Unit 14 Ecology and environment

I. Read the text and make the plan of the text.

Since ancient times Nature has served Man being the source of his life. For thousands of years people lived in harmony with environment and it seemed to them that natural riches were unlimited. But with the development of civilization man's interference in nature began to increase.

In the 20^th century with the rapid growth of science and technology human achievements in conquering nature became so great that man's economic activities began to produce an increasingly negative effect on the biosphere.

Large cities with thousands of smoky industrial enterprises appear all over the world today. The by-products of their activity pollute the air we breath, the water we drink, the land we grow grain and vegetables. Every year world industry pollutes the atmosphere with about 1000 million tons of dust and other harmful substances. Many cities suffer from smog. Vast forests are cut and burnt in fire. Their disappearance upsets the oxygen balance. As a result some rare species of animals, birds, fish and plants disappear forever, a number of rivers and lakes dry up.

Environmental pollution has become a significant obstacle to economic growth. The discharge of dust and gas into the atmosphere returns to the Earth in the form of "acid rain" and affects crops, the quality of forests, the amount offish. To this we can add the rise of chemicals, radioactivity, noise and other types of pollution.

Economic, social, technological and biological processes have become so interdependent that modern production must be seen as a complex economic system. It is wrong to see economy and ecology as diametrically opposed such an approach inevitably leads to one extreme or the other.

The most horrible ecological disaster befell Belarus and its people as a result of the Chernobyl tragedy in April 1986. About 18 per cent of the territory of Belarus were polluted with radioactive substances. A great damage has been done to the republic's agriculture, forests and people's health. The consequences of this explosion at the atomic power station are tragic for the Belorussian nation.

Environmental protection is a universal concern, that is why serious measures to create a system of ecological security should be taken.

Some progress has already been made in this direction. As many as 159 countries - members of the UNO - have set up environmental protection agencies. To discuss questions of ecologically poor regions including the Aral Sea, the South Urals, Kuzbass, Donbass, Semipalatinsk and Chernobyl. The international environmental research center has been set up on Lake Baikal. The international organization Greenpeace is also doing much to preserve the environment.

But these are only the initial steps and they must be carried forward to protect nature to save life on the planet not only for the sake of the present but also for the future generation.

Vocabulary

1. nature – природа, мир, вселенная

2. environment – окружающая среда

3. effect – результат, следствие

4. biosphere - биосфера

5. to pollute - загрязнять

pollution – загрязнение

6. atmosphere - атмосфера

7. dust - пыль

8. harmful- вредный, пагубный, опасный

9. substance - вещество

10. smog – смог, туман с дымом

11. oxygen - кислород

12. species - вид

13. discharge - выделение

14. acid - кислотный

15. disaster - бедствие

16. radioactive - радиоактивный

17. damage – вред, ущерб

18. to protect – защищать, охранять

protection – защита, охрана

II. Match English and Russian equivalents :

1. natural riches 1. экогическое бедствие

2. rapid growth 2. вредные вещества

3. harmful substances 3. кислородный баланс

4. oxygen balance 4. природные богатства

5. acid rain 5. быстрый рост

6. ecological disaster 6. начальные шаги

7. initial steps 7. кислотный дождь

III. Choose the right word.

1. With the development of civilization man’s interference in nature began to ….

a) increase b) decrease c) grow

2. Man’s economic activities began to produce an increasingly negative effect on ….

a) atmosphere b) biosphere c) sphere

3. The by-products of their activity ….. the air we breathe.

a) pollute b) preserve c) protect

4. Many cities suffer from ….. .

a) garbage b) cars c) smog

5. …… of dust and gas into the atmosphere returns to the Earth in the form of “acid rain”.

a) damage b) discharge c) protection

IV. Complete the sentences.

1. The most horrible ecological disaster befell …..

2. A great damage has been done ….

3. Environmental protection is ….

4. Environmental pollution has become ….

5. Numerous conferences have been held …

6. But these are only the initial steps and …

V. Insert the right word.

(damage, environment, oxygen, radioactive)

1. For thousands of years people lived in harmony with …. .

2. The disappearance of forests upsets the … balance.

3. About 18% of the territory of Belarus were polluted with … substances.

4. A great … has been done to the republic’s agriculture, forests and people’s health.

VI. Answer the questions on the text.

1. How can you prove that nature is the source of people’s life.

2. What is the result of man’s careless interaction with nature?

3. What are the consequences of the Chernobyl ecological disaster?

4. What has been done to solve ecological problems?

5. Is interaction cooperation necessary to create a system of ecological security? Why do you think so?

VII. Translate into English.

1. Каждый год тонны пыли и другие вредные вещества загрязняют атмосферу Земли.

2. Многие города страдают от смога.

3. Исчезновение лесов ведет к нарушению кислородного баланса.

4. Около 159 стран – члены ООН – создают агенства по защите окружающей среды.

5. Международная организация Гринпис также многое делает для защиты окружающей среды.

Список литературы

1. Alma P. Environmental concerns.- Cambridge University Press,

1993.

2. Chadwick D.H. Dead or Alive: The Endangered Species Act.- National Geographic, 1995.

3. Commoner B. The Closing Circle.- Bantam Books, 1974.

4. Dyson A. Britain in View.- The British Council, 1994.

5. Rees A. The Pocket Green Book.- London: Led Book Ltd, 1991.

6. Wright M. Our Backyard.- Headway: Hodder a Stoughton, 1991.

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