- •Contents
- •Unit 1. Ecology & environment
- •1. Read the following quotes. What are they all about?
- •Environment
- •2. Find in the text and write down the words that you can understand without translation (I.E. International words; for example, biology …).
- •3. Read the words, find the Russian equivalents and write them down:
- •Ecology
- •8. What are the subjects of the following sciences mentioned in the text? Make up sentences by matching columns:
- •10. Answer the following questions:
- •Ecology
- •Unit 2. History of ecology
- •2. Look through the text and find the ecological and biological terms you are already familiar with from the previous unit. Give their definitions.
- •3. Find in the text international words, read and translate them.
- •4. Read the words, find the Russian equivalents and write them down:
- •5. Read the following English word combinations and supply the Russian equivalents:
- •6. Replace the following by one word. Use the text «History of ecology» if necessary.
- •7. Here are the names of several famous scientists mentioned in the text. They are:
- •8. Translate the verbs underlined in the text «History of ecology». Pay attention to the tenses they are used in.
- •9. Read the text, translate it (using a dictionary if necessary) and draw a table showing the main stages in the history of ecology. It can be done in this way:
- •History of ecology
- •Unit 3. Pollution
- •1. Read the sentences. What do they mean?
- •2. Find in the text international words, read and translate them
- •3. Give Russian equivalents to the following words and word combinations:
- •4. Find in the text English equivalents to the following words and word combinations and write them down:
- •Pollution
- •10. Complete the sentences:
- •11. Look at the boxes and match the suggestions with the results. Then, link the sentences with so that or to and talk about how we can improve the living conditions in our cities:
- •12. Find the right title for each instruction: simple ways you can help save the earth
- •Quiz «How green are you?»
- •Unit 4. Global warming
- •1. Read and comment on the following quote. In your opinion, is global warming reality or is it just a myth?
- •2. Now take this quiz and find out who knows more about global warming!
- •3. Read the words, find the Russian equivalents and write them down:
- •4. Now complete the following sentences using the words from ex. 3 (not all the words are needed):
- •5. Find English equivalents in the text to the following word combinations, read and write them down:
- •6. Give Russian equivalents to the following word combinations:
- •Global Warming
- •Global Warming
- •13. Complete the sentences:
- •14. Answer the following questions:
- •Список используемой литературы
Pollution
Pollution is a major problem all around the world. It has adversely affected the lives of millions of people and caused many deaths and health disorders.
Pollution is contamination by a chemical or other agent that renders part of the environment unfit for intended or desired use. It deserves emphasis that the environment also refers to the place where you live. Natural processes have released toxic chemicals into the environment throughout the history of the earth. Currently, the pollution generated by human activities presents the most serious problem.
Pollution can take two major forms: local pollution and global pollution. In the past, only local pollution was thought to be a problem. In recent decades, awareness has been rising that some forms of pollution pose a global problem. For example, human activity (primarily nuclear testing) has significantly raised the levels of background radiation, which may lead to human health problems, all over the world.
Traditional forms of pollution include air pollution, water pollution, soil pollution and radioactive contamination while a broader interpretation of the word has led to the ideas of ship pollution, light pollution, and noise pollution.
Some of the major causes of pollution are as follows:
I) Deforestation - For the establishment of factories, industries and due to urbanization in various parts of the world, trees are cut on a large scale without any adequate efforts to plant new trees. This leads to deforestation, which has caused a rise in the pollution levels.
II) Polluted water - one of the reasons that the water pollution problem is so severe is that it is not actually illegal to dump pollutants into water bodies. Sewage, sludge, garbage, and even toxic pollutants are all dumped into the water. In addition to sewage, chemicals dumped by industries and governments are another major source of water pollution. People in Developing/Undeveloped countries also pollute rivers by using the water in these rivers for washing clothes, utensils, bathing and other activities. Oil spills also pollute oceans around the world.
III) Noise pollution - the machines used in factories make noise throughout the day, and this disturbs the peaceful atmosphere in the vicinity, as machines used without proper covering lead to noise pollution. This puts heavy mental strain on the people staying in the nearby areas.
IV) Air pollution - though some pollution comes from natural sources (such as, forest fires, volcanic eruptions, erosion, pollen dispersal, evaporation of organic compounds etc), most pollution is the result of human activity. The biggest causes are the operation of fossil fuel-burning power plants and automobiles that combust fuel. Combined, these two sources are responsible for about 90% of all air pollution in the world.
V) Soil pollution - dumping of wastes in many areas is a major cause of soil pollution. Pollution is also caused by iron and steel mills; municipal incinerators; oil refineries; cement plants; etc.
The effects of environmental pollution are diverse and numerous. Pollution affects people’s health. Pollutants are thought to play a part in a variety of diseases, including cancer, lupus, immune diseases, allergies, and asthma. Nature is affected by pollution as well. Pollution kill animals and plants, disrupts the natural food chain. It can also severely change or destroy ecosystems.
Pollution has many disastrous effects that need to be curbed. In order to accomplish this, governments, scientists and environmentalists are searching, using or testing a variety of methods aimed at reducing pollution. There are two main types of pollution control. Input control involves preventing a problem before it occurs, or at least limiting the effects the process will produce (e.g., people may try to restrict population growth, use less energy, reduce waste, etc). Output control, the opposite method, seeks to fix the problems caused by pollution. This usually means cleaning up an area that has been damaged by pollution.
Input controls are usually more effective than output controls. Output controls are also more expensive.
Awareness among masses, regarding the adverse effects of pollution around the world, can also help in reducing the intensity of pollution. This awareness can be created through various media like newspapers, television, radio, flyers, seminars, etc.
It is high time that we take this issue, of «Problems of Pollution» seriously, or it could have adverse effects on our future generations.
9. Read the statements and decide whether they are true or false. Correct the false ones. Express agreement using That’s right or Quite so and disagreement I can’t agree with you or On the contrary.
1. Environmental pollution has become a major problem all around the world.
2. All the causes of pollution can be divided into two types: natural and human-based.
3. Pollution makes environment unfit for intended or desired use.
4. In the past, only global pollution was thought to be a problem.
5. It is illegal to dump pollutants into water bodies.
6. Most pollution comes from natural sources.
7. Output control involves preventing a problem before it occurs.
8. Input controls are usually less effective than output controls.