Век химии (Английский язык для студентов химического профиля). Учебное пособие

4.Then much attention is given to…

5.The text also tells about…

6. To sum up it should be noted…

Text B

1. Match the English words and word combinations in A with

2. Read the text trying to understand its main idea.

TRAFFIC AND AIR POLLUTION

A continuous increase in the number of cars leads to serious congestion and escalate pollution caused by cars. Governments build new roads trying to improve the situation but this means that they cut down trees and destroy more of the countryside.

The car is one of the biggest polluters today. Exhaust fumes from cars are the main cause of bad air quality, which can make people feel ill and have difficulty breathing. The problem is especially bad in some cities where a brown layer smog (mixture of fog and smoke) hangs in the air. Poor air quality can have a damaging effect on the lungs of children. High level of air pollution increases the risk of retarded lung development determining their breathing capacity and health for the rest of their life.

41

Air in large cities contains a great deal of dust – suspended in air minute solid particles. Some of them are toxic and can contain lead. Lead comes from petrol in which lead compounds are added to raise its octane number and the performance of the engine. The lead is emitted in tiny particles, which take a long time to settle and, if breathed in, can accumulate in the body and cause lead poisoning.

The toxic emissions from car exhausts can be reduced considerably by installing catalytic converts on the engines. Other strategy to solve the problem involves the use of electric cars powered by storage batteries. One inherent difficulty with a storage battery is that the supply of reactant is limited. When these reactants are consumed, the battery must be recharged. A different kind of battery, called a fuel cell, is one in which the reactants are continuously supplied from an external source. Experimental models have already been produced in Germany. Their use seems to have considerable promise, and it is growing up gradually.

3.Divide the text into some logical parts and entitle them.

4.Translate the following sentences into English using lexical material of the text.

1.Одним из крупнейших загрязнителей воздуха сегодня являются автомобили.

2.Выхлопные газы автомобилей являются основными причинами плохого качества воздуха.

3.В больших городах в воздухе много ,пыликоторая содержит в себе свинец.

4.Во время вдоха свинец накапливается в теле человека и приводит к отравлению.

5.Использование электромобилей, работающих от батареек

–один из способов решения проблемы выделения токсинов.

Text C

1. Pay attention to the following words and word combinations: access - доступ

42

shortage of smth. – нехватка чего-либо sewage – сточные воды

demand for smth. – спрос на что-либо supply - предложение

per capita – на душу населения to plague – насылать бедствие to curb - сдерживать

to endanger – подвергать опасности

2. Read the text and be ready to say if the following statements are true or false. Use the following phrases:

I think it’s right.

It seems to be wrong.

I can’t agree with it.

As far as I know …

To my mind

On the contrary

1.Nowadays water has become undrinkable.

2.Demand for water increases greatly.

3.Water-borne diseases account for 70 % of infections in the developing world.

4.There are no differences in per capita water consumption between different countries.

5.Some people die every year from unsafe water.

6.Industrial effluent is a great danger for Africa and Asia.

WATER POLLUTION. THE WATER CRISIS

One of the most urgent problems in the world today is the shortage of the clean water. Access to clean water is the basic human right. But acid rains, industrial pollution and sewage dumping, oil spills have made water undrinkable.

Worldwide demand for water is doubling every 21 years, more in some regions. Supply can′t remotely keep pace with demand,

43

because of growing population, especially in the third world countries. Water shortage plagues almost every country in North Africa and the Middle East. Water-borne diseases account for 80 % of infections in the developing world. More than 3 mln people die every year from unsafe water. The demand for water in many countries outruns the supply. Water is likely to become a growing source of tension and competition between nations. There are large differences in per capita water consumption between different countries. In some countries people are surviving on the daily ration equal to or less than a bucket of water, while average American uses 1000 litres of water a day. We are running out something no one can live without.

According to the UN Commission on Water for 21 st century more than half of the world′s major rivers are going dry or are polluted. They are posing a threat to the health of the people who depend on them for irrigation, drinking and industrial water.

Lake Baikal in Siberia with a depth more than a mile, contains one-fifth of the world′s fresh water resources. The local people call it the Holy sea. It contains a rich variety of animals and plants, including rare species that do not exist anywhere else in the world. Now the environment around Lake Baikal is endangered because of massive volumes of industrial effluent. The world′s natural underground reservoirs are diminishing rapidly.

Across Africa, Asia, and South America, ground levels are dropping up to 10 feet a year, largely due to irrigation. The UN called on government to curb the use of ground water and to ensure that countries relying on irrigation move away from water-hungry crops.

3.Make up the plan to the text.

4.Give a brief summary of the text.

Text D

1. Read the text and choose the most suitable title out of the given ones:

a)Genetically modified plants.

b)Genetic Pollution.

c)Diseases Treatment.

44

Scientists can use genetic engineering to grow crops and animals that are resistant to common diseases, and which provide more food for people to eat. Due to it genetic engineering may be of great help in the fighting with starvation in the developing countries. Genetic engineering can be used to treat some diseases in humans, for example the cells that cause cancer can be changed. Besides that it also0 makes possible to avoid passing on hereditary diseases.

But unfortunately there is a downside in the genetically engineered plants and animals that may strongly affect the balance of nature. Nowadays genetic pollution became a reality. A new kind of pollutants emerged that behave according the rules of biology. Such pollutant is assumed to have ability to cope itself over and over again, so that its impact on the environment will increase with time rather than diminish.

The genie of genetically modified (GM) plants is already out of bottle. More than two thirds of conventional crops in the US are now contaminated with genetically modified material. The nature of GM products and their long term action are not well understood as these products have not been properly tested before being released into the environment. The genetic modification of plants raises important problems for the science and the public about the potential benefits and risks of this technology.

2. Write out:

а) key words and terms;

b) the sentences expressing the main idea of each paragraph.

Unit 6

GRAMMAR: Subjunctive Mood.

1. a) Translate the following words and word combinations into Russian:

ice cap, to melt, flood, to happen, greenhouse gases, urgent, to meet standards, to improve, to evolve, pollutant, solid content,

45

wastewater treatment plant, sewage, standard of living, recycle, chemicals.

b) Put the words in the correct order to form sentences:

1. are, operations, to purify, used, water, Many.

2.to, water, is, the, Access, basic, clean, rights, human.

3.The, receives, energy, Earth, the, from, the sun.

4.gas, Water, important, is, the most, natural, vapour, greenhouse.

5.of, atmospheric, The, are, gases, strong absorbers, infra-red

energy.

2.Read the sentences and translate them into Russian paying attention to the Subjunctive Mood. Identify Conditionals I and II.

1.If there were no the gaseous atmosphere, all of heat the earth radiates would be lost into space.

2.If the temperature of the oceans increased due to global warming, it could lead to melting of the polar ice caps.

3.In case the ice caps melts, sea level would arise and as a result many coastal areas would be flooded.

4.If changes in climate and weather happened faster, natural vegetation and crops could not adapt to them.

5.If nuclear power stations were not important in supplying electricity, there would be much argument for their closing out.

6.It would be better, if policy of development were more sensitive to the environment.

7.If emissions of greenhouse gases were cut to 60-8- per cent, the Earth climate would stabilize.

8.If it had not been a series of accidents, public opinion would not have turned to urgent need to protect Nature.

46

Text A

3. Read the text and translate it using a dictionary.

WASTEWATER TREATMENT

To meet current and proposed water pollution standards, it is often necessary to use newer treatment operations and to improve the efficiency of conventional processes. Since technology in the water treatment field is evolving rapidly, an enhanced knowledge of fundamentals will permit the engineer or scientist to adapt more readily to new processes. In many cases, the design of water purification processes is based on empirical formulas and procedures.

The treatment of water and wastewater requires a variety of techniques and processes involving until operations, transfer processes, thermodynamics and reaction kinetics.

The major industrial users of water are the primary manufactures of metals, chemicals, paper, petroleum, and food products. The pollutant levels in wastewater are often characterized by solid content and by biochemical oxygen demand (BOD). The total BOD of aqueous industrial wastes is three times the total BOD of wastes entering municipal wastewater treatment plants. Over 90 % of the industrial BOD is generated by the chemical, paper, food, and petroleum industries. The total solids entering sewage treatment plants from domestic wastes are less than one-half of the total solids in industrial wastes. It is apparent that heavier industrial use of the available water must be accompanied by greater treatment to ensure that the level of toxic chemicals do not accumulate and become harmful.

As our standard of living advances, our demand for water accelerates, we have to meet the needs of an increasing world population by irrigating more of the unproductive areas. These needs require a stewardship of our water resources to preserve water quality through wastes treatment and to ensure adequate quantities through recycle.

47

4. Answer the questions.

1. It is necessary to use newer treatment operations, isn’t it?

Why?

2.What is the design of water purification processes based on?

3.What does the treatment of water and wastewater require?

4.What are the pollutant levels in wastewater often characterized by?

5.What is BOD?

6.What industries generate the major part of the industrial

BOD?

7.What is the total solid content in industrial wastes if to compare with domestic wastes?

8.Why must heavier industrial use of the available water be accompanied by greater treatment?

5. Complete the following sentences using some active words and word combinations (see below).

1.To meet current water pollution standards, it is often necessary … the efficiency of conventional processes.

2.Technology in the water treatment field is evolving …

3.The design of water … processes is based on empirical

formulas.

4.The treatment of … requires a variety of techniques and processes.

5.The major industrial users of water are the … of metals, chemicals, paper and petroleum.

6.The pollutant levels in wastewater are often characterized by

solid ….

7.Our standard of … advances, so our demand for water accelerates.

purification, content, to improve, wastewater, manufactures, living, rapidly.

6. Retell the text using the scheme.

1.The headline of the text is…

2.The text informs on (deals with, dwells upon)…

48

3.At the beginning the author makes close study of (considers)…

4.Then much attention is given to…

5.The text also tells about…

6.To sum up it should be noted…

2. Read the text trying to understand its main idea.

INDUSTRIAL WASTES

Since industrial wastes have a broader range of characteristics than domestic wastes, they are treated by a wider variety of processing schemes. Industrial wastes are more likely to contain toxic components that require physico-chemical instead of biological treatment. In some cases, industrial wastes are discharged to a municipal plant directly or after limited pretreatment. In other cases, they are treated in a separate plant designed for the specific wastes.

Mass transfer is an important consideration in many wastewater treatment systems. In order to carry out chemical and biological

49

reactions, it is necessary to transfer substances into or out of the wastewater, as well as to move them adequately within the water to control concentration differences.

Sedimentation is the removal of solid particles from suspension by gravitational settling. Sedimentation basins are often referred to as either clarifiers or thickeners. The terms clarifiers and thickeners are often used interchangeably in describing tanks for effluent streams from activated sludge reactors.

In water treatment plants, sedimentation is used to remove readily settleable particles, flocculated or coagulated impurities, and precipitated impurities. In wastewater treatment plants, sedimentation is applied to a variety of organic and inorganic solids from raw or treated wastes. The purpose of biological waste treatment is to convert complex molecules into simple products and biomass by using a mixture of microorganisms.

Selection of treatment processes for sludge depends upon the nature of the sludge, environmental factors, and ultimate disposal options. The various alternatives examined to select the major processes are concentration, stabilization, conditioning, and dewatering.

3.Divide the text into some logical parts and entitle them.

4.Translate the following sentences into English using lexical material of the text.

1. Промышленные отходы требуют физико-химической обработки.

2. Для проведения химико-биологических реакций необходимо переместить вещества в или из сточных вод.

3.Осаждение – это удаление твердых частиц из суспензии путем свободного осаждения.

4.Термины «отстойники» и «сгустители» часто взаимозаменяемы при описании резервуаров для очищенных сточных вод.

5.Цель биологической обработки сточных вод заключается

впреобразовании сложных молекул в простые продукты и биомассы с помощью микроорганизмов.

50