World Around Us Environmental Problems: Учебное пособие по английскому языку

Ф Е Д Е Р АЛ Ь Н О Е АГ Е Н Т С Т В О П О О Б Р АЗО В АН И Ю Р Ф В О Р О Н Е Ж С К И Й Г О С У Д АРС Т В Е Н Н Ы Й У Н И В Е Р С И Т Е Т

WORLD AROUND US ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS У чебноепособиепо английскому языку по специальности: Г еоэкология 020802 (013400) О П Д 020802

В О РО Н Е Ж

2006

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У т верж д ен о н а у чн о-м етод ическим совет ом ф а ку льт ета ром а н огерм а н ской ф илологии п ротокол № 1 от 23 ян ва ря 2006 г.

С ост а вит ели: Высочин а О. В. Черн икова С.Н .

Пособ ие п од гот овлен о н а ка ф ед ре а н глий ского языка ф а ку льт ет а ром а н огерм а н ской ф илологии Ворон еж ского госу д а рст вен н ого у н иверсит ет а Реком ен д у ет ся д ля ст у д ен т ов п ервого ку рса ф а ку льт ет а геогра ф ии и геоэкологии

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Д а н н ое у чеб н ое п особ ие п од готовлен о н а ка ф ед ре а н глий ского языка ф а ку льт ет а ром а н о-герм а н ской ф илологии Ворон еж ского госу д а рст вен н ого у н иверсит ет а . Он о п ред н а зн а чен о д ля ст у д ен т ов п ервого ку рса д н евн ого от д елен ия ф а ку льт ет а геогра ф ии и геоэкологии, об у ча ющ ихся п о сп ециа льн ости геоэкология. Цель п особ ия –ра звитие у м ен ия говорен ия н а осн ове чт ен ия т екстов п о сп ециа льн ости. Д а н н а я цель д ост ига ет ся в п роцессе решен ия след у ющих за д а ч: совершен ст вова н ие у м ен ий чит а т ь ин оязычн ый сп ецт екст , исп ользу я ра зличн ые ст ра т егии чтен ия (п росм отровое, п оисковое, д ет а льн ое); ра звитие лексических н а выков; ра звитие н а выков д иа логической речи и п роф ессион а льн о-ориен тирова н н ых у м ен ий м он ологической речи н а м а т ериа ле т екстов п о п роф ессион а льн ой т ем а т ике. Пособ ие состоит извосьм и ра зд елов. Сем ь ра зд елов им еют од ин а кову ю ст ру кт у ру , ка ж д ый изн их сост оит изслед у ющ их ча стей : п ред т екст овые у п ра ж н ен ия; т екст ы п о п роф ессион а льн ой т ем а тике; у п ра ж н ен ия, вып олн яем ые в п роцессе чт ен ия; п ослет екстовые у п ра ж н ен ия, н а п ра влен н ые н а п роверку п он им а н ия п рочит а н н ого; б лок лексических у п ра ж н ен ий , н а п ра влен н ых н а овла д ен ие п роф ессион а льн ой т ерм ин ологией ; а т а кж е б лок у п ра ж н ен ий н а об су ж д ен ие ин ф орм а ции, п олу чен н ой из т екст а . Восьм ой ра зд ел п ред ст а вляет соб ой ряд у п ра ж н ен ий , н а п ра влен н ых н а п овторен ие и за креп лен ие п рой д ен н ого м а т ериа ла .

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UNIT I

POLLUTION: A LIFE AND DEATH ISSUE

Text Question Time Quiz: What do you know about pollution? Answer the following questions choosing a, b, c or d. Then count your score and see the results of the quiz. 1) Which of the following 4) Many detergents and laundry chemicals are not contained in an powders contain phosphates - why ordinary computer and monitor? are environmentalists trying to get a) lead; these phased out? b) mercury; a) they may create antibiotic c) arsenic; resistance; d) dioxins. b) they can over-stimulate plant 2) The use of chlorine to bleach growth; paper has been criticised as being c) they can cause the salinisation highly polluting - but what enviof farm land; ronmental drawback does "totally d) they are poisonous to bird and chlorine-free" paper have? plant life a) it uses different chemicals 5) Leaded petrol is one of the but they create similar levels world's major sources of urban air of pollution; pollution. What does lead poisonb) it takes twice as much water ing cause? to make it; it can't be made a) brain damage; using recycled paper; b) liver damage; d) it can’t be made using recyc) hearing loss; cled paper; d) all of the above. 3) Gold jewellery remains popular 6) A pesticide once widely used - but which of these harmful on US lawns and gardens is curchemicals is not a pollutant rently being phased out - to which commonly associated with mining type of chemical weapon is it the precious metal? chemically similar? a) mercury; a) blister agents such as mustard b) benzene; gas; c) sulphuric acid; b) nerve agents such as sarin; d) cyanide. c) blood agents such as hydrogen cyanide; d) none - no pesticides are similar to chemical weapons. Count your score and see the results of the quiz. You got 5-6 right! Well done - you must be an eco-saint, a chemistry expert, or both. You got 3-4 right!

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Not bad - your tank's only half full, but at least it's unleaded. You got 0-2 right! Poor - but lets face it, not a lot of people know this stuff. Time for Reading Read the text and complete the table below. Environmental Problem # Date/ Place Causes Consequences 1 2 etc Can you add some other facts besides mentioned in the text? POLLUTION HOTSPOTS (i) Pollution is a worldwide problem which does not respect national boundaries and is likely to intensify as the spread of industrial development continues. BBC News looks at some of the places around the world which are hardest hit by pollution. (ii) The Arctic has a severe problem with persistent organic pollutants (POPs). POPs are chemical substances which accumulate in the food chain, threatening both human and animal health as well as the environment. According to researchers, dangerous levels of POPs have been found in the Arctic's air, snow, water and wildlife. (iii) It is thought that POPs, like the pesticide DDT, are carried on air currents from the midlatitudes of North America, Europe and Asia. Once they reach the Arctic, the harsh climate causes them to freeze into the snow and ice, where they accumulate and concentrate up the food chain. These pollutants can harm many animals, especially those higher up the food chain. According to some researchers, they may be weakening the immune function of mammals like polar bears as well as causing reproductive problems. (iv) The Prestige oil tanker sank near northern Spain on 19 November 2002, polluting about 3,000 km of coastline. The spill is estimated to have killed 300,000 seabirds, making it one of Europe's worst wildlife disasters. The economic cost of the accident to fishing and tourism has been put at about 5 billion euros (£3.4 billion). The polluting effects of the Prestige oil spill could still be an issue today. Although a clean-up operation has removed most of the oil on coastal land, there are concerns about the large quantity which sank to the sea bed. WWF says it may release contaminants which could enter the food chain, including into commercially caught species such as sea bass, octopus, shrimps and crabs. (v) A huge dead zone of deoxygenated water spreads across the Gulf of Mexico every summer because of severe nitrate pollution. This dead zone is

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completely uninhabitable for most marine animals, and in the Gulf of Mexico it can cover an area of about 15,000 sq km. The Gulf of Mexico's dead zone has been an annual problem for the last 30 years, because farmers in the Mississippi watershed are using large quantities of nitrate-based fertilisers. These cause an algal bloom in the water, which guzzles oxygen, suffocating other forms of marine life. At the moment little is being done to solve the problem, and according to conservationists, some locals actually welcome the dead zone's arrival because crabs and lobsters are easy prey as they flee the deoxygenated water. (vi) The world's worst nuclear accident occurred in what is now the Ukraine on 26 April 1986. A reactor exploded in Chernobyl's nuclear power station, killing at least 30 people and forcing the evacuation of 135,000 more. The radioactive cloud spread north over Belarus, where 70% of the radiation fell in the form of contaminated rain, resulting in the long-term pollution of 32% of its territory. More than two million people used to live in this area - about a fifth of the population of Belarus. The disaster led to a dramatic rise in cancer, leukaemia and birth defects in the surrounding area, especially Belarus. (vii) The shrinking Aral Sea is a trouble spot in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, because of overirrigation and pollution. It has shrunk from a volume of about 1,000 cubic km 40 years ago to 110 cubic km today. The mineral content of the water is now seven times higher than it was four decades ago. The water is being severely polluted by pesticides and fertilisers, which local farmers use on their cotton crops. Where the water has retreated completely there is a vision of environmental apocalypse - vast stretches of desert laden with heavy doses of salt and burdened with a toxic mix of chemical residues washed down over the decades from the farms upstream. Not only has this devastated natural ecosystems in the area, it has also affected the health of the local human population. Malnutrition and conditions like anaemia and TB are increasing. The rate of cancer of the oesophagus is higher near the Aral Sea than anywhere else in the world. (viii) According to the WWF, there are high concentrations of accumulated dioxins in whale and dolphin meat sold in Japan. Dioxins are common pollutants - produced as the result of many industrial processes. They are unintentional byproducts formed by chemical reactions and combustion processes. Dioxins are extremely toxic. They can trigger cognitive disorders, immune suppression, endometriosis and other problems in both humans and animals. These chemicals are an issue in several parts of the world, and they can be what are known as Persistent Organic

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Pollutants (POPs) which become more concentrated up the food chain. They are stored in animal fat, which can pose a health risk to humans who eat meat in problem areas. The WWF claims that dioxin levels up to 172 times the tolerable daily intake were found in marketed whale and dolphin meat in Japan. (ix) The enormous gas leak from a chemical factory in the Indian city of Bhopal in 1984 was one of the world's worst industrial accidents. Nearly 3,000 people died in the first few days and tens of thousands suffered terrible sideeffects. A dense cloud of lethal gas escaped from the pesticide plant on the outskirts of the city and rolled into the homes of the nearby shanty town. Then winds moved it onwards into Bhopal, a city of 90,000 people. The atmosphere in Bhopal was declared free of the gas after eight hours. But the physical and psychological ramifications of that short space of time on 3 December 1984 will continue for a long time to come. (x) China's rapid economic growth and soaring energy demand has caused it to suffer from some major pollution problems. At the moment about twothirds of the country's power comes from coal and coal products - the cheapest and dirtiest forms of energy. According to the World Bank, air pollution costs the Chinese economy $25bn a year in health expenditure and lost labour productivity - largely because of the use of coal. Official figures say 400,000 Chinese citizens die a year from diseases related to air pollution, and, according to the World Bank, 16 of the 20 most polluted cities in the world are in China. (xi) According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, over 100,000 tonnes of old and unused toxic pesticides have been abandoned in sites around Africa and the Middle East. These chemical leftovers - including the DDT, which is banned in many countries - can harm the environment as well as human health. The scope of the problem is dramatically illustrated in Ethiopia, where some 3,400 tonnes of obsolete pesticides - some of which are over 20 years old are stored at 1,000 sites throughout the country. In the western Ethiopian village over five tonnes of DDT have been found. The residents had long complained of nausea, respiratory ailments and headaches.

I. A B C D II. 1) 2) 3) 4) 5)

Did You Get It? Which paragraph contains information about a vision of environmental apocalypse? a place where old and unused toxic pesticides are stored? consequences of economic growth and energy demand? locals who make profits out of natural disaster? Answer the following questions. Why is pollution a worldwide problem? How do POPs get to the Arctic? Where do POPs accumulate? What are the possible dangers of persistent organic pollutants? The main damage of the Prestige oil spill was to the wildlife, wasn’t it?

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6)

Why could the polluting effects of the Prestige oil spill still be an issue today? 7) How big is the dead zone water in the Gulf of Mexico? 8) Who is to blame for the dead zone? 9) Why is little being done to solve the problem of the dead zone? 10) When and where did the world's worst nuclear accident occur? 11) How did the volume of the Aral Sea change over times? 12) What threat do dioxins pose to humans and to the environment? 13) What was one of the world's worst industrial accidents? 14) What is the main environmental problem in China? 15) What disorders do people living close to the sites of toxic pesticides storage suffer from? III. What is the significance of the following numbers and statistics? a) 100,000 b) 30 c) 90,000 d) 172 e) 110 f) 1/5 IV. Say if the following statements true or false. Correct false statements. 1) The Arctic has a severe problem with DDT. 2) Persistent organic pollutants threaten humans, animals and the environment. 3) POPs are carried from the low-latitudes of North America, Europe and Asia. 4) The economic benefit of the oil spill near Spain to fishing and tourism is about 5bn euros. 5) The large quantity of oil sank to the sea bed. 6) At the moment a lot is being done to solve the problem of the dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico. 7) The radioactive cloud spread over Ukraine. 8) The volume of the Aral Sea is about 1,000 cubic km. 9) The water in the Aral Sea is being severely polluted by pesticides and fertilisers. 10) Dioxins are found in low concentrations in whale and dolphin meat sold in Japan. 11) The atmosphere in Bhopal was declared free of the gas after few days. 12) Coal and coal products are the cheapest and dirtiest forms of energy. 13) 16 of the 20 most polluted cities in the world are in India. 14) Africa and the Middle East are used as places for storage of the old and unused toxic pesticides.

I.

Words, Words, Words... Match up the words to make collocations and explain the meaning. • pollution • chain • dangerous • rain • food • apocalypses

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• oil • pesticides • dead • cloud • nuclear • accident • radioactive • hotspots • contaminated • demand • environmental • leak • gas • zone • energy • level • toxic • spill II. Find in the text the following. a) a noun meaning “ an area where there is some form of trouble” (para i); b) an adjective meaning “ lifeless” (para v); c) a noun meaning “ illness” (para xi); d) a noun meaning “ a place, location” (para xi); e) a noun meaning “ implication” (para ix); f) a verb meaning “ to contract” (para vii); g) an adjective meaning “ unsuitable for living” (para v); h) a noun meaning “ a small amount of something that remains after most of it has disappeared” (para vii); i) an adjective meaning “ no longer needed” (para xi). III. Match up the words (column A) with their definitions (column B) A B 1) to pose a) to cause something to happen, to provoke; 2) side-effect b) parts of a city that are farthest away from its center; 3) to flee c) to move away from something or someone, to withdraw; 4) outskirts d) a substance that pollutes the environment; 5) to trigger e) to present; 6) to retreat f) to escape, especially because of danger or fear; 7) contaminant g) some amount of substance that remains after you have finished using it; 8) leftovers h) the unplanned things that happen in addition to the main results. IV. Put these words and phrases in the correct order to form sentences. a. of; is dramatically illustrated; the scope; the problem; in Ethiopia. b. the city; escaped from; the pesticide plant; a dense cloud; of; lethal gas; on the outskirts; of. c. chemicals; dioxins; extremely; in several parts; are; toxic; which; an issue are; of the world. d. levels; researchers; and wildlife; dangerous; of POPs; have been found; air, snow, water; ; in the Arctic's; according to. V. Choose the correct word.

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1) Greenpeace is going to release a (n) ..............on water pollution. A edition B issue C publicity D report 2) The tropical.............of Africa need to be protected from destruction. A regions B states C places D sites 3) To improve the...............of the water, use a water purification tablet. A standard B amount C quantity D quality 4) Acid rain has caused a lot of............ to Europe’s trees. A wreck B ruin C damage D disaster 5) The ............. levels in this city are the highest in Europe. A contamination B pollution C dirty D infection VI. Choose the correct word to fit into each sentence. Make necessary changes. 1. to pollute, pollution 1) The water _________ here. You cannot swim. 2) This factory ________ the air. 3) Fish die because of water _______. 2. to protect, protection 1) You can _________ animals if you send money to the World Wildlife. 2) The _________ of animals is the aim of the World Wildlife. VII. Put the remarks of the dialogue in the correct order. The first two have been done for you. Leila Markham is an environmentalist. She is being interviewed on the radio by Tony Hunt, a journalist. Tony: One of the most important issues faced by the people is the question of pollution. So tell me, Leila, what exactly is pollution? Leila: Well, I would say that pollution is the accumulation, to a level intolerable to the ecosystem, of undesirable elements in any one of the diverse aspects of the physical environment. Pollution becomes especially important when it significantly alters the natural environment or when it threatens normal growth and reproduction or the normal functioning of all life forms, including human beings. Tony: In conclusion I would like to say that the problem of pollution concerns all people living on the Earth. Ask not for whom the bell tolls - it tolls for thee, and for me. Thank you, Leila, and good luck in your campaign. Leila: Actually, the scientists distinguish between natural pollution and man-made one. Natural pollution is for instance lime, iron, or sulphur in water supplies, smoke from forest fires, or dust from the eruption of volcanoes. Tony: Those are terrifying figures. It looks like developing countries are suffering from the pollution more than developed countries. Leila: Man-made pollution includes those wastes in the water, air, or other aspects of the environment for which humans are responsible. I have got some statistics which I would like to share with you.

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Tony: Well, chemicals seem to be a frequent pollutant. When we think of chemical contamination it is often images of events like Bhopal that come to mind. Leila: It is true. For example, developing countries are sometimes used for dumping pesticides. But on the other hand, the developed countries are also paying the price. For example, contaminated land is a problem in industrialised countries, where former factories and power stations can leave waste like heavy metals in the soil. Agriculture can pollute land with pesticides, nitrate-rich fertilisers. And when the contamination reaches rivers it damages life there, and can even create dead zones off the coast, as in the Gulf of Mexico. Tony: The pesticide DDT, for example, does great damage to wildlife and can affect the human nervous system, but can also be effective against malaria. Where do you think, Leila, the priority lies? Leila: Oh, yes. That was a horrible disaster. But the problem is widespread. One study says 7-20% of cancers are attributable to poor air and pollution in homes and workplaces. Some man-made chemicals are blamed for affecting some animals. And the chemicals climb the food chain, from fish to mammals - and to us. About 70,000 chemicals are on the market but at least 30,000 are thought never to have been tested for their possible risks to people. The snag is that modern society demands many of them, and some are essential for survival. Tony: I see. Are there any classifications of pollution? Leila: I am convinced it is up to us, the public, to solve the problem. As far as the problem of pollution is concerned “ there is no such place as “ away” and there is no such person as the “ other” . You can start by taking your unwanted waste to a recycling center, instead of just throwing it away. A good way to influence big companies is to boycott any products which are harmful to the environment. This forces the companies to change their method of production. Also, try to use unleaded petrol because the exhaust fumes given off are less harmful to the environment. If you are traveling in the city, don’t use the car, but take public transport instead. Tony: And man-made? Leila: According to the World Health Organization 3 million people are killed worldwide by outdoor air pollution annually. Most are in poor countries. Diseases carried in water are responsible for 80% of illnesses and deaths in developing countries, killing a child every eight seconds. Tony: OK. And last, but not the least question. Who should pay for pollution? Leila: The industrialised world has not yet cleaned up the mess it created, but it is reaping the benefits of the pollution it has caused. It can hardly tell the developing countries that they have no right to follow suit. Another complication in tackling pollution is that it does not respect political frontiers. Perhaps the best example to illustrate this - is climate change. The countries of the world share one atmosphere, and what one does can affect everyone. Tony: That will be great.

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Leila: Thanks for attention. Tony: That is quite reasonable if it is obvious who is to blame and who must pay the price. But it is not always straightforward to work out who is the polluter, or whether the rest of us would be happy to pay the price of stopping the pollution. Do you think that there are any solutions of the problem? Leila: One of the principles that is to be applied here is simple - the polluter pays. VIII. Read the dialogue again and write down the key points of the conversation. Act the dialogue out. Time to Talk I. Tell about one of the environmental disasters mentioned in the text above. II. Work in pairs. Use the information from the text, the dialogue and your background knowledge to prepare an interview “ Pollution. What are we doing to our Home?”

Check your answers to the quiz. 1-D 3-B 2-C 4-B

UNIT II

5-D 6-B

ENDANGERED SPECIES

Text 1 Question Time Quiz: Species and extinction. Scientists warn that human activities may be bringing about the sixth mass extinction of species in the world's history. Test your knowledge of the web of life. A. There are 13-14 million spea) Resistance to pesticides cies in the world. How many b) High levels of vitamin of those have been recorded A and described? c) Resistance to plant a) 1.75 million disease b) 5 million F. The Sumatran tiger is at risk c) 11 million of extinction. Which B. What is the biggest threat to everyday product is behind species? the threat? a) Habitat loss a) Hamburgers the b) Hunting, fishing and tiger’s rainforest home collecting is being cut down to

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c) Alien invasive species C. How many plant species are used in medicines worldwide? a) 1,000 –2,000 b) 10,000 –20,000 c) 100,000 –200,000 D. Which country has the most endangered plants in the world? a) Indonesia b) Ecuador c) Brazil E. Wild wheat varieties found in Turkey have a genetic property valued at $US50 million a year. What is it?

make way for cattle. b) Paper – logging companies are exploiting the forests for paper pulp. c) Toothpaste – workers collecting an ingredient from the sap of a certain tree are disturbing the tigers’ breeding cycle. G. Dinosaurs were wiped out in the mass extinction 65 million years ago - or were they? Which modern day group of animals do many experts say are technically dinosaurs? a) Crocodiles b) Frogs c) Birds

Count your score and see the results: You got 6-8 right! Species-swot - you fall asleep mumbling about invertebrates. You got 3-5 right! Not bad - you've visited a few zoos in your time. You got 0-2 right! Embarrassing - you barely know you're a hominoid. Time for Reading Read the text and match the paragraph with the heading. i. Exploitation and disturbances. ii. Why preserve endangered plants and animals? iii. Habitat loss. iv. Species’categories as defined by the Red List. v. What are endangered species? vi. How many species are in danger? THE RARE ONES (A) Rare, endangered, or threatened plants and animals are elements of our natural heritage that are declining rapidly or are on the verge of vanishing. They are plants and animals that exist in small numbers that may be lost forever if we do not take quick action to stop their (i) decline. If we cherish these species, like

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we do other rare and beautiful objects, these living organisms become treasures of the highest magnitude. (B) The scale of the extinction threat facing animals and plants is made clear in the Red List from the World Conservation Union. The Red List divides all species into the following categories: Extinct - Last known individual has died Critically Endangered - Extreme high risk of extinction Endangered - Species at very high risk of extinction Vulnerable - Species at high risk of extinction Near Threatened - May soon move into above categories Least Concern - Species is widespread and abundant (C) Estimates for the total number of species on Earth vary widely; there may be 10 million, there could be 100 million. What is certain is the limited number of species catalogued by science - barely two million. According to the latest Red List, 15,589 species - 7,266 animals and 8,323 plants and lichens are Critically Endangered, Endangered or Vulnerable. In other words, an eighth of all birds and a quarter of all mammals are in jeopardy, also a third of amphibians and almost 50% of turtles and tortoises are on the brink, too. (D) Preservation of plants and animals is important, not only because many of these species are beautiful, or can provide economic benefits for us in the future, but because they (ii) already provide us many valuable services. These organisms clean air, regulate our weather and water conditions, provide control for crop pests and diseases, and offer a vast genetic "library" from which (iii) we can withdraw many useful items. Extinction of a species could potentially mean the loss of a cure for cancer, a new antibiotic drug, or a diseaseresistant strain of wheat. There are many examples of a species' value to society. A new species of corn was found in Mexico; it (iv) is resistant to several diseases of corn. An insect was discovered that when frightened produces an excellent insect-repelling chemical. (E) Loss of habitat or the "native home" of a plant or animal is usually the most important cause of endangerment. Nearly all plants and animals require food, water, and shelter to survive, just as humans do. Humans are highly adaptable, however, and can produce or gather a wide variety of foods, store water, and create their (v) own shelter from raw material or carry it on their backs in the form of clothing or tents. Other organisms cannot. Some plants and animals are highly specialized in their (vi) habitat requirements. Some animals are dependent on more than one habitat type and need a variety of habitats near each other to survive. (F) Direct exploitation and disturbances caused by human activity can lead to extinction of some species. People exploited animals for food and fur. As a result, some animals were hunted to extinction, others (vii) such as the grizzly bear, maintain remnant populations. The presence of man and his machines may cause some animals to abandon an area, even if the habitat is not harmed. Disturbance during the nesting period is especially harmful. Disturbance combined with exploitation is even worse.

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Did You Get It? I. Match the beginning of a sentence in column A with an ending in column B to produce a statement which is true according to the text. a) Rare plants and animals may i. are those facing a high risk of be lost forever extinction; b) Loss of habitat or the "native ii. more than one habitat type and home" of a plant or animal need a variety of habitats near each other to survive; c) Direct exploitation and distur- iii. a species' value to society; bances caused by human activity d) Endangered plants and animals iv. divides all species into different categories; e) Some animals are dependent v. can lead to extinction of some on species; f) Vulnerable species

vi. if we do not take quick action to stop their decline; g) There are many examples of vii. are elements of our natural heritage that are declining rapidly or are on the verge of vanishing; h) The Red List published by the viii. is usually the most important World Conservation Union cause of endangerment. II. What is the significance of the following numbers and statistics found in the text a) 2 million e) 1/8 b) 15,589 f) ¼ c) 7,266 g) 1/3 d) 8,323 h) 50 III. Say what statements are true and what ones are false. Comment on the true statements and correct the false ones. 1) The scale of the extinction threat facing animals and plants is explained in the Red List published by the United Nations. 2) Least Concern species are those widespread and abundant. 3) Scientists know the exact number of species that exist on the Earth. 4) According to the latest Red List, it is the animals that are mostly Critically Endangered, Endangered or Vulnerable. 5) A half of amphibians are on the brink. 6) Preservation of plants and animals is important because they already provide us many valuable services. 7) A new species of wheat resistant to several diseases of wheat was found in Mexico. 8) Humans are more adaptable than animals and plants.

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9) All animals are dependent on one habitat type one. 10) People exploited animals for food and fur. 11) Some animals can abandon their habitat area because of the human activity. 12) Disturbance combined with exploitation makes the situation worse. IV. Complete the sentences below according to the information in the text. a) Rare, endangered, or threatened plants and animals are those __________. b) The Red List divides all species into _____________. c) The number of species catalogued by science is ________. d) In other words, _____________ are in jeopardy. e) Preservation of plants and animals is important because they __________. f) The valuable services provided by these organisms are ___________. g) Extinction of a species could potentially mean __________. h) Nearly all plants and animals require ______________. i) Some plants and animals are highly specialized in __________. j) Direct exploitation and disturbances can lead to ___________. k) Disturbance during __________. V. Put the following words and phrases in the correct order to form sentences. a) in their (vi) habitat requirements, some plants and animals, are highly specialized; b) and, exploited, people, animals, for food, fur; c) all, divides, into, categories, the Red List, species, several; d) important, of, preservation, and, plants, animals, is. VI. Text Organization. What do the following words stand for? their (i) paragraph A their (v) paragraph E they (ii) paragraph D their (vi) paragraph E which (iii) paragraph D others (vii) paragraph F it (iv) paragraph D Words, Words, Words... I.

Which animal ...? Example: wags its tail and fetches sticks a dog 1) has fur and whiskers and catches mice; 2) has a beak and feathers and builds nests; 3) has horns and is dangerous; 4) is supposed to be the King of the Jungles; 5) has a reputation for being stubborn; 6) has gills and fins; 7) can imitate human voices;

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II. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. III.

IV.

8) is the emblem of peace; 9) sometimes poisons, and sometimes squeezes to death its victims; 10) is the largest in the world; 11) lives in a stable and wears a saddle; 12) eats honey and is a popular soft toy for children Match each animal with the sound it makes. monkey a) roar 10. sheep j) bleat lion b) cluck 11. elephant k) bray dog c) meow, purr 12. pig l) hiss cat d) chatter 13. donkey m) trumpet horse e) crow 14. frog n) grunt, squeal hen f) bark, growl 15. snake o) squeak cock g) moo 16. duck p) howl bee h) neigh 17. wolf q) quack cow i) buzz 18. mouse r) croak Match up the words to make collocations and explain their meaning. • natural • material • endangered • endangered • genetic • period • habitat • heritage • nesting • concern • least • population • remnant • loss • critically • species • raw • library Match up the words and word combinations with their definitions. a) dependent on 1) keeping insects away; b) a cure 2) to be on the edge, close to something; c) insect-repelling 3) an animal that is able to live on land and in water; d) nesting period 4) a large reptile that has a thick shell around its body and lives in the sea most of the time; e) to be on the 5) not alive any more, dead; brink f) an amphibian 6) needing the help or support of something or someone; g) a tortoise 7) to terrify; h) a turtle 8) time when birds build nests and settle there to lay eggs; i) a lichen 9) being not affected or harmed by diseases; j) extinct 10) a remedy; k) disease-resistant 11) a cluster of tiny plants that looks like moss and grows on rocks, trees, walls, etc.;

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l) to frighten V. a) b) c) d) e) f) g) h) i) j) VI. a. b. c. d.

e. f.

g.

12) a slow-moving animal that has a hard shell around its back. Find in the text the following: a verb meaning “ to care for tenderly” (para A), a noun meaning “ importance” (para A), a noun meaning “ danger; the risk of loss, defeat, harm, etc.” (para C), a noun meaning “ medicine” (para D), an adjective meaning “ able to change so as to be suitable for new needs, different conditions, etc.” (para E), a verb meaning “ to leave completely and forever” (para F), a verb meaning “ to take away or take back” (para D), an adjective meaning “ very large and wide” (para D) , a verb meaning “ to continue to live or to exist” (para F), an adjective meaning “ more than one, plentiful” (para B). Put the words in brackets into the correct form to fill the gaps in the sentences. Many scientists across the globe believe the threat facing global biodiversity is _______. (escalate) _________ and habitat loss are pressures working against many species. (exploit) Human-induced climate change is _______ to be an increasingly significant problem. (think) There are many examples of species being ______ back from the brink including the southern white rhino and black-footed ferret. (bring) According to estimates, amphibians are the most _______of all vertebrate groups. (threat) In total, 21% of amphibians are Critically Endangered or Endangered, whereas the proportions for mammals and birds are only 10% and 5% _______. (respective) While most threats to biodiversity are human ______, human actions alone can prevent many species from becoming extinct. (drive) a) Use the words from the box to complete the gaps in the texts.

VII. A) The project, which seeks to _(i)___ lion populations in Zimbabwe, is led by the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, University of Oxford, working with the Zimbabwe wildlife department. Professor David Macdonald, director of WildCRU, told BBC News Online: "People think lions are __(ii)___, but a survey to which we contributed came up with a very different picture. There may be as few as 20,000 lions left across Africa - a terrifyingly small number, and a __(iii)____ one. The lions are killed by farmers, and by __(iv)____, and it's mainly males who die. The situation is __(v)____ by the fact that lions live in extremely complex societies. If you kill one male, the lion who replaces him will usually kill his __(vi)___. And we found males serving three, four or five __(vii)___ of females, not just one. So the take is completely unsustainable

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because the consequences of one kill just cascade. We've managed to get the __(viii)___ halved. Another project is trying to save the guanaco, an animal of the high Andes which is thought to be the ancestor of the llama. Other species to benefit include __(ix)___ in Malaysia, __(x)____ penguins, and fruit bats in Madagascar.” • prides • trophy hunters • plausible • South African • protect • cubs • hunting quota • complicated • common • orang-utans B) The Sumatran orang-utan and the Bornean orang-utan are the only great __(i)___ to live outside Africa. These solitary apes require a huge amount of __(ii)__ to survive. The fruits that they live on are ___(iii)___. The lowland forest __(iv)___ they inhabit are disappearing to make way for agriculture and oil palm plantations by logging and fire. Less than 2% of the orang-utan's original habitat remains. Sadly, even the national parks that should be safe __(v)___ are now reportedly being __(vi)____ illegally. Consequently populations have declined by more than 90% in the past century. There are thought to be less than 30,000 individuals, a decline of 30-50% in the last decade. Unless they are conserved in well-managed and __(vii)____ areas, in forests connected by corridors, they may well be facing extinction in the wild. Conservation organisations are trying to help orang-utans by preserving sufficient habitat, but also by fighting the commercial and economic needs that result in forest __(viii)____. In addition, action is needed to stamp out a widespread trade in orang-utans as __(ix)____. • well-protected • habitats • few and far between • pets • havens • logged • destruction • space • apes Time to Talk I. Using on-line resources make a presentation (10-12 sentences) of some endangered species. Mention what is being done by people to stop the extinction of a species. II. Opinion Survey. In your group organize a survey "What measure is the best way to protect endangered species? Complete the table below and summarize the results of the survey. Share the results with the teacher and the group mates. What measures are the most popular/the least popular in your group? Possible Answers Great idea, Pretty I’d use it good idea Measures a) Captive breeding programmes in zoos and aquariums

Only a fair Bad idea, I idea wouldn’t use

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b) Creating wildlife reserves c) Fund-raising for organizations dedicated to saving wildlife d) Banning pesticides and encouraging traditional methods of farming e) Encouraging tourism in countries with endangered wildlife habitats f) Political campaigns III. Question for further thought... Can you think of a time when the human race becomes endangered? Check your answers to the quiz. A-a; B-a; C-b; C-b; E-c; D-b; F-b; G-c;

Text 2 Species are being wiped out so fast that scientists say humanity may be triggering the sixth mass extinction in history. How much does it matter and what should we do? Should we protect all species or just the ones that are useful? Can we demand that the world's poor to stop exploiting the ecosystems they survive on? Question Time I. Discuss the following questions in pairs. 1) What animals you know of are in danger of extinction? Why are they in danger? 2) Do you think that animals in danger of extinction should be saved? Why, or why not? Time for Reading Look at opinions from different sides of the debate concerning the protection of species. Read the text and say who the following statements belong to. a. Sustainable hunting has often turned out be a highly effective conservation measure.

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b. We have to prioritise how much we spend, and how to spend it to preserve the most. c. Creepy crawlies are the unsung heroes of the natural world, and we know next to nothing about them. d. It is downright silly to say we should preserve the world's biodiversity in toto. e. We are mucking about with our life support system - that doesn't strike me as sensible. VIEWPOINTS: SAVING SPECIES 1) Mark Smith, Species Officer, WWF. “ Animals do not exist for our benefit. They exist because they evolved to do a certain job within nature. But if a species does not benefit people directly, they often don't see a reason to conserve it. We at the WWF are looking at it from an ecological point of view: All species are doing a job, even if we don't know what that job is. Removing a species from the ecosystem is like removing a rivet from an aeroplane without knowing its (i) function. Nobody would want to fly in that aeroplane - but that is what we are doing to our environment. We (ii) are causing species to go extinct without knowing what they do. As far as we know, this is the only planet we can live on. We are stuck here (iii) and we are mucking about with our life support system. That doesn't strike me as sensible.” 2) Ian Parker, author and game hunter. “ As many life forms are harmful to human well-being, it is silly to say we should preserve the world's biodiversity in toto. We want to exterminate Aids viruses, bacteria that cause tuberculosis, malaria that kill millions of children annually, and countless other harmful pathogens. Our welfare relates directly to eliminating harmful forms of life and we are unavoidably committed to modifying our environments to suit our particular needs. Common sense calls for accepting that in many cases, this means exterminating some of its elements. The challenge conservationists face is to keep them (iv) as few as possible, and avoiding dogmatic claims that all must be preserved.” 3) Helen Saxe, Environmental Assessment Institute. “ If we want to conserve every species on Earth starting with bacteria and virus and ending with the African elephant, we are saying that humans should not inhabit this Planet. Civilisation comes with a price. And few of us would do without the comfort of modern life. When we choose to preserve nature - and we should - we have to prioritise how much we will spend, and how to spend it to preserve the most biodiversity. This takes knowing the greatest threats

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(agriculture, forest clearing, toxic pollution, climate change, etc), and putting our money where it works. As we see it at the Environmental Assessment Institute, it is all about prioritisation.” 4) Dr David Hutton, Chair of the Sustainable Use Specialist Group, IUCN. “ One way to make conservation gains is to capitalise on the importance of wild species in human livelihoods - and paradoxically the sustainable harvesting of plants and hunting of animals has often turned out be a highly effective conservation measure. When we think of biodiversity we tend to think of the obvious elements - all the species of animals and plants that we can see and identify around us. Should we conserve lions? Most people would say yes, but people in Africa are happy to see the back of them (v) if it means their children can walk to school in safety. Conservation is a difficult business, involving tough decisions and trade-offs. Ultimately it (vi) hinges on the goodwill of the people who live with the “biodiversity” being conserved.” 5) Professor John Lawton, Natural Environment Research Council. “ Beyond mammals, birds and plants, we remain remarkably ignorant of how many species there are on the planet - let alone how many are disappearing. Even for those plants and animals that we do know about, we understand little about their (vii) distribution, ecology or population size. Our knowledge is most limited for the very geographic areas where the diversity of life is greatest - principally in the tropics. And very little is known of the deep sea. The charismatic mega-fauna aside, I'd like to see much more research going into things smaller than a millimetre. If I had my time again, I'd look at nematodes, soil micro-organisms and creepy crawlies. They are the unsung heroes of the natural world, and we know next to nothing about them (viii).” Did You Get It? I. Who speaks about the following? a. things smaller than a millimetre; b. conservation of lions; c. life forms that are harmful to human well-being; d. all species doing a job; e. conservation is all about prioritisation. II. Sum up the opinions above in one or two sentences. Which one do you stick to? Do you have your own opinion on the issue discussed? III. Ian Parker uses a Latin expression in toto. Can you guess its meaning from the context? What is the usage of the Latin words in the speech of a person can say about him?

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IV. Match the beginning of a sentence in column A with an ending in column B to produce a statement which is true according to the text. A B a) Civilisation 1) kill millions of children annually. b) Animals exist 2) how much we will spend, and how to spend it to preserve the most biodiversity. c) Tuberculosis and malaria 3) is a difficult business and it incaused by viruses and volves tough decisions and tradebacteria offs. d) The sustainable harvest4) are agriculture, forest clearing, ing of plants and hunting toxic pollution, climate change, of animals etc. e) We have to prioritise 5) is greatest in the tropics. f) People in Africa are 6) ignorant of how many species happy there are on the planet. g) We remain 7) comes with a price. h) Conservation 8) because they evolved to do a certain job within nature. i) The greatest threats to the 9) has often turned out be a highly biodiversity effective conservation measure. j) The diversity of life 10) to see the back of lions if it means their children can walk to school in safety. V. Answer the following questions. 1) Do animals exist for our benefit? 2) What did Mark Smith compare removing a species from the ecosystem with? 3) What species are harmful to human well-being? 4) What challenge do conservationists face? 5) Would many people do without the comfort of modern life? 6) What do we have to do when we choose to preserve nature? 7) What is a highly effective conservation measure according to Dr. David Hutton? 8) What does conservation hinge on? 9) Do we know everything about the species that inhabit the Earth? 10) Where is the diversity of life greatest? 11) We know nearly nothing about micro-organisms, do we? VI. What do the following words stand for? its (i) para1 them (v) para4 we (ii) para1 it (vi) para4 here (iii) para1 their (vii) para5 them (iv) para2 them (viii) para5 Words, Words, Words...

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I. Match up the words to make collocations and explain their meaning. • human • pathogens • game • clearing • harmful • measure • forest • mega-fauna • climate • hunter • charismatic • change • conservation • goodwill II. Find in the text words and word combinations which mean the following. a) a verb meaning “ to develop” (para1); b) a phrasal verb meaning “ to treat without consideration” (para1); c) a noun meaning “ physical and personal comfort, esp. good health and happiness” (para2); d) a verb meaning “ to kill all the creatures or people in a place” (para2); e) a phrasal verb meaning “ to demand” (para2); f) an adjective meaning “ lacking knowledge, education, esp. of something one ought to know about” (para5); g) a noun meaning “ a balance between two (opposing) situations or qualities, intended to produce a desirable or acceptable result” (para4); h) a phrasal verb meaning “ to happen to be” (para4); i) a verb meaning “ to give priority” (para3); j) a verb meaning “ to change” (para2); k) an adjective meaning “ reasonable” (para1). III. Match up the following word combinations with their meaning. a. to do without i. to have a peculiar (strong) effect on, to impression; b. to strike as ii. to be acceptable or convenient for, to satisfy or please one’s needs; c. to be stuck iii. to disappear d. to suit needs iv. almost nothing; e. common sense v. to manage to live without; f. to go extinct vi. to start from the very beginning; g. to have one’s time vii. to be fixed, impossible to move; again h. next to nothing viii. practical good sense and judgment gained from experience, rather than special knowledge from school or study. IV. Using the words from the box complete the following text. Note that one word is extra. • web • survive • to grow • to feed • room • exploiting

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• hard • faster • insignificant • mass extinction • threatened All the creatures we share the Earth with are important in some way, however ___(i)___ they may appear. They and we are all part of the __(ii)____ of life. From the dawn of time, extinction has usually progressed at what scientists call a natural or background rate. Extinction, as Steven Spielberg says, really is for ever. Today the tempo is far ___(iii)___. Many scientists believe this is the sixth great wave - the sixth ___(iv)___ to affect life on Earth. We have more than doubled our numbers in half a century, and that is the most obvious reason why there is less ___(v)___ for any other species. We are taking their living room __(vi)___ our food, their food __(vii)___ ourselves. We are __(viii)___ them, trading in them, squeezing them to the margins of existence and beyond. Often the choice is __(ix)___: conserve a species or feed a community, tourists' dollars or turtles' nests. Ensuring other species keep their living space is not sentimental. It is the only way we shall __(x)____. V. Fill in the gaps of the sentences. 1) Many species keep us alive, purifying water, fixing nitrogen, recycling nutrients and waste, and pollinating __(i)____. 2) Plants and bacteria carry out photosynthesis, which produces the __(ii)___ we breathe. 3) Trees absorb ___(iii)___, the main greenhouse gas given off by human activities. 4) Most conservation effort goes into birds and __(iv)____ - creatures like the panda, a dim, dead-end animal that was probably on the way out anyway. 5) Yet arguably it's the __(v)____ things that run the world, things like soil microbes. 6) They're the __(vi)___ -known species of all. Time to Talk Role Play. In your group organize a round table debate “ Should we protect all species or just the ones that are useful?” Here is a list of participants and their roles: Chairperson. Your job is to make a short introductory speech about endangered species, their saving and what problems it involves; to introduce the honour guests of the round table; to give the floor to each participant of the debate who wants to talk; to keep order during the debate and sum up the result of the discussion. Discussions can get heated and you may have to remind participants to remain polite, not interrupt, not monopolize the discussion and so on. Here is some useful language: Opening a meeting: − Right, shall we get started? − The first thing we have to discuss / decide is ... Inviting comments: − I’d like to gave floor to ...

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− Mr. Hutton, is there anything you would like to say? − Does anyone have any further comments? − Would you like to come in here? Directing the proceedings: − We seem to lose the sights of the main issue. − With respect, I don’t think that is entirely relevant. − Could we stick to the subject under discussion, please? − Perhaps, we will come back to that later. − I’ll come to you in a minute. Closing the meeting: − Are there any further points anyone wishes to make? − To sum up, ... − Are we all agreed on this? − Shall we take a vote? All those in favour? All those against? − Let us agree to disagree. − I declare the meeting closed. Professor John Lawton. You represent the Natural Environment Research Council. Tell the audience your point of view on the problem discussed. Dr David Hutton. You are a Chair of the Sustainable Use Specialist Group, IUCN. Your task is to share your point of view. Helen Saxe. As a representative of the Environmental Assessment Institute, share with the audience your views on the problem. Mark Smith. You are a Species Officer of the Worldwide Fund for Nature. Tell how the WWF is looking at the problem of saving species. Ian Parker. You are a game hunter. Tell the audience what you think about saving species. Journalists. You are representatives of mass media, interested in environmental issues. You can address any participant of the debate with questions, in order to make coverage of the problem for your newspapers/ magazines/TV programmes. Means of Discussion Use the following words to express your agreement or disagreement. Agreement Disagreement • I think so. • I don’t think so. • I believe so. • I am afraid not. • I suppose so. • I hardly think so. • That’s right. • On the contrary. • I agree with you up to a point, but... • I don’t quite agree here. • That goes without saying. • That’s ridiculous. • Same here. • Nothing of the kind.

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• That’s just what I think. • Nonsense. (Rubbish) • I see what you mean, but... • I wouldn’t say that. • That’s may be true, but (on the other • Do you really think so? hand)... Use the following words to express your opinion or to ask someone about theirs. Expressing opinion Asking about opinion • I think that... • What do you think of/about...? • I believe that... • How do you feel about...? • I feel that... • What’s your opinion of/about...? • I consider that... • I doubt that... • In my opinion/ In my view • To my mind • If you ask me Use the following useful phrases in your discussion. • a proof of this is − д ока за т ельст вом эт ого являет ся • a thought occurred to me − м н е п ришла в голову м ысль • allow me for a moment to turn − ра зрешите м н е п ока п ерей ти to к • among the problems that con- − сред и за д а ч, ст оящих п еред front us н а ми • and here allow me to call your − и зд есь ра зрешит е м н е об ра attention to т ить ва ше вн им а н ие • beyond all questions − вн е всякого сом н ен ия • broadly/generally speaking − вооб щ е говоря • but I am sorry to say − н о, к сож а лен ию, я д олж ен ска за т ь • but on the other hand − н о с д ру гой сторон ы • but what I want to make clear − я ж е хочу у точн ит ь is • by the way I have not men- − м еж д у п рочим , я н е у п ом яtioned н у л (а ) • coming back to the main sub- − возвра ща ясь к осн овн ом у воject п росу • far from it − от н юд ь н ет • first of all I ask − п реж д е всего, я сп ра шива ю • for this reason − п о этой п ричин е • I am afraid I am not familiar − б оюсь, что я н ед ост а точн о enough with the subject зн а ком (а ) с этим воп росом • I am here to introduce − я зд есь д ля т ого, чтоб ы п ред ст а вит ь

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• I might go further

UNIT III

− я м ог (ла ) б ы п род олж ит ь

TREES DEFORESTATION

Text 1 Question Time "Forests are the lungs of our land, purifying the air and giving fresh strength to our people." Franklin Delano Roosevelt (32nd President of the United States) Do you agree with the statement above? Give your own reasons why trees are so important in our ecosystem and our life. Time for reading Read the text below and write out the key ideas in each paragraph. Entitle the paragraphs. THE HISTORY OF TREES (i) Trees first appeared and began to cover the land surface of the Earth some 370 million years ago. Today, we are so used to and dependent on trees that it's hard to believe that animals could have existed without them or that they did not at least simultaneously evolve together in the beginning. (ii) Trees, with their large and thick roots, helped break up the rocky crust of Earth's surface to create the soil that would allow the development of new plant species, including other trees. And it was the greater evolution of plants and trees that enabled the evolution of larger and more diverse land animals, including mammals. The first land animals - bugs - were plant eaters, and they required more and diverse vegetation to evolve. (iii) The most important thing that makes trees unique from all other plants is they all have wood. Wood is a much tougher, thicker and reinforced fibre necessary for trees to hold themselves up under the pressure of their weight. (iv) The earliest known modern tree is the Archaeopteris, a tree that looked similar to a Christmas tree with buds, reinforced branch joints and wood similar to today's timber. Its branches and leaves resembled a fern. When the archaeopteris tree first appeared 370 million years ago, it quickly covered most parts of the Earth with its first forests and was the dominant tree wherever the planet was habitable. Over the past 370 million years, countless new tree species have evolved and eventually became extinct, like the archaeopteris - as the Earth's land masses

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Archaeopteris, the first moved about, climates changed, animal populations modern tree, covered increased, and new species of plants evolved to take most parts of Earth with the place of the extinct ones. its first forests. (v) Today there are approximately 100,000 known species of trees that exist throughout the world. However over 8,000 species are threatened with extinction and 976 of those are in a critical state. The fact is that trees now cover only about 29.6 percent of Earth's total land area (about 3.9 billion hectares). From 1990 to 2000 about two percent of the world's forest cover - roughly 10 million hectares - was lost and not recovered. (vi) For many nations the demands for resources from the forests are giving way to expansion and massive deforestation. Humans have cut forests primarily for their resources, to build cities and housing, and for agriculture. Industrialization has also been a significant contributor to the loss of our forest cover. (vii) Human populations are growing; our demands are constantly increasing but in such developing of civilization we shouldn’t forget that trees are vitally important to world health on all levels. Globally, forests are essential to the health of ecosystems and their functions, biodiversity and economics. Some of the many key functions of forests include climate regulation, the cycling and distribution of nutrients, and the provision of raw materials and resources. Trees cleanse the air and provide oxygen, help soil retain water, shield animals and other plants from the sun and other elements, and provide habitat for animals and plants. And don't forget the majestic beauty they give us throughout each year! Did You Get It? I. Say whether the following statements are true or false, correct the false ones. 1. Animals and trees appeared on the Earth at the same time. 2. Evolution of plants made possible the evolution of land animals. 3. The first animal that appeared on the Earth was mammal. 4. Wood is the only thing that distinguishes trees from all other plants. 5. Reinforced fibre is necessary for trees to protect them from woodbeetles. 6. The earliest known tree was deciduous. 7. The Archaeopteris was the main tree at the time when our planet was uninhabitable. 8. The development of industry is one of the main factors of deforestation. 9. Over last decades we have lost hundreds of species and this process is irreversible. 10. Forests don’t influence the climate changes. II. Answer the following questions. 1. Did trees and animals simultaneously evolve together million years ago?

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2. 3. 4.

What allowed the development of new plant species? What was the first land animal? Wood is the most important thing that makes trees unique from all other plants, isn’t it? 5. Why is wood so necessary for trees? 6. What is the earliest tree like? 7. How many species are on the brink of extinction today? 8. Can the lost forest cover be recovered? 9. Name the main reasons of deforestation. 10. Name the key functions of forests and trees. III. What is the significance of the following numbers and statistics found in the text? a 370 million b 100,000 c 8,000 d 976 e 29.6 % f 10 million Words, Words, Words… I. Find Russian equivalents for the following words and word combinations. Reinforced fiber, to resemble, habitable, to be evolved, to be threatened with extinction, timber, fern, demands for resources, deforestation, the loss of forest cover, biodiversity, distribution of nutrients, raw materials, to shield animals, awesome beauty. II. Find in the text the words or word combinations that mean the following. a the most important functions (para vii); b herbivore (para ii); c the main tree (para iv); d to be the only one of its kind (para iii);; e at the same time (para i); f plant life (para ii); g a kind of insect (para ii); h finally (para v). III. The words below name the parts of a tree. Find the appropriate definition for each term. Use a dictionary if necessary. Part of the tree Definition • root • a part of a tree normally below the ground, conveying nourishment from the soil • bud • a hard fibrous substance of the trunk or branches of a tree or shrub • bough • a tough substance that usually grow on coniferous trees • trunk • a limb of a tree • branch • a main branch of a tree

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• wood • leaf

• a main stem of a tree • a green structures of a tree, growing usu. on the side of a branch IV. Fill in the correct word from the list below. • terrestrial • boreal • rainforests • deforestation • absorbs • dinosaurs • photosynthesis • species 1) Today, there are only three great forests left on Earth: the Amazon Forest of Brazil, and the _________ forests in Russia and Canada. (northern) 2) Forests contain between 50-90% of ________ species. Tropical forests alone are thought to contain between 10-50 million species - over 50% of species on the planet. (land-living) 3) _________ cover two percent of the Earth's surface and six percent of its land mass. Yet they are home to over half of the world's plant and animal species. (tropical forest with heavy rainfall) 4) Forests provide a wide range of products, with some 15,000 of _________ wild plants and animals are used for foods, medicines and other functions. (class of things having some common characteristics) 5) All of Earth's oxygen is produced by _________, the process plants use to combine water and carbon dioxide to create glucose and oxygen. (a process in which the energy of sunlight is used by organisms, esp. green plants, to synthesize carbohydrates from carbon dioxide and water) 6) The first ________ on Earth appeared only about 140 million years after trees first appeared about 230 million years ago. (an extinct reptile of the Mesozoic era) 7) Technically __________ only occurs when land once covered with trees is totally converted to other use and is not replanted. (a clearness of forests or trees) 8) An average tree _________ ten pounds of pollutants from the air each year, including four pounds of ozone and three pounds of particulates. (to incorporate as part of itself or oneself, to take in) V. Read the text below and find the best title for it. Trees and plants have a great impact on our air quality. Trees act like filters. The leaves capture particulates like dust, soot, and pollen and remove them from the air. They also remove and store carbon and reduce our need for energy. Trees act like a carbon warehouse. In the process of photosynthesis, plants remove carbon dioxide from the air and release oxygen. A healthy tree uses over 20 lbs. of carbon dioxide each year. The carbon is stored in the tree (wood is about 45 percent carbon) and the oxygen is released back into the atmosphere. Trees are outdoor air conditioners. They provide a natural way to shade and cool your house in summer and can shield your home from the cold winds of winter. A person can save energy by landscaping with trees. Deciduous trees planted on the south, west, and east will protect your home from the direct rays

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of the sun in summer. In winter, without their leaves, they allow most of the sun’s energy to reach the house. Conifers to the north and west can block cold winter winds. This reduces consumption of energy to heat your home. A successful urban tree program can also impact whole communities. Cities are often 10 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than suburbs, partially due to the heat island effect cause by concrete, steel, and asphalt. The planting and care of trees can minimize this phenomenon and greatly reduce energy consumption. Time to Talk Using information from the texts get ready to talk about “ The importance of trees”

Text 2 Question Time Read the following data on the trees. What is the new information that you have learnt? Did You Know...? Today, there are only three great forests left on Earth: the Amazon Forest of Brazil, and the boreal forests in Russia and Canada. Forests contain between 50-90% of terrestrial species. Tropical forests alone are thought to contain between 10-50 million species - over 50% of species on the planet. Rainforests cover two percent of the Earth's surface and six percent of its land mass. Yet they are home to over half of the world's plant and animal species. Originally, rainforest covered twice the area they do today. There are approximately 1.6 acres of forests per person living on the planet. All of Earth's oxygen is produced by photosynthesis, the process plants use to combine water and carbon dioxide to create glucose (their own food) and oxygen. The first dinosaurs on Earth appeared only about 140 million years after trees first appeared - about 230 million years ago. Just three trees planted around the average size home can lower airconditioning bills by up to 50%, and trees that shield homes against the wind can lower heating bills by up to 30%. Trees produce natural anti-freeze chemicals which can keep them from freezing in temperatures up to -40 degrees Fahrenheit in some species. Technically, deforestation only occurs when land once covered with trees is totally converted to other use and is not replanted. An average tree absorbs ten pounds of pollutants from the air each year, including four pounds of ozone and three pounds of particulates. Time for Reading

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While reading the text, fill in the table below. Causes of deforestation Consequences of deforestation

DEFORESTATION Today, forests occupy around a third of Earth's land area, represent over 60% of the leaf area of land plants, and contain 70% of the carbon present in living things. They are home to more than half the world's terrestrial species. The over-exploitation of forests for timber, fuel, agricultural land, and other basic needs has led to widespread deforestation and pollution - wiping out more than half of the world's original forest cover. Around 1% of the world's forests are lost every year. Two million hectares disappear each year in Brazil alone and this figure is on the increase. Half of the trees felled across the world are used for fuel. In less developed countries it is difficult to find alternative sources, particularly in rural areas. The burning of animal dung, for instance, removes an important fertiliser and reduces crop production. Wood and paper consumption, primarily in industrialised countries, is one of the primary factors driving global deforestation. At least half of the world's timber and nearly three-quarters of world's paper is consumed by a mere 22% of the world's population, those living in the United States, Europe and Japan. Cattle ranching is a major cause of rainforest destruction in Central and South America. Ranchers slash and burn rainforests to grow grass pasture for cattle. Once the cattle have grazed sufficiently, they are slaughtered and exported to industrialised countries, including the US, to be made into fast food hamburgers and frozen meat products. It has been estimated that for every quarter pound hamburger made from rainforest cattle, 5 sq m of rainforest is cleared. Forests are also cleared to grow crops. In the southern Amazon, large-scale soya farming is a profitable industry and vital for the region's economy. The activities of multinational corporations, particularly resource extraction corporations involved in mining, oil extraction and logging, are one of the leading causes of rainforest destruction. Even when these activities aren't directly responsible for large-scale rainforest destruction, they create the infrastructure that opens the way for the degradation of forest areas. Population is one of the most important factors affecting rainforest destruction today. People are increasingly moving into previously undisturbed forests to log, mine, or farm, causing unprecedented forest degradation. This process is frequently referred to as 'colonisation'. Forests are highly sensitive to climate change and up to one third of currently forested areas could be affected by climate change in some way. Global warming poses myriad threats to the survival of rainforests. Warmer temperatures and changing rainfall patterns may create the conditions for

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increased forest fires. In addition, as global temperatures rise, tree species may not be able to shift their range fast enough to survive. When trees are removed, particularly from mountainous areas, top soil is exposed and may be washed away by rain. The resulting erosion can clog streams with silt, harm fish populations and degrade water quality. This problem can be reduced by the use of terracing and the planting of ground cover crops. Deforestation is a major contributor to the habitat loss that continues to threaten endangered species across the planet. For example, the rate of destruction of the Amazonian rainforest increased by 40% between 2001 and 2002. More than 25,000 sq km were cleared in a year, mainly for farming. That represents an area of land larger than Belgium. The Amazon is home to up to 30% of the world's animal and plant life. Trees also convert carbon dioxide into oxygen, thereby playing a major part in reducing pollution and controlling climate change caused by excess greenhouse gases. It is impossible to stop deforestation in the foreseeable future, but there are many opportunities for bringing it under control and minimising its negative impacts. Residual forests can be preserved, logged areas replanted and new laws can be introduced to limit the amount of land that can be deforested each year. People can also explore the use of alternative materials and recycled materials. Did You Get It? I. Say whether the statements below true or false. Correct the false ones. 1. Soya farming is a major cause of rainforest destruction in Central and South America. 2. The activities of multinational corporations are indirectly responsible for large-scale rainforest destruction. 3. More than 25,000 sq km of Amazonian rainforest cleared annually represents an area of land larger than Brazil. 4. Trees convert oxygen into carbon dioxide. 5. Global warming poses many threats to the survival of rainforests. 6. The Amazon is home to 50% of the world's animal and plant life. 7. Colonization is one of the most important factors affecting rainforest destruction today. II. Answer the questions. 1. What is the importance of the forests? 2. What has the over-exploitation of forests lead to? 3. What are forests cleared for in Central and South America? 4. What is wood used for in the developed countries? 5. What are the activities of multinational corporations that lead to the destruction of the rainforests? 6. Name the negative effects of deforestation in mountainous areas. 7. How can the problem of deforestation be reduced in mountainous areas?

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8. How is it possible to reduce the negative impacts of the deforestation? III. Match up the beginning of the sentence (column A) with the ending (column B). A B a. Forests are highly sensitive 1. wiped out more than half of the world's original forest cover. b. A half of the trees cut down 2. under control and minimising its across the world negative impacts. c. Large-scale soya farming is a 3. are lost every year. profitable industry d. There are many opportunities 4. to climate change. for bringing deforestation e. Around 1% of the world's for- 5. in the southern Amazon. ests f. The over-exploitation of for- 6. are used for fuel. ests IV. Read and translate the following number expressions and say what they refer to. • nearly three-quarters by 40 % • over 60% • more than 25,000 sq km • a third • by a mere 22% • more than half • up to 30% • around 1% • up to one third • half • at least half Words, Words, Words... I. Match up and explain. • rainforest • areas • fast • extraction • profitable • farming • large-scale • destruction • resource • species • climate • food • global • industry • tree • warming • logged • change II. Fill in the appropriate word from the table below. • large-scale • meat • leaf • global • rainfall • foreseeable • recycled • habitat • endangered • greenhouse • living • __________ loss _________ warming __________ area _________ things

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__________ product __________ species __________ patterns

_________ gases _________ materials _________ farming _________ future III. Find the pair of words with the similar meaning. • earthly • lost • timber • decreasing • profitable • crop • wood • unprecedented • wiping out • rural • destruction • disappear • over-use • terrestrial • country • over-exploitation • degradation • yield • beneficial • unparalleled IV. Match up the definitions (column A) with their explanations (column B). A B a slash 1. large ruminant animals with horns and cloven hoofs, ex. cow, bull, sheep etc.; b deforestation 2. excrement of animals; c pasture 3. cut or gash with a knife etc.; d cattle 4. grassland suitable for grazing; e logging 5. left as a remainder; f dung 6. work of cutting and preparing forest timber; g residual 7. kill (animals) for food or skins or because of disease; h slaughter 8. the process of removing trees or forests from the place. V. Put the following remarks of the dialogue in the right order. The first two have been done for you as an example. Act the dialogue out. The dialogue represents a radio interview between a journalist, Gerald Brook and an environmentalist, Trevor Stern. Gerald Brook: So tell us, Trevor, why is it important to save the rain forests? Trevor Stern: There are a number of reasons. One is that many plants which could be useful in medicine grow in the rainforest. We don’t know all the plants yet –there are thousands and thousands of them. Researchers are trying to discover their secrets before they are destroyed. Gerald Brook: I see. What other Trevor Stern: Well, what happens when reasons are there? you heat ice? Gerald Brook: Thank you, Trevor.

Trevor Stern: OK. The polar ice caps consist of million of tons of ice. If they melt the level of the sea will rise and cause terrible floods. Many scientists

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believe that the temperatures are already rising. We must do everything we can to prevent global warming, and that includes the preserving of the rainforests. Gerald Brook: But is global Trevor Stern: That’s right. The warming really such a problem? I rainforests have an important effect on enjoy warm sunshine. the earth’s climate. They are disappearing at a terrifying rate and soon they will be gone. People are not doing enough to save them. Gerald Brook: You mean the idea Trevor Stern: Well, I am sure you’ve that the world is getting warmer? heard about global warming? Gerald Brook: It melts of course.

Trevor Stern: Thank you.

Time to Talk Work in pairs. Make up an interview between a journalist and a conservationist. Choose one of the topics of interview: • Deforestation. Its causes and consequences. How can the nations reduce its rates and its negative impacts? • The destruction of the rainforests and its negative effects. UNIT IV

WASTE MANAGEMENT RECYCLING

Text 1 I.

Question Time Study the table below to learn about waste in the United States. Do these statistics surprise you?

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Percentages of products and energy wasted in the US.

II. • • • • •

Study the information below and say whether the recycling worth doing and why. Recycling Facts Recycling 1 ton of paper saves 17 trees and 7,000 gallons of water. Recycling one aluminium can saves enough electricity to run a TV for 3 hours. Recycling one glass bottle or jar saves enough electricity to light a 100-watt bulb for four hours. Recycling one ton of plastic saves the equivalent of 1,000–2,000 gallons of gasoline. More than 30 million trees are cut down to produce a year’s supply of newspapers.

Time for Reading Read the text and match up the headings with the paragraph number. a) b) c) d) e)

Recycling. Statistics of waste management. Methods to manage wastes. Source reduction. The three Rs approach.

WASTE MANAGEMENT (i) As natural part of the life cycle, waste occurs when any organism returns substances to the environment. No society has been immune from the day-to-day problems associated with waste disposal. Communities use a variety of methods to manage wastes depending on the type of waste involved. The methods used include landfills, incineration, and composting, with separation of usable materials for recycling, especially for incineration. Landfills remain the primary place where waste goes, but incineration, recycling, composting, source reduction are all part of a comprehensive waste management program. Wastes

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come from residential, commercial, and industrial sources. Industrial wastes result from manufacturing and can be either hazardous or non-hazardous in nearly any form. (ii) The trend among communities in the United States is to take an integrated approach to disposing of municipal wastes. Almost every community has some type of recycling program and encourage citizens to practice the three Rs, i.e. reduce, reuse, and then recycle to minimize the amount of waste generated. (iii) The three “ chasing arrows” called the Mobius are a symbol for recycling. The arrows represent collection, processing, and usage of materials. American products bearing the symbol are supposed to have been made from recycled materials. Plastic materials often have numbers inside of the Mobius to indicate whether or not the plastic is recyclable or not. According to the governmental estimates, in 2001, 28% of municipal solid waste had been recycled or composted, about three times as much as was recycled in 1990. (iv) According to estimates by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, in 2000 Americans disposed of about 232 million tons of municipal solid waste. Of this, about 55% was put in landfills, another 30 % was recycled or composted, and 15 % burned. Although waste management in the United States is decentralized and diverse, regulations are enforced by the Environmental Protection Agency and similar agencies at the state and local levels. (v) A very important component of minimizing waste is source reduction. Manufacturers are making products lighter, using fewer materials, and packaging them more efficiently. Most household goods and appliances were made with pounds of steel and metals three decades ago. Now lightweight plastics and other materials have made these goods smaller and lighter. The amount of packaging used has also decreased. Think of the large, bulky cardboard boxes used only a few years ago for compact discs, designed to discourage theft. Now, technology has replaced those bulky boxes with a magnetized strip that serves the same purpose. Technology, and particularly, green design are reducing the amount of materials that have to be disposed.

A a) b) c) d)

Did You Get It? I. Match up the beginning of a sentence in column A with an ending in column B to produce a statement which is true according to the text. B Waste i. can be either hazardous or nonhazardous. Depending on the type of waste ii. take an integrated approach to involved disposing of municipal wastes. According to estimates, 28% of iii. is decentralized and diverse. municipal solid waste Waste management in the United iv. are reducing the amount of maStates terials that have to be disposed.

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e) The arrows

v.

communities use a variety of methods to manage wastes f) Communities in the United States vi. is a natural part of the life cycle. g) Technology and green design vii. had been recycled or composted in 2001. h) Industrial wastes viii. represent collection, processing, and usage of materials. II. Say whether the following statements true or false and give paragraph number to show where your information comes from. Statement True/ # paragraph False 1) Incinerators are the primary place where waste goes. 2) Glass containers often have numbers inside of the Mobius to indicate whether or not the glass is recyclable or not. 3) Nowadays lightweight plastics and other materials have made these goods bigger and heavier. 4) American products having the Mobius are supposed to have been made from recycled materials 5) British citizens are encouraged to practice the “ 3 Rs” , i.e. reduce, reuse, and then recycle to minimize the amount of waste generated. 6) In 2000 Americans disposed of about 232 million tons of industrial solid waste. 7) The amount of used packaging has increased. III. Answer the following questions. 1. When does waste occur? 2. What methods do communities use to manage wastes? 3. What sources do wastes come from? 4. Where do the most wastes go? 5. What is meant by the integrated approach to disposing of municipal waste? 6. How much waste was put in landfills in 2000? 7. What is the symbol for recycling? 8. What does the Mobius represent? 9. All plastic materials are recyclable, aren’t they? 10. The amount of recycled municipal solid waste is increasing, isn’t it? 11. How do manufacturers minimize waste? Words, Words, Words...

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I.

Match up the words with their definitions. a. Recycling • to make something into a mixture of decaying plants and animals; b. Composting • a low area of land that is built up by deposits of solid refuse in layers covered by soil; c. Incineration • processing of used or waste materials by making them suitable for reuse; d. Landfills • burning of waste II. Find the odd word out. • dump, disregard, dispose, discard; • waste, garbage, litter, pollution; • recycle, reuse, redo, reprocess; • toxin, poison, venom, garbage; • dustbin - cupboard - waste-paper basket –ashtray; • tin - can - metal –plastic; • waste - litter - glass –rubbish; • reduce - involve - lessen –decrease. III. Find in the text words and word combination which mean the following. a) an adjective meaning “ domestic” (para i); b) an adjective meaning “ of less than average weight” (para v);. c) a noun meaning “ the act of getting rid of something, removal” (para i); d) a noun meaning “ articles for sale” (para v); e) an adjective meaning “ containing risks or danger” (para i); f) a noun meaning “ burning unwanted things” (para i); g) a verb meaning “ to prevent or try to prevent something” (para v). h) an adjective meaning “ happening as a regular part of life” (para i). IV. Complete the following table of corresponding nouns and verbs. Make sure you know their meanings. Noun Verb to incinerate ? recycling ? to manage ? disposal ? to manufacture ? usage ? to compost ? to reduce ? package ? V. Fill in the gaps with the appropriate word(s) from the list below. • plastic • environment • decompose • environmentally aware • products • disposing of • recycling • aluminium • bottle banks

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It is important these days to try to be as ____(1)_____ as possible, which means ____(2)_____ our waste instead of ____(3)____ it in the usual way. For example, instead of throwing ____(4)____ cans away, they can be crushed and taken for recycling, and bottles can be taken to ____(5)_____ instead of being put in the rubbish bin. We should try to use as little ____(6)____ as possible because it takes a long time to ____(7)_____, and to buy recycled paper to write on. Recycled __(8)____ are often the same price as normal ones, but are a lot kinder to the ___(9)______. VI. Fill in the gaps with the appropriate word(s) from the list below. Note that one word is extra. • packaged • waste • long-term • sorted • wrapping 1) We should try to dispose of our.................... in a way that won't harm the environment.(rubbish) 2) Frozen vegetables are usually ..................in sealed plastic bags. (put in) 3) We should try to buy products with as little … … … … … as possible. (packaging) 4) Rubbish must be ....... before it is sent for recycling. (separated into similar types) VII. a) Using the words from the box fill in the numbered gaps in the text. There is an emerging field which seeks to rethink waste and to __(i)___ industrial processes in ways that more closely mimic natural process. In natural ecosystems, one organism's waste becomes __(ii)___ for another organism. Research in this field looks at how __(iii)____ waste of materials and energy and reduce emissions by analyzing all points of the product ___(iv)____ from extraction of minerals and other resources to the manufacturing process through use and final disposition of the product as waste. This includes substituting less toxic materials in manufacturing, finding ways to reuse those materials in another process, reducing the amount of materials used, and designing products so they can be __(v)___ after use. This type of systematic reduction of the environmental __(vi)____ of manufacturing and use of products is called "green design." One example of the research in __(vii)____ ecology is a small industrial park in Kalundbord, Denmark, where a group of companies have developed a __(viii)____ relationship in which the companies exchange materials flows. Treated wastewater from an oil ___(ix)____ is used by a power station for cooling. Several companies buy the waste steam generated by the power station, which is also used for household heating and to warm a local fish farm. Fly ash generated by the power station is used to make ___(x)____. Residue from a pharmaceutical plant is treated and reused as __(xi)____ for local farms. • redesign • industrial • symbiotic

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• fertilizer • refinery • burden • cement • to reduce • lifecycle b) Choose the best title for the text above.

• recycled • food

Time to Talk Get ready to talk about: a. Waste management in the USA. b. Green design. c. The importance of recycling.

Text 2 Time for Reading Put the sentences a-f into the numbered gaps in the following text. a. The wireless industry was built on competition between carriers and between standards. b. The rechargeable batteries that power cell phones also contain a number of highly toxic substances. c. Because these devices are so small, their environmental impacts might appear to be minimal. d. These toxins have been associated with cancer and neurological disorders, especially in children. e. Many of the phones taken back are resold in developing countries. f. Cadmium is known to cause lung, liver, and kidney damage and is toxic to wildlife. CELL PHONE WASTE According to some estimates, Americans discard about 130 million cellular telephones a year, and that means 65,000 tons of trash, including toxic metals and other health hazards. ____(1)_____. But the growth in cell phone use has been so rapid and enormous that the environmental and public health impacts of the waste they create are a significant concern. There are more than 135 million people now registered as users of cell phones and the number is growing. On average a cellular telephone is kept only 18 months and in many cases thrown into a closet or drawer and finally discarded with the household garbage. The industry has collected more than a million used phones and wants to expand its recycling and "donate-a-phone" programs in which private groups collect phones and give proceeds to charity. ___(2)____. By 2006, there will be at least 210 million cell phones in use across the country and another 500 million older phones may be stockpiled in drawers, closets and elsewhere, waiting to be thrown away. Cell phones and other electronic devices, such as pagers, pocket PCs and music CD players are an especially problematic component of the waste stream

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because they contain a large number of hazardous substances, which can pollute the air when burned in incinerators and leach into soil and drinking water when buried in landfills. Many of these toxic substances — including arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, copper, lead, nickel, and zinc — belong to a class of chemicals known as persistent bio accumulative toxins (PBTS), which linger in the environment for long periods without breaking down. Some of them — including the metals lead and cadmium — also tend to accumulate in the tissues of plants and animals, building up in the food chain to dangerous levels even when released in very small quantities. ____(3)______. ____(4)______. Until recently the most commonly used power source in cell phones was nickel-cadmium batteries (Ni-Cds). ____(5)____. Lithium-ion and nickel-metal hydride batteries are increasingly replacing Ni-Cds in cell phones, but these contain cobalt, zinc, and copper — all heavy metals that can be toxic to plants, wildlife, and human beings. The industry, while interested in recycling, opposes efforts to develop a single phone standard. _____(6)____. A number of states including California, Massachusetts and Minnesota are considering legislation that would make manufacturers pay the cost of managing the waste from electronic products, including cell phones. Internationally, Australia has implemented a nationwide cell phone recycling program and the European Union is considering actions to make manufacturers responsible for electronic product wastes. The industry should expand measures to reduce the amount of cell phones that are thrown away by developing more "take-back" programs so phones and batteries can be recycled and adopt industry-wide technical and design standards so phones are not thrown away after a user switches services.

I.

Did You Get It? Say whether the following statements true or false. Correct false statements. 1) Because cell phones are so small, their environmental impact is minimal. 2) The growth in cell phone use has been rapid and enormous. 3) On average a cellular telephone is kept a year and a half. 4) Many of the used phones taken back are resold in developed countries. 5) Cell phones are an especially problematic component of the waste stream because they contain a large number of hazardous substances. 6) The toxic substances contained in cell phones linger in the environment for long periods without breaking down. 7) The most commonly used power source in cell phones was nickelcadmium batteries. 8) Cadmium has been associated with cancer and neurological disorders, especially in children. 9) Cobalt, zinc, and copper are heavy metals that can be toxic to living things.

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10) The wireless industry is not interested in recycling. 11) Australia is the only country that has implemented a nationwide cell phone recycling program. II. Match up the figures in column A with their corresponding explanation in column B. A B a) 130 million i. the amount of older phones stockpiled somewhere by 2006; b) 210 million ii. tons of trash produced by cell phones; c) 500 million iii. the number of cell phone users; d) 65,000 iv. the average time a cellular telephone is kept; e) 18 months v. the amount of cellular telephones Americans discard a year; f) 135 million vi. the amount of cell phones in use in the USA in 2006. III. What are the chemical formulas for the following elements? • arsenic • beryllium • cadmium • copper • lead • nickel • zinc • nickel • lithium • cobalt IV. Answer the following questions. 1) How much trash do 130 million cell phones produce? 2) Is the issue of the cell phone waste of an importance? 3) The number of cell phone users is growing, isn’t it? 4) What happens to a cell phone after usage? 5) What electronic devices are there? 6) Why are electronic devices a problematic component of waste stream? 7) What chemicals are known as persistent bio-accumulative toxins? Why are they called this way? 8) Why does the industry oppose efforts to develop a single phone standard? 9) Who should pay for the cost of managing the cell phone waste? 10) What measures are to be taken to reduce the amount of cell phones that are thrown away?

I.

Words, Words, Words... Match up and explain the meaning. • cellular • battery • electronic • phone • wireless • chain • household • metals • heavy • industry • food • source • power • garbage

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• rechargeable • devices II. Find the pairs of words with the similar meaning from the table below. • dangerous • toxic • expand • damage • poisonous • trash • quick • radio • enormous • wireless • waste • rapid • hazardous • disorder • large • increase IV. Find in the text the following. a) a verb meaning “ reject as unwanted; remove or put aside” ; b) a participle II meaning “ accumulated a store of goods” ; c) a noun meaning “ furnace or device for burning to ashes” ; d) a verb meaning “ make (a liquid) percolate through some material” ; e) a noun meaning “ waste material etc. used to landscape or reclaim land” ; f) a verb meaning “ put (a decision, plan, contract, etc.) into effect” . V. Fill in the gaps of the following sentences and fill the crossword. Across Down 1. A product can be considered 2. If you buy one large bag of _________ when it lasts a long potato chips instead of five small time. bags, you are buying in ______. 7. To use something again for the 3. Your world, surroundings, and same purpose or a new purpose. source of life and health. 8. What a pile of decayed food 4. Many items found in your scraps, leaves and grass turn into. ________ can be recycled into 10. You can _______ old toys to valuable new products. needy children instead of 5. Fossil fuels, such as coal, oil, throwing them away. and natural gas that are used to 11. Comes in disposable and manufacture products and heat our rechargeable varieties. homes, come from the ________. 6. To collect used materials to make into new products rather than throwing them away. 9. To decrease the amount of trash you throw away. 1

2

3 4 5

6 7 8 9

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10

11

Time to Talk Discuss in pairs the problems connected with the disposal of wireless products and the possible solutions.

UNIT V

OZONE DEPLETION

Time for Reading Read the text and put the paragraphs (i-vi) into the correct order. DEPLETION OF THE OZONE LAYER (i) The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that every 1 % decrease in stratospheric ozone could result in 24,000 to 57,000 more cases of cataracts and 43,000 new cases of skin cancer each year in the United States. Increased ultraviolet radiation would also increase the effects of many diseases that affect the skin or start on the skin: leprosy, smallpox, herpes, bubonic plague, and some types of diphtheria. Furthermore, excessive ultraviolet radiation causes cell and tissue damage in many plants. This could result in a significant reduction in crop yields throughout the world. (ii) Scientists from around the world have studied the situation over Antarctica for over a decade because of their belief that variations in that region could serve as a gauge of depletion of the ozone layer in other regions of the world. This relationship appears to be true. A recent study found that the ozone layer over the middle latitudes has been depleted 2 to 3 % since 1979. (iii) Ozone, the triatomic form of oxygen (03), is primarily concentrated in a layer high above the earth within the stratosphere. The actual amount of ozone in the atmosphere is small (0.00005 % by volume), but its ability to absorb harmful ultraviolet rays from the sun makes it vital to humans. (iv). What can be done? In 1977 the United States banned all nonessential

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aerosol products using CFCs. While this was a step in the right direction, more needed to be done. Finally in 1997, 38 countries met in Montreal to sign an agreement to cut CFCs use in half by the end of the century. This historic first effort towards international control of an air pollutant is hopefully only the beginning. (v) In 1974 scientists documented that man-made gases can interact with ozone and convert it to diatomic oxygen (O2), which offers no protection from ultraviolet radiation. While several gases have been linked to this ozone depletion process, the primary culprit seems to be chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) which are gases involved in the greenhouse effect as well. CFCs are used in refrigeration, air conditioning, insulation, packing materials (fast food containers), and as propellant for aerosol cans. (vi) These chemicals have already upset the state of equilibrium that has existed in the ozone concentration for millions of years. Every year in September a hole appears in the ozone layer over Antarctica, grows in size, and then disappears. This hole, which is related to the unusual weather conditions of this region, is growing larger each year. Did Your Get It? I. Say whether the following statements are true or false. Comment on the false ones. 1) Ozone is the diatomic form of oxygen. 2) Ozone is concentrated in a layer above the earth within the stratosphere. 3) There is little ozone in the atmosphere. 4) Ultraviolet rays from the sun are beneficial. 5) Natural gases interact with ozone and convert it to diatomic oxygen. 6) Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are involved in the ozone depletion and the greenhouse effect. 7) A hole in the ozone layer over Antarctica is growing smaller each year. 8) The situation in Antarctica could serve as a gauge of depletion of the ozone layer in other regions of the world. 9) According to the recent study, since 1979 the ozone layer over the middle latitudes has been depleted from 2 to 3 %. 10) Excessive ultraviolet radiation causes cell and tissue damage in vegetation. 11) In 1997 38 countries signed an agreement to cut CFCs use in third by the end of the century. II. Answer the questions. 1. What is the chemical formula of ozone? 2. What ability does ozone have? 3. What gases are to blame in the process of the ozone depletion? 4. Where CFCs are used by humans?

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5. When and where does a hole in the ozone layer appear? 6. Does the hole grow in size all time? 7. What will the results of the ozone depletion be? 8. What is done about the ozone depletion by the people? III. What is the significance of the following numbers and statistics found in the text. a 2-3 b 43.000 c 38 d 0.00005 IV. Complete the following sentences according to the information in the text: a) The ability of ozone to absorb harmful ultraviolet rays from the sun makes __________. b) Diatomic oxygen (O2) offers __________. c) The state of equilibrium that has existed ____________. d) Scientists believe that variations in Antarctica region __________. e) A recent study found that the ozone layer over the middle latitudes ________. f) According to the Environmental Protection Agency, every 1 % decrease in stratospheric ozone could result in ___________. g) Cell and tissue damage in many plants could result in _________. h) The agreement to cut CFCs use in half by the end of the century was signed by _______. Words, Words, Words… I. Match up the words to make the collocations and explain their meaning. • ultraviolet • yields • ozone • latitudes • diatomic • rays • greenhouse • cancer • weather • materials • middle • oxygen • crop • effect • air • conditions • skin • pollutants • packing • depletion II. Read and translate the words of the same roots. • To pollute- pollution- pollutant; • to agree- agreement; • to reduce- reduction; • harm- harmful-harmless; • to deplete- depletion- depleted;

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• primary –primarily; • to believe- belief- unbelievable. III. Study the word(s) in the box. • absorb • chemicals • man-made gas • ultraviolet rays • hole • vital • oxygen • layer • diatomic • skin cancer • tissue damage • stratosphere • excessive radiation • triatomic • convert Which word(s) describe: a) ozone composition and its property; b) where ozone is situated; c) reasons of ozone depletion; d) consequences of ozone depletion. IV. Find in the text words which mean the opposite of: • to release • smaller • beneficial • not enough • natural • increase, growth • imbalance • to allow, to permit • to appear • essential • usual V. Find in the text words meaning the following: a) O3; b) O2; c) a reduction in numbers, force, or quantity; exhaustion; d) layer of atmosphere above the troposphere, extending to about 50 km from the earth's surface; e) a guilty person; f) a gas that forces out the contents of an aerosol container. VI. Match up the words according to their meaning: 1. linked a) essential 2. nonessential b) balance 3. banned c) to take in 4. equilibrium d) forbidden 5. vital e) connected 6. to absorb f) unimportant VII. Fill the gaps in the text with the words from the box. • solar • chlorine • thinning • non-toxic • throughout • seasons • widely • phase out • emissions • poles • filtering Ozone is present in trace amounts __(i)____ most of the atmosphere but is most abundant in the stratosphere. There is a thin layer of ozone about 15 to 40 km above the Earth's surface, which plays an important role by __(ii)___ harmful solar rays. The ozone layer varies in size with the seasons, because ozone is produced when solar energy reacts with oxygen molecules, and solar

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energy varies with the __(iii)____. Because the greatest seasonal variations in solar energy occur at the __(iv)____, fluctuations in the ozone layer are also greatest in the stratosphere over the poles. Variations in the amount of ozone are also linked with periodic changes in atmospheric winds, volcanic and __(v)___ activity. Ozone is continually created and destroyed in catalytic reactions with oxides of hydrogen, nitrogen, and ___(vi)____. In the 1970s, scientists observed __(vii)___ in the ozone layer over Antarctica and concerns arose that __(viii)____ from human activities were implicated in ozone depletion. In particular, the concern was that chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which had been widely used as refrigerants and in aerosols because they are inert and __(ix)___, might be capable of depleting the ozone layer. Scientists M. J. Molina and F.S. Rowland demonstrated in their lab that CFCs could be broken down by ultraviolet light in the atmosphere and that the chlorine released could break down ozone molecules. Molina and Rowland's theory became __(x)___ accepted and international efforts began to reduce the worldwide emissions of CFCs. With the signing of the 1987 Montreal Protocol On Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer more than 150 countries agreed to __(xi)____ the use of CFCs. Time to Talk Find information on ozone layer depletion and tell about its danger.

UNIT VI THE NUCLEAR ENERGY CHALLENGE Text Question Time What opinion do you agree with and why. a. Nuclear energy is very dangerous and mankind should stop using it at all. b. Peaceful use of nuclear energy can solve all energy problems and meet the world’s energy demands. Time for Reading Read the text and entitle it. (i) The atom, the smallest component of any element, contains enormous energy. When it is split in a process called fission, this energy is released in the forms of tremendous heat and light. It is this energy that was released on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, by two separate atom bombs in 1945 that led to the end of World War II. The horrors created by those two bombs led the international community to condemn further use of atomic weapons. (ii) Still, engineers, governments and scientists realized that if the atom's energy could be controlled, it would revolutionize the world's energy markets

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and provide significant electricity reserves to help meet the world's energy demands. It could one day replace the need for fossil fuels. As a result, the first usable electricity from nuclear fission was produced at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory in 1951. (iii) In 1954, The Atomic Energy Act was passed to promote the peaceful use of nuclear energy. Subsequently, in 1957, the International Atomic Energy Agency was formed to promote peaceful use of nuclear energy and to provide international safeguards and an inspection system to ensure nuclear materials are not diverted from peaceful to military uses. (iv) Commercial nuclear power plants became a commercial reality in the late 1960s when there were large numbers of orders for nuclear power reactors in the United States. However in 1979 America's fears about nuclear power were realized when a partial meltdown occurred in a reactor at the Three Mile Island facility in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Though minimal radioactive material -which can cause serious damage to or kill living tissue -- was released, the potential for greater disaster lurked. (v) This greater potential was realized in April 1986 when a full reactor meltdown and fire occurred at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in the former Soviet Union. This resulted in the massive release of radioactive materials that led to major environmental catastrophe. After these disasters, global support for nuclear energy dramatically decreased. (vi) Over the last 15 years, vast improvements to nuclear reactors have been made to make them safer and last longer. There is still strong support for nuclear energy from many sectors which are sure that it is the future of the world's energy sources. However despite of nuclear energy has several advantages over fossil fuels - it does not release the harmful greenhouse gas carbon dioxide into the atmosphere- public resistance remains high. Perhaps the greatest challenge facing nuclear energy production is disposal of the highly radioactive wastes. It could take at least 10,000 years for these materials to fully break down into harmless elements so the problem is to store them safely for at least that length of time. It is possible, but where and how are still a subject for discussion. Did You Get It? I. Find in the text what happened in the years bellow. a 1945 b 1951 c 1954 d 1957 e 1960s f 1979 g 1986 II. Which paragraph: a contains information about the major environmental catastrophe? b describes pros and cons of nuclear energy? c mentions the appearance of commercial nuclear power plants? d describes event that made international community ban further use of atomic weapons? e mentions the promotion of the peaceful use of nuclear energy by legislation?

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III. Match up the beginning of the sentence in column A with the ending in column B to make up a statement which true according to the information in the text. A B a) Nuclear energy i. the smallest component of any element. b) Global support for ii. occurred in a reactor at the Three Mile nuclear energy Island facility in Harrisburg, dramatically decreased Pennsylvania in 1979. c) The first usable iii. after a full reactor meltdown and fire at electricity from the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant. nuclear fission d) The atom iv. was produced at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory in 1951. e) A partial meltdown v. could one day replace the need for fossil fuels. IV. Answer the following questions: 1. What happens when the atom is split? 2. Could atom’s energy replace the need for fossil fuels? 3. Why was the International Atomic Energy Agency formed? 4. What can minimal radioactive material cause? 5. What did the catastrophe result at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant? 6. Does nuclear energy have some advantages over fossil fuels? Give an example. 7. Why is disposal of the radioactive waste still the greatest problem facing nuclear energy production? Words, Words, Words... I. Give the Russian equivalents to the following English words and word combinations. To split, to release, tremendous heat and light, to condemn, energy demands, to replace, usable electricity, subsequently, living tissue, to lurk, military uses, fossil fuels, public resistance, nuclear energy challenge, wastes disposal. II. Read and translate the following words with the same roots. • Harm –harmless –harmful –harmfully –harmfulness –harmlessly – harmlessness; • to save - safe –safer –safely –safeguard; • to use - usable –usage –useful –useless; • sure ––sureness –to ensure - ensurer. III. Match the terms from the left column with the definitions from the right column. a. greenhouse gas • splitting of a heavy atomic nucleus, with a release of energy

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• material for burning or as a source of heat, power, or nuclear energy c. fossil • gas occurring naturally in the atmosphere and formed by respiration d. fuel • remains or impression of a (usu. prehistoric) plant or animal hardened in rock e. meltdown • something used or valueless f. waste • great or sudden misfortune; catastrophe g. disaster • melting of a structure, esp. the overheated core of a nuclear reactor h. carbon dioxide • any of the gases, esp. carbon dioxide and methane, that contribute to the greenhouse effect IV. Read and translate the text, completing it with the words below. • man-made • splits • safer • converted • universe • fusion • provider • radiation • hydrogen Nuclear energy requires sources of radioactive elements found naturally in our environment and manmade to create the nuclear fission process that ___(1)____ the atoms. The most common and most used of these elements is Uranium. The other available sources that are used for nuclear energy are Plutonium and Thorium. Plutonium is not naturally occurring. It is ____(2)____, coming from a nuclear reactor. It is not as stable as Uranium and is harder to use. Thorium is being heavily studied and applied as a ___(3)_____, cleaner alternative to Uranium. Thus Uranium is still a king as the main ___(4)____ of nuclear energy. A second form of nuclear energy comes from the same process that gives life to our sun and other stars in the ___(5)_____: nuclear fusion. Fusion occurs when two lighter elements, like ___(6)____, are forced together - or fused - to create a heavier element, Helium. This occurs only under extraordinary heat and pressure, but it releases enormous energy in the form of heat, light and other ___(7)____. Deep inside the sun's core, hydrogen is __(8)_____ to helium at temperatures of 10-15 million degrees Celsius. Fusion provides the energy necessary to sustain life on Earth. Sunlight is energy released from ___(9)_____reactions inside the sun. This process also produces all of the chemical elements found on Earth. V. Find the odd word out. split fission fusion division melting fusion combustion congealing natural innate man-made uncultivated release absorb set free liberate VI. Fill in the correct word from the list below. • combustion • hydrogen • man-made b.

fission

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• core • fusion 1. The chain reaction in a kilogram of Uranium fuel supplies as much energy as the … … … . of about 100 metric tons of coal. (burning) 2. Plutonium used in nuclear reactors is … … .. It occurs when Uranium's isotope, is forced to acquire extra particles inside a nuclear reactor. (artificial, synthetic) 3. If all the world's electricity were to be provided by … … power stations, the source materials would last for millions of years. (melting with intense heat) 4. The … … … isotopes in one gallon of water have the fusion energy equivalent of 300 gallons of gasoline. (tasteless odourless gas, the lightest element, occurring in water and all organic compounds) 5. The … … . is the innermost region of the Earth, probably consisting of iron or nickel. (inner central or most important part of anything).

Time to Talk How do think what advantages and disadvantages of nuclear energy over other sources of energy are?

UNIT VII

NATIONAL PARKS AND RESERVES

Text Question Time Discuss the following questions in groups. a. What National Parks and Nature Reserves do you know? b. What makes them different from regular pieces of nature? c. Are there any in your region? Time for Reading Read the text below and put the sentences (A-G) into the numbered gaps (1-7). A. The first national park in Europe was designated in Sweden. B. These areas may be inside national parks - for example, the Kanha Tiger Reserve in Kanha National Park, northern India - and in general they are smaller than most national parks. C. In parks where mining, electricity generation, or other large scale activities are permitted, they are carefully and expensively monitored to minimize pollution and degradation of the landscape. D. National parks and nature reserves in developing countries are supported and sponsored by international organizations, like UNESCO. E. In response to this threat, parts of several American national parks

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have been closed to the public and a limit placed on the number of visitors permitted to enter certain fragile areas. F. Yellowstone National Park, covering parts of Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho, is regarded as the first national park in the world. G. National parks and nature reserves are areas selected by governments or private organizations for special protection against damage or degradation. NATIONAL PARKS AND NATURE RESERVES (i) One of the pioneering ideas of conservation was that of creation of national parks. ____(1)____. They are chosen for their outstanding natural beauty, as areas of scientific interest, or as forming part of a country's cultural heritage, and often also to provide facilities for public recreation. (ii) The concept of creating national parks and nature reserves developed in the early 19th century in response to increasing industrialization which had begun to cause large scale damage or destruction to natural environments in western Europe and North America. ___(2)___. It was designated by the United States Congress in 1872. The term "national park", however, was first used for the Royal National Park established in New South Wales, Australia, in 1879. The concept of national parks then spread to Canada and New Zealand. ___(3)___. Similar parks were created in Japan, Mexico, the former Soviet Union, Britain and France. (iii) In addition to the original purposes of landscape conservation and public recreation many parks have been established to protect endangered species of animals or plants and to promote scientific research. They may therefore be seen as nature reserves, a term which refers to a variety of areas in which rare animals, plants, or whole environments are protected and studied. Hunting and other disruptive activities are limited or banned and public access is often strictly controlled or even forbidden. ____(4)____. (iv) Many national parks and nature reserves are affected by a conflict between the needs of conservation and recreation. Visitors may unintentionally destroy the landscapes or interfere with the flora and fauna that the parks were created to protect. ___(5)____. Designated trails or roads have been created, as in several African national parks, and guided tours made compulsory, as in some national parks in India. (v) The designation of national parks and nature reserves can also conflict with other possible uses for the land and resources, especially in the relatively remote, sparsely populated, and politically unimportant areas which tend to be most suitable for conservation. Some conservation areas may be threatened by commercial exploitation of their minerals or trees. ____(6)___. (vi) The conservation of such areas of natural beauty, cultural heritage, or scientific interest is especially problematic in developing countries where, in contrast to those industrialized nations which were the first to establish national parks and nature reserves, governments and pressure groups often find that

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proposals to impose limits on further development are too costly or unpopular.__(7)____. Did You Get It? I. Answer the following questions. 1. When and why did the concept of creating national parks and nature reserves develop? 2. Where and when was the first national park in the world created? What is its name? 3. Where did the first national park in Europe appear? 4. What criteria are used when selecting an area as a national park or a nature reserve? 5. What is a nature reserve? 6. What activities are banned in a nature reserve? 7. What activities can be permitted in a national park? 8. What conflict do many national parks and nature reserve face? 9. Why is the conservation issue problematic in the developing countries? 10. Name all the national parks mentioned in the text. II. Say whether the following statements true or false. Correct the false ones. Use the following phrases to express your agreement or disagreement. a) According to the text, all animals, plants, or whole environments are protected and studied in a reserve. b) Hunting is limited or banned in the reserves. c) Sometimes reserves can be situated within national parks. d) Visitors may intentionally destroy the landscapes or interfere with the flora and fauna of the parks. e) According to the text, the relatively remote, sparsely populated, and politically unimportant areas tend to be most suitable for conservation. f) Developing countries were the first to establish national parks and nature reserves. g) National parks and nature reserves in developing countries are supported and sponsored by governments and pressure groups. III. Put these words and phrases in the right order to form sentences. a) may be, nature reserves, national parks, inside, situated. b) in developing countries, is, of natural areas, problematic, the conservation, especially. c) unintentionally, may, of, visitors, destroy, the landscapes, the national park. d) parks, for, facilities, recreation, national, provide, public. IV. Complete the following statements according to the information to the text. a) Many parks have been established with the purposes of _____________. b) National parks and nature reserves are areas selected by

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c) d) e) f)

_______________. The term "national park" was first used for _____________. Yellowstone National Park is situated in ____________. Public access to the reserves is _____________. Mining, electricity generation, and other large scale activities can be permitted, if they are _________.

Words, Words, Words… Match up and explain the meaning. • nature • tours • national • areas • guided • heritage • electricity • species • developing • conservation • fragile • reserve • public • generation • endangered • park • cultural • countries • landscape • recreation II. Find in the text words and word combinations which mean the following. a. An adjective meaning “ easily broken or damaged” (para iv); b. a noun meaning “ a piece of land set aside for wild animals, plants, etc” (para i); c. a verb meaning “ to forbid” (para iii); d. an adjective meaning “ costing a lot of money” (para vi); e. a verb meaning “ to watch how something is changing or progressing over a period of time” (para iii); f. an adjective meaning “ not common, scarce” (para iii); g. a verb meaning “ to appoint, to lebel” (para ii). III. Match up the words with their definitions. a) pioneering • the preservation and protection of the environment and the natural things in it; b) flora • way of spending free time c) sparsely populated • a group of people that actively tries to influence public opinion and government action; d) large scale • all the plants of a particular place, country, or period; e) conservation • introducing new ways of doing things, which others later follow; f) recreation • populated in a scattered way; g) pressure group • happening over a very wide area or involving a lot of people or things. I.

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IV.

Fill in the gaps with the words from the table. The National Parks in the United States differ from the National Forests. The National Parks are set aside for ___(1)__ meaning that their __(2)___ are not to be used: trees will not be cut, hunting is not allowed. Within the National Parks there are no private __(3)___, people do not live there except for the people who manage the NP. ___(4)_______, the National Forests in the USA are set aside for __(5)____. Within the National Forest visitors are allowed to hunt, to make fires, to cut down trees and to mine ___(6)__. The National Park System in the United States contains 80 million acres of land, whereas the National Forest System contains well over 170 million __(7)__ of land. Our National Parks and National Forests are also used for ___(8)___. Many tourists visit them each year. So many tourists, in fact, that the National Parks are in _(9)___ of "being loved to death". Yellowstone NP has over 12 million visitors per year, and certain sections of the park had to be closed down because of the __(10)___of those people on the park. The National Forests are used for backpacking, __(11)____, fishing, and camping. A wide range of outdoor recreation activities is provided by different recreation facilities: hiking trails, horseback riding trails, campgrounds, picnic grounds, visitor centers, lodging and food facilities, etc. It is very important to ___(12)___ the preservation of nature with using natural areas for recreation and never forget that "we do not inherit our world from our forefathers, we borrow it from our children". • resources • recreation • conservation • on the other hand • threat • preservation • impact • hunting • balance • residences • minerals • acres Time to Talk Make a presentation (12-15 sentences) of a national park or a reserve. Find information about some national park or reserve either in Russia or overseas and share it with your group mates.

UNIT VIII

TIME TO REVISE

I. You are going to read a text about environmental change. Read the introductory paragraph below and fill in the gaps with words from the box. • resources • destruction • ecology • environment • habitats We have come to the end of a millennium of violent ___(1)____ of the world around us. While human creativity and technology have developed, we have steadily been destroying the _____(2)___ of the planet on which we live. The sad fact is

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that every day the diversity of life on Earth gets poorer because of our overuse of ____(3)____ and our ignorance for the riches of nature. Ecologically, our natural ____ (4) ____ provide services without which life on the planet would become impossible. When we tamper with the ____(5)____, it is not only nature which suffers. Our own way of life is under threat. Read the next part of the text. Then use the phrases from the box below to fill in the gaps. • acid rain • gases • ozone layer • changes in climate • greenhouse effect • toxic wastes • fossil fuels • pollution • leach Since the industrial revolution, man has burn ever larger quantities of ___(6)_____, first coal and then oil, with the result that the composition of the atmosphere has started to change. Burning these fuels produces _____(7)_____ such as carbon dioxide, which act in the atmosphere like glass in a greenhouse and trap the heat of the sun - this is known as the ___(8)_____. The overall global temperature has already begun to rise. Global warming leads to extreme ____(9)____, with more frequent floods, droughts and heat waves. No person, animal, bug or bird will be unaffected. In addition to greenhouse gases, industrial processes produce poisonous substances which can be virtually impossible to dispose of safely. If these ____(10)____ are buried in underground storage sites, there is the danger that they may ___(11)_____ into lakes and rivers, with serious long-term effects on living organisms. Emissions from industrial plants, such as sulphur, can also enter the atmosphere, where they can cause damage to the ____(12)______ around the planet. They may also fall back to earth as ____(13)____ and destroy plants and trees. All these are examples of types of _____(14)_____ that could be prevented. Now read the continuation of the text. Fill in the gaps with words from the box below. • deforestation • ecosystems • extinction • genetic engineering • wetlands • wildlife • living organisms • endangered species • dying out • strains We drain ____(15)_____ near rivers and coastal areas to create land for building. Through ___(16)______, the large-scale cutting down of trees, the ____(17)_____ that allow species to survive are changed and the amount of land available for____(18)_____decreases. Some species are so reduced in number that they are in danger of ____(19)____. At this stage they are known as an ____(20)____ and are only one step away from total ___(21)______. We are now beginning to manipulate nature in new ways, without thought for the possible consequences. Using the latest technology, we can now create _____(22)____ of plants which are resistant to diseases and which can survive extremes of temperature or salinity (salt content). The danger of this process of _____(23)____ is that producing new plants or other _____(24)_____ like bacteria may bring disaster as well as apparent advantages, as experience has already shown. So, with the new millennium, we need a new beginning, a

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fresh start. We need to reverse the major threats to our environment. Above all, we need to understand that we cannot go on consuming and polluting with no thought for tomorrow. Identify key environmental problems being described in the text. II.

Choose an environmental problem that you think is particularly relevant to your country (town). Answer the following questions using the expressions below to help you. i. What are the specific effects of the problem on your country? Give examples. ii. What is being done to improve matters? Is it enough, or should more be done? What? iii. What is likely to happen if nothing is done? A major/An urgent environmental concern/ issue/problem is ... One of the main/major causes of ... is ... One/Another (very worrying) effect of ... is ... Various solutions have been tried out, such as … . What really/urgently needs to be done is ...

III. Look at the notes below and then discuss what the problems are and how they can be solved. Problems: oil slicks, noise, smog, Solutions: coastguard surveillance, congestion, gas emissions, acid radar system, filters, fines, laws on rain, careless disposal of waste, use of horns, catalytic converters, unpleasant smells, unnecessary unleaded petrol, better public packaging, dumping oil/ toxic transport, ban on careless disposal of waste, etc. rubbish, biodegradable packaging, improved waste disposal systems, etc. IV. HOW I WOULD CHANGE THE WORLD... The future generation has an unenviable task: tomorrow they must tackle the environmental problems we are creating today. Read what young people think about environmental problem, about the world around them. Alex Lin 11, USA "It is very important to recycle e-waste much of our e-waste is dumped in other countries".

Shoko Takahashi 14, Japan "Everyone should do a bit - if everyone does small things it can change a lot".

Aparna Bhasin

JC Martel

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17, India "One of the global problems that really worries me is poverty".

17, Canada "My government should invest money in environmental education".

Yvonne Maingey Analiz Vergara 17, Kenya 16, Ecuador "People don't realise "We don't realise that poverty and the that many problems environment are part could have been of the same thing". prevented if we took care of the environment". Now it is your turn to say what worries you most in the modern world, what environmental problem you consider important and deserving urgent actions.

Answers to the crossword (page 46) Across Down 1. Durable 2. Bulk 7. Reuse 3. Environment 8. Compost 4. Trash 10. Donate 5. Earth 11. Batteries 6. Recycle 9. Reduce

С писок использованной литературы Ресу рсы И н т ерн ета : http://www.encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com http://www.enviroliteracy.org http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk http://en.wikipedia.org http://www.peopleandplanet.net http://www.environmentaldefense.org http://www.bbc.co.uk http://www.ecology.com http://www.m-w.com

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С ост а вит ели: к.ф .н . п р. Высочин а Ольга Вла д им ировн а п р. Черн икова Светла н а Н икола евн а Ред а ктор: Бу н ин а Т .Д .

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