Unit two Natural resources

Exercise 1. Train the reading of these words:

Natural, resources, substances, that, exist, within, derived, the environment, them, survival, other, example, atmosphere, fuels, pasture, ocean, origin, biotic, biosphere, product, marine, organism, fuel, petroleum, thing, example, ores, iron, reserve, with, renewability, processes, agricultural, continuously, quantity, endangered, industrial, growth, carefully, exceeding, world, capacity, generated, these, than, nuclear, uranium, extremely, recycling, focus, quality, both.

Exercise 2. Do you know the following words in English?

натуральный, инженерия, принцип, ресурс, организм, синтез, биология, экология, субстанция, география, геология, гидрология, статистика, цивилизация, деградация, регион, модерн, дизайн, холера, контроль, цикл, консервация, конструкция, национальный, парк, система, публика, энергия, продукт, форма, экосистема, атмосфера, минерал, океан, биосфера, категория, органический, потенциальный, резерв, процесс, индустриальный, генерировать, радиоактивный, элемент, уран, формация, металлический, фокус.

Exercise 3. Read and translate the text. Divide the text into some parts and entitle them. Choose an abstract of ten lines and get ready to read it aloud.

Natural resources are substances that exist naturally within environments and form our eco-system. Natural resources can be derived from the environment. Many of them are essential for our survival while others are used for satisfying our wants. Some examples of natural resources include the following: Air, wind and atmosphere; Plants, forestry; Animals; Coal, fossil fuels, rock and mineral resources; Soil, pasture; Water, oceans, lakes, rivers and groundwater.

Natural resources may be classified in different ways.

On the basis of origin, resources may be divided into biotic and abiotic.

Biotic resources are obtained from the biosphere, such as forests and their products, animals, birds and their products, fish and other marine organisms. Mineral fuels such as coal and oil are also included in this category because they are formed from organic matter.

Abiotic resources include non-living things. Examples include land, water, air and ores such as gold, iron, copper, silver etc.

Considering their stage of development, natural resources may be referred to potential and actual resources.

Potential resources are those that exist in a region and may be used in the future. Actual resources are those that have been surveyed, their quantity and quality determined and are being used in present times.

On the basis of status of development, they can be classified into potential resources, developed resources, stock and reserves.

With respect to renewability, natural resources can be categorized as renewable and non-renewable.

A natural resource is renewable if it is replaced by natural processes. Many renewable resources can be depleted by human use. Some of these, like agricultural crops, take a short time for renewal; others, like water or forests, take a comparatively longer time. Some of them, like sunlight, air, wind, etc., are continuously available and their quantity is not affected by human consumption.

Renewable resources are endangered by industrial developments and growth. They must be carefully managed to avoid exceeding the natural world's capacity to replenish them.

A non-renewable resource is a natural resource which cannot be produced, grown, generated, or used on a scale which can sustain its consumption rate. These resources often exist in a fixed amount, or are consumed much faster than nature can create them. Fossil fuels (such as coal, oil and natural gas) and radioactive elements (uranium) are examples. Since their rate of formation is extremely slow, they cannot be reproduced once they get depleted. Of these, the metallic minerals can be re-used by recycling them, but coal and oil cannot be recycled.

Exercise 4. Scan the text and find the definitions and examples of. Think and add your own examples of natural resources.

natural resources; biotic resources; abiotic resources; renewable resources; non-renewable resources.

Exercise 5. Give English equivalents to the following words and phrases. Don’t use the dictionary, try to remind them.

природные ресурсы, окружающая среда, воздух, ветер, растения, лес, животные, птицы, рыба, уголь, ископаемое топливо, минералы, почва, вода, океан, река, озеро, грунтовые воды, нефть, природный газ, руда, золото, железо, медь, серебро, запас, возобновляемый, невозобновляемый, количество.

Exercise 6. Make up an annotation of the above text according to the model.