Life in the 21st century

1.Work in groups and discuss the questions.

1. Are you optimistic about the future?

2. Do you believe that robots will do all the dangerous and dirty work for us?

3. What will robots do for us?

4. Will our planet become cleaner or more polluted?

5. Pessimists say that one day we’ll have to pay for clean air just like we do

now for clean water. Do you think it’s possible?

6. Have you ever seen an electric car?

We’ve entered a new era: the twenty-first century. Of course, it’s exciting and we are trying to predict what our life will be like in the future. It will certainly become better - I’m sure of it. Robots will do all the dangerous and dirty work for us and our daily life will become easier. They’ll sweep the floor, dust the furniture, wash the dishes and even cook! It doesn’t mean we’ll become lazier, no. When everything is automated, we’ll be able to do more creative jobs. We’ll be able to call our friends on a videophone and type up homework by talking to a small gadget that understands the human voice. Scientists (or probably computers?) will find solutions to our most urgent problems. People will stop dying from cancer and AIDS and will live to be 150 years old.

There will be no more famine on our planet and no more hungry children. Our cities will become cleaner, greener and safer. We’ll drive electric cars and live in houses with lots of plants and special air-cleaning gadgets.

Atmospheric pollution will be stopped and our planet will be saved. There will be no more wars, no more criminals and no more terrorists. People will learn to live in peace and understand each other.

We’ll have more free time and longer holidays. We’ll be able to travel in space and – who knows? – one day we’ll be able to spend our holidays on Mars.

I’m really optimistic about the future. After all, we are becoming wiser. The super powers are disarming, governments are waking up to Green issues.

Anyway, it’s up to us to look after our planet and try to make it a better place to live.

2. Memorize the conversation. Close your books and practice with your

partner.

Text C. Ecological problems in Kazakhstan

1. Write some notes about ecological problems in Kazakhstan that you

know.

Kazakhstan faces several important environmental issues. As the site of the former Soviet Union's nuclear testing programs, areas of the nation have been exposed to high levels of nuclear radiation, and there is significant radioactive pollution. The nation also has 30 uranium mines, which add to the problem of uncontrolled release of radioactivity. Kazakhstan has sought international support to convince China to stop testing atomic bombs near its territory, because of the dangerous fallout.

Mismanagement of irrigation projects has caused the level of the Aral Sea to drop by 13 m, decreasing its size by 50%. The change in size has changed the climate in the area and revealed 3 million hectares of land that are now subject to erosion.

Air pollution in Kazakhstan is another significant environmental problem. Acid raindamages the environment within the country and also affects neighboring countries. In 1992 Kazakhstan had the world's 14th highest level of industrial carbon dioxide emissions, which totaled 297.9 million metric tons, a per capita level of 17.48 metric tons. In 1996, the total had dropped to 173.8 million metric tons. Pollution from industrial and agricultural sources has also damaged the nation's water supply. UN sources report that, in some cases, contamination of rivers by industrial metals is 160 to 800 times beyond acceptable levels. Pollution of the Caspian Sea is also a problem.

Kazakhstan's wildlife is in danger of extinction due to the overall level of pollution. According to current estimates, some areas of the nation will not be able to sustain any form of wildlife by the year 2015. In the areas where pollution is the most severe, 11 species of mammals and 19 species of birds and insects are already extinct. As of 2001, 15 mammal species, 15 bird species, 5 types of freshwater fish, and 36 species of plant are listed as threatened. Threatened species include the argali, Aral salmon, great bustard, snow leopard, and tiger. The mongolian wild horse has recently become extinct in the wild.