yastrebova-vladykina_uchebnik_2_kursa

Ecological thinking, or systems thinking, is completely different. Ecosystems, like all living systems, are highly nonlinear. They don’t maximize their variables but optimize them. When something is good, then more of the same will not necessarily be better, because things go in cycles, not along straight lines. The point is not to be efficient, but to be sustainable; it’s not quantity that counts, but quality.

The second reason why Western culture finds systems thinking difficult is that we live in a materialist culture – both in terms of its values and its fundamental worldview. Most biologists today would tell you that in order to really understand living organisms, you have to understand their molecules.

However, systems theory tells us that the essence of life does not lie in the molecules, but in the patterns and processes in which these molecules are involved. The basic patterns of life are configurations of relationships between biological processes, and these relationships and processes are nonmaterial. They involve matter, of course, but a relationship is something nonmaterial; a process is something nonmaterial. You can’t take a photograph of the web of life, because it is a network of functional, nonmaterial relationships.

This is the crux of the matter. The essence of ecology and of systems thinking is the understanding of nonlinear, nonmaterial entities – something that mainstream Western culture finds it very hard to deal with.

Ecoliteracy and Ecodesign

When systems thinking is applied to the study of the earth household – which is the literal meaning of “ecology” – we discover that the principles of organization of ecosystems are the basic patterns of life. For example, we observe:

–that an ecosystem generates no waste, the waste of one species being the food of another;

–that matter cycles continually through the web of life;

–that the energy driving these ecological cycles flows from the sun;

–that diversity increases resilience;

–that life, from its beginning more than three billion years ago, did not take over the planet by combat, but by cooperation and partnership.

The main task in the new century will be to apply our ecological knowledge and systemic thinking to the fundamental redesign of our technologies and social institutions, so as to bridge the current gap between human design and the ecologically sustainable systems of nature.

/Fritjof Capra, Ph.D., SGI Quaterly № 23, January 2001/

Read the text for detail and 1) find out if your idea of systems thinking, ecoliteracy and ecodesign coincides with that of the author; 2) make up a summary of the text putting the scrambled sentences below in the right order (first do ex. 1).

1.The basic principles of ecosystems’ organization are the principles of organizations of all living systems.

2.The principles of organization of ecosystems are the basic patterns of life.

3.The most appropriate theoretical framework for ecology is the theory of living systems.

4.Systems thinking is almost 100 years old, but it has still not taken hold in the mainstream culture of Western, developed countries.

5.Systems thinking means thinking in terms of context, relationships, patterns and processes.

6.Western culture finds systems thinking difficult for two reasons: a) scientific tradition is based on linear thinking, while systemic ecological thinking is nonlinear; b) Western society lives in a materialist culture, while the basic patterns of life (relationships between biological processes) are nonmaterial.

7.A sustainable community sustains the entire web of life on which our long-term survival depends.

8.The great challenge of our time is to build and nurture sustainable communities.

9.The first step in this endeavor is to understand the principles of organization that ecosystems have developed to sustain the web of life.

10.The task of the 21st century is to redesign our technologies and social institutions so as to bridge the gap between human design and the ecologically sustainable systems of nature.

Ex. 1. Match the words and phrases from the text in List A with their Russian equivalents in List B.

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ществовать, не нанося ущерба окружающей

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среде; sustainable community сообщество, спо-

собное обеспечивать свою жизнедеятельность, не причиняя вреда окружающей среде

3.interfere v 1) (in, between) вмешиваться; to interfere in other

people’s affairs / politics / one’s business; it’s unwise to interfere between husband and wife

2)мешать, быть помехой, препятствием; (with smth) the noise interfered with my work шум не да-

вал мне работать; to interfere with smb’s independence покушаться на чью-либо независимость interference n (in, with, between) вмешательство, препятствие,

помеха; I resented his interference in my affairs; the storm caused a lot of TV interference

4.critical adj 1) (of) критичный, осуждающий, требователь-

ный; to be critical of smth / smb; Pat is always very critical of her son’s appearance

2)важный, решающий; we need an immediate decision on this critical issue; to be critical to smth; parental attention is critical to the child’s socialization внимание со стороны родителей играет решающую роль в подготовке детей к жизни в обществе

3)решающий, переломный; we are at a critical time in our history; David is at a critical stage of his illness

4)критический, опасный, угрожающий; to be in

(a) critical condition (of health) быть в крайне тяжелом состоянии

critically adv 1) опасно, серьезно, чрезвычайно; to be critically ill / injured / important / etc.

2)критично, серьезно; you need to critically assess your lifestyle

criticism n критика, критические замечания; Kate doesn’t take any criticism very well Кейт болезненно реаги-

рует на любую критику

criticize, -ise v 1) критиковать, осуждать; criticize smb for doing (not doing smth); the report strongly criticizes the police for failing to deal with the problem quickly

2)оценивать критически, выявлять положительные и отрицательные стороны; criticizing

your own work is difficult

critic n критик; musical / dramatic / literary critic музыкаль-

ный / театральный / литературный критик; Jean’s her own severest critic Джейн очень требовательна к себе (= относится к себе очень критически)

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6.indefinite adj 1) неясный, неопределенный; indefinite opinions /

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ников

3)(in) вовлекать во что-либо, занимать чем-

либо; try to involve as many children as possible in the game; (passive) to be / get involved in smth; I don’t want to get involved in a lengthy argument я

не хочу быть втянутым в долгий спор

4)влечь за собой, вызывать (последствия); the war involved a great increase in the national debt

involved adj 1) (before a noun) сложный, запутанный; a long and involved explanation

2)(after a noun) связанный, сопряженный; the people involved заинтересованные лица (лица,

которых это касается); I would never go climbing on my own: there’s so much risk involved

… это связано с очень большим риском involvement n 1) (in) причастность; the police are investigating his

involvement in the crime

2) (in) вовлечение, участие в чем-либо; a student’s emotional involvement in the learning experience

10. apply v 1) (for, to) обращаться, подавать заявление; to apply for a position (job) / help / legal document / permission / etc.; to apply to the Consul for a visa

обратиться в консульство за визой; he applied to

Harvard and was accepted он подал заявление в Гарвард и был зачислен

2)(to) применять, употреблять; to apply the law / technologies / force / pressure / etc.; scientific discoveries are often applied to industrial processes; this rule cannot be applied to every case

3)(to) касаться, относиться, иметь отношение к чему-либо (кому-либо); this question on the form applies only to married men

application n 1) (for, to) заявление, прошение, запрос; application for the position of secretary; application for political asylum просьба о политическом убежище; application form анкета (поступающего на работу и т.д.)

2) (of, for, to) применение, применимость; application of nuclear energy; the new laws have a particular application to the self-employed

applicable adj (to) применимый, пригодный, подходящий; is the rule applicable to the case?

applicant n (for) претендент, кандидат; applicant for a position (job)

Word Building

Ex. 2. Use one of these negative prefixes to form the opposite of the words given below, like in the examples:

acceptable, accurate, adequate, agree, appreciated, appropriate, approve, bearable, comfortable, complete, contented, convenient, decisive, desirable, direct, excusable, experienced, faithful, familiar, favourable, flexible, foreseen, frequent, grateful, healthy, helpful, hospitable, humane, legal, legitimate, literate, logical, mature, moral, natural, obedient, organized, patient, perfect, personal, polite, probable, regular, relevant, respectful, satisfactory, satisfied, sociable, stable, sufficient, tolerant, visible, willing

Ex. 3. Add negative prefixes to the words in bold type.

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1.Every manager, from time to time, finds it necessary to discipline an employee when that employee’s behavior is not consistent with organizational expectations. If ______ acceptable behavior is allowed to continue, it will soon become a regular part of an individual’s work style.

2.There is no lack of dignity in a person being ill and needing treatment. If he cannot control his own body functions, then he should be helped with these. To terminate his life for that reason is _______ humane. To speak of euthanasia in this case is actually suggesting that people are _______ willing to help those who are in need of medical and human care.

3.With the modern advances in medical care, the type of pain which used to be _______ bearable can easily be reduced or relieved.

4.According to some estimates, a great part of the world’s population is functionally ______ literate.

5.Students who make ______ satisfactory academic progress will be excluded from the accounting program.

6.If you’re in a job you can’t stand, you might believe that it is your boss’ fault that you are not enjoying your work, which causes you to feel ______ appreciated and ________ fulfilled. As a result, you become ______ effective at work and grumpy at home.

7.If they get ______ accurate or ______ sufficient information, they will not be able to solve the problem of toxic waste disposal and improve the situation.

8.Rejecting new ideas and working methods is very easy by simply saying that idea is ________ suitable for the organization as it will not be working.

9.There’s been a steady rise in ______ healthy lifestyle habits among our nation’s schoolchildren – namely, the consumption of high fat diets and a lack of exercise.

10.“It is ______ excusable for scientists to torture animals; let them make their experiments on journalists and politicians.” – Henrik Ibsen

11.The descriptions of the incidents, which are presented as if they were established fact, are calculated to portray Mr Clark in the most _______ favourable light.

12.More often than not speed is blamed for accidents. It has been proven in numerous reports that speed alone is not a major factor of road deaths; the more important factor is ______ appropriate use of speed, which is very common to the younger ______ experienced drivers.

13.The following is an ______ complete and ever growing list of foods that you can find and identify safely for your own consumption on the North American continent.

14.I’m tired of my ______ decisive husband. I want to be married to an equal partner who will share in the responsibilities and joys of being a family. Instead I have an ______ responsible husband who cannot seem to do anything right to save his life.

15.Do you have a money-back guarantee? Are there any hidden fees if cancellation is necessary due to family emergencies or other _______ foreseen circumstances?

16.Kindergarteners after day care are often aggressive and ______ obedient.

17.Time is money. And for millions of home workers, that has never been so true. The _______ ability to manage time effectively is often a big source of stress for _____ organized people working ______ dependently.

18.When ______ expectedly interrupted, ask the caller how long the call or task will take, and if it’s too long, make arrangements to talk to them later when you’re less busy.

19.Many impulsive, difficult and challenging young children are ________ respectful to adults.

20.When I was growing up my mother always stressed how ______ polite it is to whisper if other people were present.

21.He is ______ patient to get his new project started.

 VOCABULARY PRACTICE

Ex. 4. Fill in the missing words from Vocabulary List. The first letter of the word is given.

1.The gadgets displayed at this year’s LinuxWorld Conference and Expo d________ a crowd to the Sharp Electronics booth.

2.Unlike the experience in other countries the School Leaving Examination in the UK does not i________ any element of continuous assessment by a student’s own teachers.

3.Textbooks give you general descriptions and information, along with a d________ answer. In the ‘real world,” there are no d________ answers.

4.That march was a turning p__________ in our lives. We came out, we d__________ strength from those around us, we felt pride in our community.

5.I think what we have to do is decide that we will rid the planet of the structures and the organizations that s________

terrorism.

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6.The distinction between e________ technologies pushing society and shaped by society is e________ both because a number of technological possibilities emerge at once in a number of countries and because there needs to be an analytic starting p________.

7.The translation of technical possibilities into product i________ the creation of different technologies. This innovation in a________ may generate new market segments which will e________ in different countries.

8.The Minister of Environment d________ attention to the prominent role that his Government had played in developing appropriate policy measures for s________ consumption.

9.These online worksheets from the University of Waterloo can help you d________ your personality and attitudes, skills and achievements, knowledge and learning style.

10.“Resource Discovery” has intuitive meanings but is a discipline that requires a concrete d________.

11.In December 2001 the Argentine Government declared a state of e________ after violence had erupted over the country’s worsening economic crisis.

12.C________ of s________ development claim that it is a myth, as nothing is s________ for ever and any development destroys and degrades natural resources.

13.As the concept of s________ permits many interpretations, it is e________ to clearly d________ the context and meaning we are a ________ in this document.

14.The conventional political wisdom in Japan says that i________ in public administration is an appropriate role for politicians.

15.The course “E________ of Music” provides basic information about classical music, including eras, terms and composers.

16.The List includes the technologies the Department of Defense assesses as c________ to maintaining superior US military capabilities.

17.Since the organisation implemented its revised rules Robinson has come under attack for his outspoken c________

of the changes.

18.Humor is a rubber sword – it allows you to make a p________ without d________ blood.

Ex. 5. Fill in the prepositions if necessary.

1.Recently, I was _____ a seminar for consultants and learned _____ a technique called “The Force-Field Analysis”. You might want to use this approach to draw _____ customers and get them to reveal things to you that they haven’t revealed to any other salesperson.

2.Clearly _____ modest Midwest origin, President Truman drew strength _____ his roots _____ the nation’s heartland.

3.The author draws a distinction _____ what he calls the basic structure of society and individual behavior: for example, he thinks that principles of justice apply _____ the former but not the latter.

4.The worldwide effort drew attention _____ the worldwide problems _____ poverty housing and resulted _____

1,175 houses for people _____ need _____ shelter.

5.Last month the Washington Post published an article, later circulated more widely _____ the International Herald Tribune, which drew attention _____ a dangerous mood of indifference in the United States _____ the phenomenon of global warming.

6.Charles Sabel draws a conclusion that industrialization – the application _____ machines and power _____ production – could have occurred without the factory, that the factory is simply one possible form that industrialization could take.

7.Packenham didn’t beat _____ the bush but, turning to the people, spoke _____ the point.

8._____ case _____ an emergency contact your Consul immediately.

9.If you, or someone you know, is _____ an emergency situation or experiencing a crisis, apply _____ Tuttleman Counseling Services _____ free, private, confidential help.

10.Participants attending this workshop will learn new concepts and skills. They will also emerge _____ the two-week program with the first draft of a business plan to be put _____ use back home.

11.The British who created the present problem _____ nurturing Tamil racism in Sri Lanka are again interfering _____

Sri Lanka’s internal affairs.

12.Our specialists are dedicated _____ the proposition that shyness and social phobia do not have to interfere _____

achieving professional and interpersonal goals.

13.Each man allows his immediate surroundings to interfere _____ himself and the world at large.

14.Forecasting sales is critical _____ your enterprise _____ both a management and sales point of view.

15.Since the letter had been published without the approval _____ the other editors, the journal was critical _____ his actions and Bieberbach was forced to resign his editorial position.

16.The problem is that novelty, _____ definition, must be new.

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Ex. 7. Paraphrase the following sentences using Vocabulary List 1.

1.Some Pittsburg State University students spent nights sleeping in cardboard boxes on the campus as a way of calling attention to the problems of homelessness.

2.As the century nears an end and we prepare to make our mark on the next one, let us not forget what we have done and seen.

3.As companies reduce their workforce, it’s necessary that the remaining employees understand their new roles and are given tools to do the job.

4.The appearance of small Japanese cars in the 1970s challenged the U.S. and European manufacturers in their own countries.

5.For good philosophical writing it is important to characterize an argument accurately and economically, focusing on the main ideas.

6.The main character of the book, Randy Weaver, appears as a stubborn but weak man, who gains strength from his strong-willed wife.

7.Association for Competitive Technology is working to preserve the right of technology companies to freely innovate while protecting them from excessive government intervention.

8.The Japanese electoral system was changed into one mainly based on single-seat districts in 1996 because election campaigns cost too much for multiple-seat districts.

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9.We can describe invention as something new, created by human ingenuity.

10.In extreme situations try to bring attention to yourself any way you can.

11.Accent Services, USA, uses multimedia interactive software to train foreign-born speakers to reduce those features of accent that hamper communication.

12.Currently, any US citizen over the age of 21 who is not a convicted felon (criminal) can ask for gun ownership.

13.We feel that knowing more about humanity’s shared history is crucial to appreciating and understanding the world we live in today.

14.We appreciate the help of all the partners who took part and in particular, Terra Community College. This project was an obvious success. Let’s do it again.

15.The Queen ended her speech by thanking everyone whose prayers had given her strength through the years.

16.At 9:30 the President came out of the palace and walked over to the open-topped Rolls-Royce at the front of the motorcade.

Ex. 8. Translate into Russian.

1.The then Australian Foreign Minister, Gareth Evans, drew attention to the emergence of an ideological consensus around such liberal principles as multiculturalism and democracy, and the need for cooperation.

2.As a concept that is relatively new, sustainability is interpreted in many different ways depending on background beliefs and political circumstances. While almost all interpretations have similar features (i.e., development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs), the decisions that flow from these definitions often have nothing in common.

3.For us, sustainability is not so much an end point as a quest (поиски). We feel certain that as our experience and understanding grow, our decisions and our programmes will become more and more sustainable.

4.“True, I’ve been a long time making up my mind, but now I’m giving you a definite answer. I won’t say yes, and I won’t say no – but I’m giving you a definite maybe”. – Samuel Goldwyn

5.In academic writing the author can point out questions that the other people have not yet investigated, or can criticize the other people’s ideas as wrong or unsatisfactory and therefore needing to be improved.

6.Asia, for example, is the fastest growing market in the world, drawing in vast exports from Europe and North America.

7.This woman scientist drew strength from her self-confidence, spoke authoritatively, and gained the recognition she deserved from her male physician colleagues.

8.The Prime Minister has called on the opposition to define its position toward national reconciliation.

9.May 26, 1999. “If Slobodan Milosevic does manage to emerge unscathed from the current NATO onslaught, the

Yugoslavian president still must face the International War Crimes Tribunal,” CNN reported.

10.The destruction of rainforests for the timber trade sometimes involves political corruption – a license to cut down trees is almost a license to print money.

11.The organisation “Australians for a Better Community” (ABC) was formed to minimise government interference in the daily lives of all Australians, and to maximise the freedoms and free rights of all individuals.

12.The only practical way to eliminate political corruption is to block politicians from any interference with decisionmaking on locating or ordering public works projects.

13.The “Say Yes for Children Campaign” is a worldwide effort that reaches across boundaries of nation, age, and gender to ask concerned people to vote and rank their support for ten actions critical to improving the lives of children everywhere.

14.The week-long state of emergency announced by the government on Monday has been extended indefinitely.

15.The provisions of the report “Application of Sustainability Principles to the Mornington Peninsula Development” were worked out essentially in a political and bureaucratic environment devoid of comprehensive community consultation.

16.The basic method of science, according to Popper, – make a guess and then test it – is the essence of all thinking.

Ex. 9. Fill in the missing words: apply, application (2), criticism, define, draw, emerge, essential, interfere, involve (3), involvement, point.

The Leaving and Junior Certificate Examinations are taken by over 130,000 students annually. The Leaving Certificate Examination is a key 1) ______ in the lives of students in the Irish educational system. The examination enjoys a high status and is regarded by most people as a fair means of making decisions about students’ educational achievements. It is 2) ______ that fairness to all candidates be maintained in the administration of the examination.

However, the maintenance of universal standards, which 3) ______ the 4) ______ of bureaucratic principles so that all candidates are treated in the same way, when faced with particular circumstances inspired by individual human condi-

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