Comprehension check

1. What have humans done to the natural world?

2. What is the amount of consumption pressure?

3. What are we to do if we are to leave future generations a living planet?

4. What is one of the most serious problems?

5. What environmental problems have become global?

6. What are carbon dioxide emissions accelerating?

7. How has global consumption of wood and marine fish changed?

8. What are developing countries doing to their resources?

9. Who are the world’s most voracious consumers?

10. What happens to the world?

11. Is growing population the main problem?

12. What happens to the Earth’s ecological balance sheet?

13. How could people save the planet?

14. What is the conservation of natural ecosystems for the planet?

Vocabulary presentation and practice

Vocabulary in context

I. Give Russian equivalents of the following units from the text.

1. support the growing demands made on it

2. fresh water and marine systems

3. consumption pressure from increasing affluence

4. half of the accessible supplies

5. the rate of decline of freshwater eco-systems is running at 6 per cent

6. stop wasteful irrigation schemes

7. marine fish consumption

8. in decline

9. are depleting their natural resources at an alarming rate

10. the world’s most voracious consumers

11. timber and fish consumption

12. a serious decline in the health of the Earth’s ecological balance sheet

13. energy efficiency

14. the Earth’s carrying capacity

II. Find in the text English equivalents of the following Russian units.

1. Человек уничтожает окружающий мир

2. время на исходе

3. чтобы оставить будущим поколениям живую планету

4. истощение запасов питьевой воды

5. вызвать вымирание видов

6. увеличить эффективное использование воды

7. выбросы двуокиси углерода

8. увеличивает глобальное потепление

9. мировое потребление древесины

10. имеют высокий коэффициент потребления

11. среднестатистический житель Северной Америки

12. в пять раз больше

13. сокращать отходы

14. использовать воду экономно

15. не пользоваться лишний раз транспортом

16. это не роскошь, которую могут себе позволить лишь богатые

17. поддерживать важные экологические функции

Vocabulary in practice

I. Match the word with its definition.

1. depletion a. to make known

2. marine b. the using up of goods and services

3. to reveal c. to make double or twice as great

4. supplies d. using up or exhausting the supply of

5. consumption e. of, existing in, or produced by the sea

6. to double f. a stock of food or other necessary items

7. voracious g. a gradual loss

8. timber h. the wise use of natural resources

9. decline i. wood suitable for building, making furniture

10. conservation j. eager to absorb or possess

II. Paraphrase the underlined using words from the text.

1. People have demolished some eco-systems.

2. Consumption pressure has become faster.

3. My patience is coming to an end.

4. Different states should extend the efficiency of water use.

5. Their actions express their thoughts.

6. We should stop unwise use of natural resources.

7. States with water problems should use it carefully.

8. To preserve our environment, we must not pollute it.

9. It is important to ensure the maintenance of all ecological functions.

10. Consumption pressure comes from increasing riches.