IV.Questions for discussion:

1. What has happened to the water in the Baltic Sea?

2. Why are so few professional fishermen in a small town in the south of Sweden today?

3. Do you agree that the right to good environment is closely connected to the economic, social, and cultural rights?

4. Is the right to good environment included into the Declaration on Human Rights?

5. When was it first mentioned about the connections between a human being and the environment?

6. Do you feel high moral responsibility for the environment in your native village, settlement, town, city?

7. Do you believe that every child has the right to be born in good environment?

Part 5. Animals and Wild Life

I.Study the vocabulary to read and understand the text better:

affect – воздействовать, влиять

impact – (v.)оказывать воздействие, влиять; (n.)влияние, воздействие

take charge of – отвечать за что-либо, нести ответственность

compassion – сочувствие, жалость, сострадание

plough – (брит.) плуг; plow – (амер.) плуг, снегоочиститель

acreage – площадь земли в акрах; зд. собственный участок земли

livelihood – средства к существованию

raise – выращивать, разводить (растения, скот, птицу); (амер.) растить, воспитывать детей

vegans – строгие вегетарианцы

consumption – потребление

pheasant – фазан

quail – перепёлка, куропатка

tracker – охотник, выслеживающий диких зверей

tracker dog – служебная собака, ищейка

horseback riding – верховая езда; езда верхом на лошади

revolve around (about) – вращаться, вертеться вокруг чего-либо

Importance of Animals in Human Lives

By Kristin Jirovsky

Animals affect everyone's life, whether you're an animal-lover, animal-hater, animal-eater or animal-saver, and their presence is important. Importance ranges from companionship to food source, and it varies by person. Pets impact our lives in a positive way, as do work animals and food animals. We may not realize how much impact animals have on our lives.

Companionship

Pets impact human lives on a face-to-face basis by being our companions, whether it's a cat or a dog or a guinea pig. Nothing is more comforting than having a dog greet you at the door, or a cat curl up in your lap or a guinea pig squeal for treats.

Rehabilitation

Pet animals are often used for rehabilitation. Certain dogs, with special certification, are allowed to visit the residents in nursing homes and similar living arrangements. Not only does it lend variety to the day, but a dog or puppy can often bring the most introverted and grumpy person out of her shell. Rehabilitation with pets happens most on rehabilitating a social level.

Caretaking Skills

Having a pet is a great way to teach a child caretaking skills. A pet must be fed and watered daily, on some days given a bath, and trained. Having a child take charge of some or all of these tasks installs a sense of compassion along with responsibility.

Working Animals

Animals have helped throughout history by working for humans. Horses and oxen have pulled ploughs for farming, and carriages and covered wagons for travelling. Now horses are used to win awards or just for easy rides into town for families living on acreages.

Livelihood

Many farmers use animals for their livelihood. Farmers raise cattle, lamb, sheep, goats and other animals simply to make a living. Many of these animals are used for meat or for milk, and the milk and meat have several different uses.

Food

Biting into that hamburger with extra mayo? How about carving that rosemary chicken? Animals raised on farms are often our food sources. Vegetarians avoid this food choice, but are still impacted by milk, eggs and other food items, while vegans choose to eat no animal-related foods. But even these choices impact humans: vegetarian restaurants or vegetarian items on menus are now more common, and many people, while not vegetarian, choose to decrease their consumption of meats.