Notes on the text:

1. hang (hung) – вешать

2. ensure – убеждаться

3. considerable – значительный

4. thread – нить

5. backbone – позвоночник, хребет

6. back – обратно

7. bone – кость

8. tear – рваться

9. loop – петля

10. gill – жабры

11. can – мочь

12. suspend – подвешивать

13. tail – хвост

14. roe – икра, молоки

15. stain – пятно

16. device – прибор

17. attempt – попытка

5. Food preservation

Though some foods, such as rice, wheat and other cereals can be stored for years before they deteriorate, other foods, such as fish and meat, normally deteriorate quickly. For different types of food different methods of preservation are suitable.

The traditional methods of drying, smoking, salting or pickling food were widely used long before it was known why these methods were effective. It is now known that the processes of decay are accelerated by enzymes already present in the food and by bacteria or other microorganisms which may be already present or may come from external sources. To preserve food from decay, it is necessary either to destroy the bacteria or to create an environment in which cannot multiply and enzymes are inactivated. Bacteria can be destroyed by heat and be inactivated by dehydration. Enzymes can be inactivated by cold or by reducing the moisture content.

The moisture content of food can be reduced by drying in the sun or by other means fish suspended over smoking fire is partly dried and the smoke also has bactericidal properties. Salt and vinegar are also effective preservations, which is based on some physical principles.

Heat can be used to destroy bacteria and stop enzymic activity in food. The food is sealed in a can so that bacteria couldn’t come from the external sources. The can is then heated to a temperature sufficient to sterilize the contents. The length of time and the temperature required for sterilization depend on the product and on the type of bacteria to be destroyed.

It is important that the contents of the can are heated uniformly. The exact temperature can be controlled by means and the thermo-couple inserved into a can.

Notes on the text:

1. cereals – зерновые

2. preservation – сохранение, консервирование

3. to store - хранить, сохранять

4. deteriorate - портить(ся)

5. suitable – подходящий

6. drying – вяление

7. smoking – копчение

8. pickling – маринование

9. decay – гнить, разлагаться

10. enzyme – фермент

11. environment – среда

12. multiply – увеличивать, размножать(ся)

13. dehydration – обезвоживание

14. moisture – влага

15. to suspend – подвешивать

16. content – содержание

6. Marine pollution prevention

Civilization has its sunny and cloudy sides. The vessel traffic in the World Ocean is constantly growing; as a result the risk of marine pollution is greatly increasing. The pollution of the sea has reached a very dangerous level and presents a serious threat to sea life and to the whole mankind. Marine pollution protection has become a global problem. We cannot stop progress but we can and must unite our efforts in protecting our planet.

That’s why in 1973 the International conference adopted the Convention for the Prevention of pollution of the Sea by Oil. According to it ships should be equipped with technical facilities that prevent the possibility of discharging waters containing oil or oil products into the sea. If a ship notices an oil slick the captain should immediately inform the authorities about it. No matter how that oil has spilled into the sea, the inspectors have to make up a violation report.

In this case it is very important for the ship to prove that they haven’t discharged any oil products overboard. They must show that the bilge water passes through a separator, that it is registered in the Oil Record Book. They must also prove that they have not violated the international Convention for the Prevention of Pollution of the Sea by Oil. They should also settle the matter with another ship in the vicinity.

On board every ship there must be a sewage treatment plant. It operates continuously during the ship’s stay in a port and in areas closed to discharge of sewage. The ship must be equipped with a system to comminute and disinfect the sewage. All the sewage is collected in the sewage tank. It is allowed to discharge overboard waters from sewage system at full speed when the ship is more than 300 miles off the coast.

The crewmen should also be informed of the Regulation according to which the disposal of all kinds of plastics into the sea is prohibited.

Food wastes should be stored in special receptacles and in the port dry rubbish and garbage should be taken away by ash-boats.

Unfortunately, these days a threat to sea life is still growing. Fish may no longer be healthy food. Studies show that parts of the North Sea contain pesticides, oil and poisonous metals such as cadmium, some of which has found its way into the liver tissue if fish. This could affect products such as cod liver oil.