3. Listen to the text again and answer the following questions.

1. What depressed David Attenborough in the voyage most of all?

2. Why are forests being cut down in the Himalayas?

3. Why does David Attenborough call trees “umbrellas”?

4. Why can deforestation cause floods?

5. What does David Attenborough call devastating statistic? Why?

6. How are the estimates about the future of certain forests made?

7. How much of the forest area is destroyed each year?

8. Why is it important for humanity to preserve wild plants growing beneath the trees in rain forests?

9. What countries suffer most from deforestation?

4. Sum up the reasons why cutting down rain forests can lead to disastrous results for the planet.

Writing

1. Write a report to be made at an international environment conference about the air (water, soil, etc.) pollution in your region (native place).

2. Write an article about the future of the Earth afflicted by acid rains.

3. Write a letter to a local newspaper demonstrating the benefits of setting aside a national park in the region.

4. Write a feature article about the necessity of launching a forest conservation campaign.

General discussion

Using the information from Unit 5 as well as your background knowledge role-play a conference in which ecologists, politicians and men of business take part.

1. Discuss the following questions.

1. Why is pollution a complicated problem?

2. How is the problem of waste disposal being solved nowadays?

3. What can become a hidden danger to humanity and the environment?

4. Are people all over the world concerned with deforestation?

5. What measures taken by conservationists are promising?

2. Express your attitude to the following statements. Present facts to support your point of view.

1. It would be quite easy to preserve the environment if all were willing to reduce pollution.

2. It is man and his activities that have been destroying the wildlife through out centuries.

3. In the future new technologies will help people fight pollution.

4. All endangered species can be saved by being raised in captivity.

5. Conservation activities have long-term results.

6. Banning certain kinds of man's activities is the only way to save the environment.

Words connected with the theme of the unit

absorb v
abundant adj	~ in sth
accumulative adj	~ problem
acid rain n
acidification n
acute adj	~ problem
affect v
afflict v
agroforestry n
barren adj
breed v, n
build up v
captivity n
carbon dioxide n
clog (up) v	to be clogged (up) with sth
combustion n	~ process
conservation n	~ measures; nature ~
conservationist
count v	~ on sth
deforestation n
deplete v
depletion	~ of the ozone layer
deposit n, v	gas, mineral, ore ~s; to have a ~ of sth
deprive v	~ sb of sth
destruction n	~ of the ozone layer
devoid adj	~ of sth
die out v	syn. die off
diminish v
disastrous adj
dispose v	~ of sth
drain v
dump v, n	~ ing site
ecosystem n	to make up an ~
eliminate v
to emit v
emission n
endanger v
endangered adj	~ species

erode v
estimate n, v
erosion n
exhaust n, v	~ pipe; to ~ fumes (gas, smoke)
extinct adj	to become ~
extinction n	on the brink/verge of ~
fertilizer n
forest n	~ floor
ground water
habitat n
impact n
hazardous adj	health ~
inflict v	to ~ on sth/sb
insectivorous adj	~ desease
insidious adj	~ effect
insulate v	to be ~ed from sth
irreversible adj
land-fill n
leach out v
leak v, n
leakage n
litter n, v
livestock n
overgraze v	to ~ land
overhunting n
particulates n pl
pesticide n
poach v	to ~ on sth
poisonous adj
pollutant n	to discharge ~; to emit ~; to release ~
prey v	to ~ on sth
publicise v
rainfall n
rainforest n
ravages n	~ of sth
raw adj	~ material
recycle v
release v
renewable adj
replenish v
reservation n

scatter v	to ~ the sun('s) rays
sewage n
soot n
trap in v	to ~ gases, heat
ultraviolet adj	UV rays
vital adj	~ to sth
wildlife n	~ refuge
wilderness n	~ area