Text b. Read the text « Changes in the Earth — Atmosphere System

» using a dictionary:

From a wide variety of evidence, it is well known that the present-day pattern of activity in the Earth — Atmosphere system has been substantially different in the past. This applies to all the major realms, including the planet’s climate, geomorfology, hydrology, soils and biogeography. Past changes in the system have left their mark in many respects on today’s landscapes.

Although there are many immediate causes of natural change in the environment, most of them are related ultimately to geological changes induced by activity in the interior of the Earth or to climatic change. Large-scale changes have occured in the past in the position and shape of the Earth’s ocean and land areas. Climatic change occures on many different spatial and temporal scales. In the geological past, a change of climate in any one area may have been brought about by continental drift rather than by changes in the atmosphere. But modern research has shown that on a shorter time-scale, climatic changes affecting the whole globe are the result of shifts in atmospheric circulation caused by fluctuations in the amount and distribution of insolation received by the Earth.

This idea is embraced in the Milankovitch curve, put forward in the 1930 as an explanation of long-term climatic change, including glaciers and interglacials. The curve is a calculation of radiation input for various parts of the Earth, taking account of the Earth’s changing altitude to the sun in three respects: in the shape of its elliptical orbit; in the relation of the seasons to the orbit; and in its angle of tilt — at present 23,5°.

Finally, it must be stressed that many of the important recent changes in the Earth — Atmosphere system have nothing to do with natural causes, but have been brought about by man’s activities. This may even apply to recent climatic change: it has been suggested that the general warming in the last hundred years has occured because of the output of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere by industrial processes.

Exercises (b)

1. Сomplete the following sentences using suitable words and word-combinations given below:

climatic; spatial; environment; activity; fluctuations; continental; landscapes; glaciers; geological; different.

1. From a wide variety of evidence, it is well known that the present-day pattern of…………….in the Earth — Atmosphere system has been substantially …………….in the past. 2. Past changes in the system have left their mark in many respects on today’s………………..3. Although there are many immediate causes of natural change in the………………, most of them are related ultimately to ……………changes induced by activity in the interior of the Earth or to climatic change. 4. Climatic change occures on many different……………. and temporal scales. 5. In the geological past, a change of climate in any one area may have been brought about by ………………..drift rather than by changes in the atmosphere. 6. But modern research has shown that on a shorter time-scale, ………….changes affecting the whole globe are the result of shifts in atmospheric circulation caused by …………in the amount and distribution of insolation received by the Earth. 7. This idea is embraced in the Milankovitch curve, put forward in the 1930 as an explanation of long-term climatic change, including…………….and interglacials. 8.

2. Put as many questions to the text as possible

3. Make up a plan of the text

4. Retell the text

5. Speak on the following topics:

1. Planet’s climate

2. Сontinental drift

3. Distribution of insolation

6. Read and translate a fragment from originalny article «Climatic changes on the planet».

The water cycle describes the processes that drive the movement of water throughout the hydrosphere. However, much more water is "in storage" for long periods of time than is actually moving through the cycle. The storehouses for the vast majority of all water on Earth are the oceans. It is estimated that of the 332,500,000 mi (1,386,000,000 km³) of the world's water supply, about 321,000,000 mi (1,338,000,000 km³) is stored in oceans, or about 97%. It is also estimated that the oceans supply about 90% of the evaporated water that goes into the water cycle.

During colder climatic periods more ice caps and glaciers form, and enough of the global water supply accumulates as ice to lessen the amounts in other parts of the water cycle. The reverse is true during warm periods. During the last ice age glaciers covered almost one-third of Earth's land mass, with the result being that the oceans were about 400 ft (122 m) lower than today. During the last global "warm spell," about 125,000 years ago, the seas were about 18 ft (5.5 m) higher than they are now. About three million years ago the oceans could have been up to 165 ft (50 m) higher.

The scientific consensus expressed in the 2007 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Summary for Policymakersis for the water cycle to continue to intensify throughout the 21st century, though this does not mean that precipitation will increase in all regions. In subtropical land areas — places that are already relatively dry — precipitation is projected to decrease during the 21st century, increasing the probability of drought. The drying is projected to be strongest near the poleward margins of the subtropics (for example, the Mediterranean Basin, South Africa, southern Australia, and the Southwestern United States). Annual precipitation amounts are expected to increase in near-equatorial regions that tend to be wet in the present climate, and also at high latitudes. These large-scale patterns are present in nearly all of the climate model simulations conducted at several international research centers as part of the 4th Assessment of the IPCC. There is now ample evidence that increased hydrologic variability and change in climate has and will continue to have a profound impact on the water sector through the hydrologic cycle, water availability, water demand, and water allocation at the global, regional, basin, and local levels. Research published in 2012 in Science based on surface ocean salinity over the period 1950 to 2000 confirm this projection of an intensified global water cycle with salty areas becoming more saline and fresher areas becoming more fresh over the period.

(BF(British Antarctic Survey, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge, CB3 0ET, UK.) Publication:Science, Volume 317, Issue 5839, pp. 793- (2007))