- •A fable for tomorrow by Rachel Carson
- •Exercises
- •1. Study the Notes.
- •2. Translate the sentences and use an underlined structure from each group in your own example:
- •3. Say it in English:
- •4. Find in the text and learn the English equivalents of the following words and word-combinations:
- •5. Retell the text using the following words and phrases:
- •7. Discussion.
- •Focus on the environment
- •In this text, young people from Britain and America discuss the environment. What is the biggest environmental problem in your area? How concerned are you about the environment?
- •Exercises
- •3. Find in the text and learn the English equivalents of the following words and word-combinations:
- •4. Find in the text sentences equivalent to the ones given below and learn them by heart:
- •5. Learn the information in italics. It’ll enable you to speak freely on the following environmental issues:
- •6. Study the following:
- •7. Complete the sentences so that they make sense:
- •8. Discussion
- •It's official: the earth is getting hotter
- •Exercises
- •2. Explain what is meant by:
- •3. Find in the text and learn the English equivalents of the following words and word-combinations:
- •5. Study the following:
- •6. Discussion
- •The arguments made by climate change sceptics
- •Acid rain
- •International agreements
- •Exercises
- •2. Explain what is meant by:
- •3. Find in the text and learn the English equivalents of the following words and word-combinations:
- •5. Rephrase the given sentences without using the underlined parts.
- •6. Discussion
- •1. Answer the questions:
- •3. Retell the article using the following:
- •The world's green lungs
- •Interview with David Attenborough
- •Rainforest
- •Exercises
- •6. Rephrase the sentences:
- •Kyoto treaty takes effect today
- •Exercises
- •1. Practise reading the words from the article. Learn their Russian equivalents.
- •2. Find in the article and learn the English equivalents of the following words and word-combinations:
- •3. Explain what is meant by:
- •5. Say what you know about:
- •6. Rephrase the sentences without using the underlined parts:
- •7. Discussion
- •Driving away from air pollution
- •Exercises
- •Cloning the endangered
- •Exercises
- •Nature’s avengers
- •Exercises
- •1. Find in the article and learn the English equivalents of the following word-combinations:
- •2. Correct the sentences:
- •3. Answer the question:
- •What on earth can I do? Rethink at home
- •Save Energy and Combat Air Pollution
- •In the Kitchen
- •Save the Rainforest
- •Waste not…
- •In the Bathroom
- •Rethink at work
- •Exercises
- •1. Practise reading the given words and word-combinations. Learn their Russian equivalents:
- •2. Discussion
- •Green consumers
- •Exercises
- •1. Practice reading the words from the article. Learn their Russian equivalents:
- •2. Find in the article and learn the English equivalents of the following word-combinations:
- •Exercises
- •Impact of Natural Hazards (vocabulary)
- •Supervolcano
- •Megatsunami – wave of destruction
- •When large animals disappear, ecosystems are hit hard
- •The gulf stream
- •Фреоновая война
- •Contents
- •Sources
The gulf stream
The world's oceans move constantly. Ocean currents flow in complex patterns and are affected by the wind, the water's salinity and temperature, the shape of the ocean floor, and the earth's rotation.
The Gulf Stream is one of the strongest ocean currents in the world. It is driven by surface wind patterns and differences in water density. Surface water in the north Atlantic is cooled by winds from the Arctic. It becomes more salty and more dense and sinks to the ocean floor. The cold water then moves towards the equator where it will warm slowly. To replace the cold equator-bound water, the Gulf Stream moves warm water from the Gulf of Mexico north into the Atlantic.
The Gulf Stream brings warmth to the UK and north-west Europe and is the reason we have mild winters. Without this steady stream of warmth the British Isles winters are estimated to be more than 5C cooler, bringing the average December temperature in London to about 2C.
At the end of the last Ice Age, when the ice sheet covering North America melted, the sudden increase in fresh water reduced the salinity of the north Atlantic surface water and therefore less 'dense water' sank and moved towards the equator. This reduced, or even shut-down completely, the warm Gulf Stream. Temperatures in north-west Europe fell by 5C in just a few decades.
Recent observations have shown that since 1950 there has been a decrease of 20% in the flow of cold water in the Faeroe Bank channel between Greenland and Scotland. This is one source of cold dense water that drives the density-based component of the Gulf Stream. There may be an increase in flow from other cold water sources, but, if not, it could be the start of the slow down of the Gulf Stream.
(from the BBC Weather Centre)
? What role does the Gulf Stream play in shaping the climate on our planet?
~ 9 ~
Global warming may disrupt ocean currents, leading to global cooling. Wolves are aggressive and evil animals that hunt humans when hungry.
Penicillin is used to treat infection.
Scientists drill in the Arctic in order to obtain ice cores that offer information about climate change.
Scientists use advanced super-computer generated models to predict future climate changes.
Climate change could lead to cataclysmic storms that would blanket the Northern Hemisphere in ice within a matter of days, and deep freeze almost instantaneously buildings, helicopters, and people.
Burning a lot of library books in a large fireplace could generate enough heat to protect humans sitting in close proximity to the fire against the instant freezing effects of a cataclysmic storm.
Scientists warn elected officials about the risks of climate change, but officials sometimes don't listen, or they discount the risks in light of economic considerations and industry influence.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration conducts climate-related research.
What natural hazards were shown in the film?
Why did the global catastrophe happen?
What are the strong and the weak points of the film?
What message does the film send?
~ 10 ~
Translate from Russian into English:
Среди множества экологических проблем, с которыми сталкивается человечество на протяжении многих лет, можно выделить проблему уничтожения тропических лесов.
Тропические леса являются домом для многих редких видов растений, животных, птиц, насекомых.
Флора тропических лесов на 70% обеспечивают нашу планету кислородом.
Нередко эти леса называют «зелеными легкими» планеты.
Цифры шокируют: тропические леса вырубаются со скоростью 100 акров в минуту.
К наиболее острым экологическим проблемам специалисты относят загрязнение окружающей среды, кислотные дожди, парниковый эффект, озоновые дыры, уничтожение лесов, исчезающие биологические виды, переработку использованных материалов.
Согласно статистике, количество лесов в мире сократилось на 10% за последние 30 лет.
Специалисты считают, что кислотные дожди вызваны вредными промышленными газами – углекислым газом, фреонами и некоторыми другими.
Фреоны наносят самый ощутимый вред окружающей среде, так как их молекулы задерживают намного больше тепла, чем молекулы углекислого газа.
Ученые предвидят, что в будущем парниковый эффект не позволит таким странам, как США, Канада, Россия и Швеция, выращивать прежнее количество пшеницы и ржи.
Засуха так же типична для африканских стран, как наводнения для Бангладеш.
Экономические выгоды данного проекта позволят сократить импорт металлов.
Местные власти активно решают проблему шумового загрязнения в центре города.
Утечка нефти – один из основных источников загрязнения морей.
Рост температуры, в свою очередь, может вызвать таяние льдов на Северном и Южном полюсах, угрожая некоторым странам серьезными наводнениями.
Сильные дожди вымывают/размывают плодородный слой почвы.
Засуха – прямое последствие нарушения круговорота воды в природе.
Этот вид растений стал редким после того, как была разрушена его основная среда обитания в Гималаях.
Влияние человека на климат несомненно.
~ 11 ~
Translate into English: