Английский язык. Тексты общественно-политической тематики «обзор английской прессы» = English language. Texts of socio-political topics «A glimpse of

TEXT 5

BY EU MUST FACE LEGACY OF COLONIALISM AND SUPPORT REPARATIONS, SAY MEPS

The European Union should urgently address and reverse the lasting impacts of European colonialism and support a reparations programme to rectify continuing injustices, according to a draft resolution to be presented to the European parliament’s development committee. Noting that the EU has made “no concerted efforts to recognize, address and rectify the lasting effects of European colonialism on social and international inequities”, the draft resolution calls for the creation of a permanent EU forum on restorative justice. The presentation marks the first formal attempt to push reparationsforslaveryandcolonialismontheEUagenda.Thesepreliminarydiscussions among MEPs are a response to increasing demands for developed nations to make amends for slavery. Last month the African Union agreed to join Caribbean nations to form a “united front” aimed at persuading European nations to pay for “historical mass crimes”. The draft resolution notes that “many former European colonies — including in the Caribbean, Africa and Latin America — are still suffering socially, economically, and environmentally from legacies of colonialism, enslavement, apartheid, and genocide”. European colonialism was “based on racial discrimination and violence”, that continues to have “profound effects on social and global inequities — including racial inequities within and among countries”, the document states. It makes a clear link between climate justice and reparations for slavery, saying that developed, colonizer nations have “contributed most to greenhouse emissions, global warming, climate crisis and environmental degradation”, while “developing countries are more adversely affected by their effects”. There are no details on what form the reparatory justice should take, but the resolution calls for the European Commission to commission and publish a report on how the EU can “better recognize and address the histories and legacies of European colonialism”. Michael McEachrane, the UN reporter of the permanent forum on people of African descent, who helped organize a joint European Commission and European parliament event commemorating the abolition of slavery on Tuesday, said: “No historical period … has had a more profound effect on shaping the world and its

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Английский язык. Тексты общественно-политической тематики: «обзор английской прессы»

social and international orders than 500 years of European colonialism and imperialism. By the 1930s, nearly 90% of the world had been colonized by European countries. Consider how it has shaped the largely extractive relationship of developed countries to developing countries. The EU has a responsibility to show leadership in launching reparatory” processes, including climate justice, he added, given that the “developing countries that make up 80% of the global population have contributed the least to the now rapidly escalating climate and environmental crises, but are most adversely affected by it”. Pierrette Herzberger-Fofana, a German MEP representing the Greens-European Free Alliance, will present the draft resolution to the European parliament’s development committee on Thursday, and hopes to table the draft as an emergency resolution at the European parliament in the coming weeks. She said a greater understanding of the roots of European racism would promote a “more nuanced understanding of migration issues” and added that textbooks across Europe needed to be revised to give schoolchildren a better understanding of the slave trade and colonialism.

Task 1: Vocabulary Matching

Match the words on the left with their correct definitions on the right

Definitions

a.The act of compensating for past wrongs

b.The practice of acquiring control over another country or territory

c.Unfair differences in social status or wealth

d.A system focused on repairing harm caused by wrongdoing

e.A relationship where one party benefits at the expense of another

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English language. Texts of socio-political topics: “A glimpse of English press”

Task 2: Identify the parts of speech for the following words used in the article and make p a sentences using these words

Task 3: Fill in the blanks

Complete the sentences using appropriate words from the article

1.The draft resolution aims to _____ the lasting impacts of colonialism.

2.Many former colonies are still suffering from the _____ of colonialism.

3.The EU is urged to show _____ in launching reparatory processes.

4.Developing countries are more _____ affected by climate change.

5.A greater understanding of European racism would promote a more _____

understanding of migration issues. 6. The EU has made “no concerted efforts to recognize, address and rectify the lasting effects of European __________

on social and international __________.” 7. Developed nations have contributed most to greenhouse emissions while developing countries are more adversely affected by their effects, highlighting the link between climate

__________ and reparations.

Task 4: Synonyms and Antonyms

Identify synonyms and antonyms for the following words from the text

2.Abolition

•Synonym: __________

•Antonym: __________

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Английский язык. Тексты общественно-политической тематики: «обзор английской прессы»

Task 5: Sentence Transformation

Rewrite the following sentences using different grammatical structures while keeping the same meaning

•The European Union should urgently address the impacts of colonialism.

•Many former colonies are still suffering from the legacies of colonialism.

Task 6: Questions to the text

1.What are the main objectives of the draft resolution presented by MEPs regarding colonialism and reparations?

2.How does the draft resolution link climate justice to the history of colonialism and slavery?

3.What role does Michael McEachrane believe the EU should play in addressing the legacies of colonialism?

4.Why do the authors of the resolution believe that textbooks in Europe need to be revised?

5.What actions are being proposed to enhance the EU’s recognition of the histories and legacies of European colonialism?

Task 7: Translate into English

1.Европейский Союз должен срочно признать и исправить последствия колониализма.

2.Проект резолюции призывает к созданию постоянного форума ЕС по восстановительной справедливости.

3.Многие бывшие колонии все еще страдают от социальных и экономических последствий кол

4.Разработка справедливости в области климата должна быть частью процесса репараций.

5.Учебники в Европе нуждаются в пересмотре, чтобы лучше объяснить торговлю рабами и колониализм.

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English language. Texts of socio-political topics: “A glimpse of English press”

Task 8: Short Essay

Write a short essay (150–200 words) discussing the importance of the British Council in promoting UK education globally. Use at least five vocabulary words from the text.

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Text 6

THE IMPORTANCE

OF PROTECTING OUR ENVIRONMENT

In recent years, the urgency of environmental protection has become increasingly apparent. Climate change, pollution, and biodiversity loss are pressing issues that require immediate action from governments, businesses, and individuals alike. The recent report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) highlights the catastrophic consequences of inaction, including severe weather events, rising sea levels, and threats to food security. One of the key strategies for combating climate change is the transition to renewable energy sources. Solar, wind, and hydroelectric power present sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels, significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Additionally, protecting natural habitats and promoting biodiversity are essential for maintaining ecological balance and ensuring the health of our planet.

Public awareness and grassroots movements are vital in driving change. Communities across the UK are organizing clean-up campaigns, tree-planting initiatives, and educational programs to promote sustainable practices. It is crucial for individuals to understand theirrole inthis global challenge and to advocate forpolicies that prioritize environmental sustainability. As we move forward, collaboration among nations will be essential to address environmental issues effectively. The future of our planet depends on the actions we take today. The final controlling authority in most of the issues related to environment is the government itself. For example, most of the thermal power plants are owned by the government and also only the government can build dams, roads, railways, etc. Industrial or any other related activity cannot start without the approval of the government. Therefore, the government has to apply various checks and controls so that the environment is managed properly. How can the government establish incentives that would lead industries to choose the efficient amount of pollution control in their own best interest, even if they do not face all the social costs of residual emissions?

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English language. Texts of socio-political topics: “A glimpse of English press”

for example, simply limit the industry’s pollution to R units by decree. Direct regulation of this sort was popular in the United States shortly after the setting up of Environmental Protection Agency, a government organization tasked to regulate any practice that may have an adverse effect on the environment.

2.  Effluent Fees. Effluent fees offer governments a second approach to pollution control. An effluent fee is a unit price that a polluter must pay to the government for discharging waste. The idea behind the imposition is that they can bring the marginal private cost of polluting faced by firms closer to the true marginal social cost of their emissions.

3.  Transferable Emission. Permits Governments have recently learned that they can work the trade-off between the certainty of direct regulation and the efficiency of effluent charges by issuing a fixed number of transferable emissions permits — permits that allow the holder to generate a certain amount of pollution. The total number of permits can be limited, so that total pollution can be held below any targeted level. In fact, the market would work to bring the marginal cost of pollution control at each firm equal to the market price of permits, and so it would bring the marginal cost of pollution control at every form in line with the marginal cost at every other firm.

Task 1: Vocabulary Matching

Match the words with their definitions

Definitions

1.Relating to the relationships between living organisms and their environment.

2.Capable of being replaced naturally; not finite.

3.A term describing a significant and disastrous event.

4.The variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat.

5.A system that allows pollution rights to be bought and sold.

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Английский язык. Тексты общественно-политической тематики: «обзор английской прессы»

6.A fee imposed on the discharge of pollutants.

7.The cost of pollution that society bears as a result of industrial activity.

8.Government-imposed limits on the amount of pollution a firm can emit.

9.The cost incurred by a firm for producing one more unit of a good or service.

Task 2: Fill in the blanks

Use the words in parentheses to fill in the blanks

1.The __________ (importance/important) of protecting the environment cannot be overstated.

2.Many communities are engaging in __________ (sustainable/sustain) practices to help combat climate change.

3.The __________ (report/reports) from the IPCC was alarming and called for immediate action.

4.The government can establish __________ to encourage industries to reduce their emissions.

5.By imposing __________, the government aims to align private costs with social costs.

6.The use of __________ allows firms to trade pollution rights, creating a market for emissions.

Task 3: Synonyms and Antonyms

Identify synonyms and antonyms for the following words

Urgency — Consequence Pollution Regulation Permits.

Task 4: Word Formation

Create new words from the given root words

•Act (verb) → __________ (noun)

•Sustain (verb) → __________ (adjective)

•Nature (noun) → __________ (adjective)

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Task 5: Answer the questions

1.What are some of the pressing environmental issues mentioned in the text?

2.What does the recent report from the IPCC warn about if no action is taken?

3.Which renewable energy sources are highlighted as sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels?

4.Why is protecting natural habitats and promoting biodiversity important?

5.What role do grassroots movements play in environmental protection according to the text?

6.What are the three main approaches the government can use to control pollution, as outlined in the text?

7.How do effluent fees work to align private costs with social costs?

8.What is the purpose of transferable emission permits, and how do they function in pollution control?

Task 6: Translate into English

1.За последние годы необходимость защиты окружающей среды стала все более очевидной.

2.Сообщение Межправительственной панели по изменению климата подчеркивает катастрофические последствия бездействия.

3.Переход на возобновляемые источники энергии является одной из ключевых стратегий борьбы с изменением климата.

4.Общественное сознание и инициативы на местах жизненно важны для достижения изменений.

5.Будущее нашей планеты зависит от действий, которые мы предпринимаем сегодня.

6.Правительство должно установить правила, чтобы контролировать уровень загрязнения.

7.Переработка разрешений на выбросы создает рынок для загрязняющих веществ.

8.Прямое регулирование может быть менее эффективным, чем другие методы контроля загрязнения.

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Английский язык. Тексты общественно-политической тематики: «обзор английской прессы»

Task 7: Short Essay

Write a short essay (150–200 words) discussing why environmental protection is important, using at least five of the vocabulary words from the article.

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