid rain is killing forests in Canada, the USA, and central and northern Europe.

Depletion of the Ozone Layer

The ozone layer protects the Earth from the sun’s destructive UV (ultraviolet) rays and currently is damaged by CFC gases (chlorofluorocarbons). They are released by the daily use of industrial and household products: refrigerators, air conditioners, cleaning chemicals, food packaging. In the ozone layer they attack the ozone molecules making a “hole”. This “hole” allows more UV rays to penetrate to the Earth increasing the risk of skin cancer and weakening the immune system of people.

Destruction of the Tropical Forest

It’s generally agreed that the destruction of the tropical forest has a major impact on the world climate. The tropical rain forest recycles carbon, nitrogen and oxygen, helps determine temperature, rainfall and other climatic conditions in the world. Deforestation could cause one fourth of all species on earth to vanish in the next 25 years. These forests in Amazonia, South-East Asia and West and Central Africa are destroyed at an alarming rate of 42 million acres per year.

Measures to Be Taken

To conserve wildlife and nature we are obliged to remove factories and plants from cities, use modern technologies, redesign and modify purifying systems and broaden ecological education. These are the main practical measures, which must be taken in order to improve the ecological situation. Some progress has been already made in this direction. 159 countries-members of the UNO have set up environmental protection agencies which are doing much to preserve environment. The 5th of June is proclaimed the World Environment Day by the UNO and Greenpeace and it is celebrated every year.

UNIT 5

Ex. 1. Look through the following words before reading the text.

Environmental protection – защита окружающей среды

environment – окружающая среда

timber – лес

pollution – загрязнение

damage – вред

to arise from – возникать вследствие чего-либо

cotton growing – хлопководство

to be under threat – быть под угрозой

Ex.2. Read the text and do the exercises that follow it.

TEXT A

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

Economists have long thought of the environment as an unlimited source of resources. They have thought that the atmosphere, forests, rivers and seas are capable of absorbing all the rubbish the economy throws into them. In fact, the economy and the environment are closely related. The environment supplies the economy with all its resources, such as water, timber, minerals and oil. The environment has to absorb all its waste products.

Nevertheless, some economists have always argued that pollution damages the resources. For example, pumping waste gases from a power station does not get rid of them. The waste gases cause acid rain; this leads to forest damage and therefore reduces the resources of forestry industry.

There are many consequences of damaging the environment. One of them is acid rain. Another one is water shortage resulting from abuse of arable lands in agriculture. The third one is destroying the ozone layer of damage to water and soils. The fourth one is damage to wildlife: numerous species of animals and plants can disappear. Lastly, the most serious danger arising from damaging the environment is the result of the above-mentioned consequences. This is the danger for the life and health of the man.

The territories of the former Soviet Union are suffering many environmental problems. Many of these problems have been caused by economic activities. Apart from the effect of the Chernobyl disaster, the worst problem is probably in the area around the Aral Sea. Cotton growing in the region has used huge quantities of water, and the sea’s level has fallen by 14 yards. This destroyed fishing industry and led to a damage in soils, crops and wildlife. Many forests in the north of European Russia and the Far East are under threat. A system of dams on the Volga has caused damage to fish.

If we are unable to learn to use the environment carefully and protect it from damage caused by man’s activities, very soon we’ll have no world to live in.

Ex. 3. Answer the following questions.

1.  What have many economists long thought of the environment?

2.  Why do some economists think that pollution damages the resources?

3.  What are the consequences of damaging the environment?

4.  What environmental problems do the territories of the former Soviet Union suffer from?

5.  What can happen if we don’t learn to use the environment carefully?

Ex. 4. Find the English equivalents for:

Неисчерпаемый источник ресурсов; поглощать; быть тесно связанным; быть вызванным экономической деятельностью; защитить что-либо от повреждений; сталкиваться с проблемой окружающей среды; осторожно использовать окружающую среду; виды животных и растений; система плотин; последствия Чернобыльской катастрофы; обеспечивать экономику ресурсами; отходы; разрушение озонового слоя; нанести вред ресурсам; вред водам и почвам; вред дикой природе; неправильное использование земель; выбрасывать отработанные газы; вызвать кислотный дождь; быть результатом чего-либо; нехватка воды; последствие чего-либо; привести к повреждениям; сократить ресурсы чего-либо.

Ex. 5. Fill in the table with the missing verb forms.

-	led	-
have	-	-
-	-	thought
-	threw	-
get	-	-
-	-	grown
-	fell	-

Ex. 6. Fill in the blanks with the articles where it is necessary.

1.  Many forests in ______ north of ______ European Russia and ______ Far East are under threat.

2.  ______ worst problem is probably in the area around _____ Aral Sea.

3.  ______ economists have long thought of ______ environment as ______ unlimited source of resources.

4.  A system of dams on ______Volga has caused ______ damage to ______ fish.

5.  Some ______economists have always argued that ______ pollution damages ______ resources.

Ex. 7. Translate the following sentences from Russian into English.

1.  Окружающая среда – это ненеиссякаемый источник ресурсов.

2.  Окружающая среда не может поглощать все отходы, которые экономика выбрасывает.

3.  Окружающая среда обеспечивает экономику ресурсами.

4.  Загрязнение окружающей среды вызывает кислотный дождь.

5.  Загрязнение окружающей среды сокращает ресурсы промышленности.

6.  Неправильное использование земель ведёт к сокращению водных ресурсов.

7.  Выбросы отходов в воздух разрушают озоновый слой земли.

8.  Выбросы отходов наносят вред земле, почве и дикой природе.

9.  Среди проблем окружающей среды на территории бывшего СССР – последствия Чернобыльской катастрофы, проблема Аральского моря и другие.

10. Мы должны научиться бережно использовать окружающую среду.

Ex. 8. Look through the following words before reading the text.

To invent – изобретать

to pollute – загрязнять

to be concerned about – беспокоиться о чём-либо

to put trash into – сбрасывать мусор в

to destroy – разрушать

Ex. 9. Read the text and do the exercises that follow it.

TEXT B

POLLUTION

Man has been trying to make his life easier for many centuries. In doing so, he invented machines and instruments. They have been working – and polluting the world we live in.