Exercises

1. Practise reading the words from the article. Learn their Russian equivalents.

advocacy, discriminatory, harangue, to inundate, malaria, quorum, versus

2. Find in the article and learn the English equivalents of the following words and word-combinations:

1) решить окончательную судьбу договора; 2) затопить прибрежные территории; 3) не случайно, что…; 4) взять решение проблемы в свои руки; 5) требовать резкого сокращения автомобильных выхлопов; 6) обеспечить кворум; 7) ратифицировать Киотский протокол; 8) отказаться от своего права на ч-л; 9) аналогичный ч-л; 10) дать к-л финансовый стимул для ч-л; 11) высокие ставки.

Make up 1 sentence for oral translation with any of the items.

3. Explain what is meant by:

1) stony opposition 2) tangible impact 3) ineffectual treaty 4) pollution-cutting innovation 5) discriminatory treaty 6) comprehensive policy 7) hodgepodge system 8) outright participation 9) farsighted companies 10) contentious battles 11) defunct coalition 12) rapidly industrialising countries 13) voluntary emissions control 14) binding limits 15) clean technologies 16) catastrophic consequences 17) steep reductions in vehicle emissions

Find reference to the items in the article.

4. VOCABULARY (define the lexical items, say in what context each of them was employed and exemplify their use with your own sentences/situations)

1) to go into effect / to take effect / to put a treaty into effect; 2) to wrangle (over sth); 3) to derail sth; 4) to address sth; 5) to end up; 6) harbinger; 7) incentive; 8) to link sth to sth/ linked to; 9) to endorse (a proposal); 10) to suffice; 11) analogous (to); 12) given (prep).

5. Say what you know about:

Kyoto; the post-World War I League of Nations; the Gulf Stream.

6. Rephrase the sentences without using the underlined parts:

1. … Kyoto could equally be the harbinger of an international model that rewards pollution-cutting innovation and pushes countries and companies to pursue cleaner forms of growth. 2. The treaty is aimed at controlling global warming linked to carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. 3. Although the United States helped shape it, President Bush pulled the United States out as soon as he took office. 4. Developing countries were exempted from limits to give them a chance to catch up with the economic development of the industrialized world. 5. "They are going to take credit for sagging economies and flat populations," said James L. Connaughton… 6. By 2010… developing countries will account for the bulk of greenhouse emissions. 7. The countries that ratified Kyoto believe that wealthy countries need to demonstrate a commitment to reducing emission levels in the first phase of the treaty, from 2008 to 2012, before the developing world can be asked to make cuts. 8. Many environmentalists are getting behind a proposal by Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Joseph I. Lieberman… 9. …the United States should help spread clean technology in the developing world.