The environmental movement in the usa

Vocabulary

conservation охорона довкілля

implement виконувати, здійснювати

enormous величезний

exhaust вичерпувати

realize розуміти

treasure багатство

endanger наражати на небезпеку

stock запаси

receive отримувати

insecticide інсектицид

corps корпус, служба

warn попереджувати

billboard дошка для оголошень та афіш

trash сміття

surge хвиля, підвищення

gain отримувати

ban забороняти

throw-away викидати

dumping of wastes викид відходів

restrict обмежувати

measure захід

Reading Read the text and find out information about environmental movement in the USA

The conservation movement — the protection of natural resources and wildlife — was first formulated and implemented as a political pro­gram in the United States. That this happened relatively early, during Theodore Roosevelt's administration (1901-1909), meant that later gen­erations of Americans could still enjoy their country's natural wonders.

It was very difficult for many Americans to believe that their conti­nent-sized nation with its enormous forests, thousands of lakes, rivers, and streams, and vast wilderness areas could have the problems which many smaller and more crowded nations faced. True, Los-Angeles obvi­ously had a problem with air pollution, but there was still nothing any­where like the "killer smog" which caused some 3,500-4,000 deaths in London in December 1952. Similarly, the U.S. had such enormous re­sources, that it was hard to imagine they could ever be exhausted.

Starting in the early 1960s, however, Americans finally realized that this was not true, that the U.S. was in danger of destroying many of her na­tional treasures. What was happening to Lake Erie, the shallowest of the Great Lakes, is a good example. City and industrial wastes, chemicals, and fertilizers were endangering the once enormous stocks offish. Suddenly, it seemed, the lake was almost "dead", and the millions who used its sandy beaches and fished its waters were shocked that this could have happened.

At much the same time, other problems began to receive great publicity. For example, the best-selling book by Rachel Carson, Silent Spring, brought home the dangers of DDT and other insecticides. Environmental activists like Ralph Nader and his corps of volunteers and lawyers stressed the prob­lems caused by industrial pollution and the automobile. Long-established environmental groups such as the Sierra Club warned that acid rain (first described by a European scientist in the mid-19th century) threatened many American forests. The media started to campaign against the ugliness of billboards, tin cans, and trash in "America the Beautiful."

This surge of attention led to a substantial number of laws in the 1960s and 70s, and to the establishment of several federal agencies. Because the environmental movement in the United States has never been associated with one political party or group, it has been able to gain widespread trust and support.

The Federal Drug and Food Administration's (FDA) standards for food and medicines are among the strictest in the world. The positive image that most Americans have of the FDA was strengthened when it banned the drug thalidomide in 1961, and thus saved many American children from the tragedy of severe birth defects.

All of the states, of course, have implemented their own laws, some, for instance, having banned throw-away bottles and cans, forbidden the use of phosphates in soaps, and passed strong laws against the industrial dumping of wastes. By 1986, forty states and more than 80 cities and communities had passed some type of law to restrict smoking in public or at work. Likewise, all federal government departments and agencies must restrict smoking in most office areas. Beginning in 1965, a law passed by Congress required warnings on cigarette packages, a measure that was adopted in other countries only years later.

Public attention to the problems of pollution has now become part of American life. Even the familiar Coca Cola can has been affected. Today, by law, these cans must be made so that the rings on top can't be thrown away.

Exercise 1. Match the words from the column A with their translation in the column B.

	A		B
1	conservation movement	a	кислотний дощ
2	industrial pollution	b	величезні запаси
3	public attention	c	природні багатства
4	enormous	d	промислові забруднення
5	acid rain	e	рух з охорони довкілля
6	natural treasures	f	увага суспільства
7	positive image	g	позитивний образ

Exercise 2. Find sentences with the following phrases in the text and translate them into Ukrainian.

Exercise 3. Tick the correct completion.

1. The conservation movement is the protection of

a) generations of people.

b) natural resources and wildlife.

c) natural wonders of the Earth.

2. The conservation movement was implemented

a) during the second World War.

b) during Theodore Roosevelt's administration.

c) in 1920-1929.

3. The "killer smog" caused some 3,500-4,000 deaths in London

a) in the late forties.

b) in December 1952.

c) in the early 1960s.

4. Environmental activists like Ralph Nader and his corps of volunteers and lawyers stressed the problems caused by

a) the "killer smog".

b) acid rain.

c) industrial pollution and the automobile.

5. The campaign against the ugliness of billboards, tin cans, and t "America the Beautiful" was started by

a) the government.

b) the media.

c) the public.

6. The FDA banned

a) DDT.

b) unleaded gas.

c) the drug thalidomide.

7. The law which restricts smoking in public or at work was passed by

a) forty states and more than 80 cities and communities.

b) the Federal Drug and Food Administration.

c) the International Maritime organization.

Exercise 4. Check facts and ideas. Decide if these statements are true or false.

1. Many Americans believed that their continent-sized nation couldn’t have the problems which many smaller and more crowded nation faced.

2. Los-Angeles hadn’t a problem with air pollution.

3. The enormous stocks of fish in Lake Erie were endangered by city and industrial wastes.

4. Acid rain threatened many American forests.

5. The environmental movement in the USA has been able to gain widespread trust and support.

6. The FDA banned the drug thalidomide in 1961 and saved many American children from the tragedy of severe birth defects.

7. There is a law requiring warning on cigarette packages.

Exercise 5. Find sentences in the text that give information about:

1. the reason of the conservation movement;

2. what was happening to Lake Erie;

3. the problems received great publicity;

4. the role of the FDA in lives of Americans and their children;

5. what must be written on cigarette packages ;

6. what requirement Coca Cola can has been affected

Exercise 6. Complete the gaps with the preposition from the box.

on to  2 of  5 in  3 by

1. The word “ecology” appeared … the 19th century.

2. The adoption … some federal laws … the USA led … improvements … the environment.

3. Public attention … the problems … pollution has now became part … American life.

4. The slogan “Keep your country tidy “ appears … wrappers and covers … many products.

5. Global warming is the result … air pollution … different gases.

Exercise 7. Fill in the gaps with the correct form of verbs given in the box.