Ecological Problems

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

Large cities with thousands of smoky industrial enterprises appear all over the world toda} The by-products of their activity pollute the air we breathe, the water we drink, the land w grow grain and vegetables on.

Every year world industry pollutes the atmosphere with about 1000 million tons of dust an« other harmful substances. Many cities suffer from smog. Vast forests are cut and burn 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.

The pollution of air and the world's ocean, destruction of the ozone layer is the result of man' careless interaction with nature, a sign of the ecological crisis.

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

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

Some progress has been already made in this direction. As many as 159 countries members of the UNO have set up environmental protection agencies. Numerous conferences have been held by these agencies to discuss problems facing ecologically poo regions including the Sea, the South Urals. Kuzbass, Donbass, Semipalatinsk and Chernobyl. An international environmental research centre has been set up on Lake Baikal The international organisation Greenpeace is also doing much to preserve the environment.

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

Слова и выражения

ancient – древний;

horrible – ужасный;

harmony – гармония;

disaster-катастрофа; environment - окружающая среда;

to befall – пасть (на что-то);

riches – богатства;

damage -урон, ущерб;

unlimited – неограниченный;

consequences – последствия;

to interfere - вмешиваться ;

explosion – взрыв;

to increase- увеличиваться, возрастать; protection – защита;

smoky - дымный ;

concern – озабоченность;

enterprises – предприятия;

security – безопасность;

by-product - побочный продукт;

agency – агентство;

activity –деятельность;

to set up - устанавливать, организовывать;

to pollute - загрязнять

to preserve - сохранять, оберегать;

substances – вещества ;

onward- дальше, далее;

to upset – вредить;

for the sake of somebody-ради;

oxygen – кислород кого-нибудь;

rare – редкий ;

initial – начальный;

destruction – разрушение;

ozone – озон;

layer – слой;

interaction – взаимодействие.

• One of the biggest problems that the world faces today is environmental. The hole in the ozone layer is growing, and if people don't stop polluting the atmosphere the effects will be irreversible.

• I agree that the environment is a serious issue, but what worries me are the wars. There are always countries at war, but at least most of them haven't got any nuclear weapons.

• There should be a world ban on anything that causes pollution. Packaging for all products should be biodegradable, and factories should be made to decrease their pollution output, and rainforests should be replanted.

• As for nuclear weapons, I think that they should all be confiscated and destroyed. -8«A: The problem with nuclear weapons is that once you've invented something you can "uninvent" it! It exists now and so the problem has to be dealt with.

• All people should be taught from an early age what is right and wrong. If there wasn't s much violence on television, then maybe people wouldn't be so violent towards each other.

• I think more attention should be given to organisations such as the U.N. which try an maintain peace in the world.

• I think it is ultimately up to individuals to look after the world. Every person can do a lot to protect the world we live in. SB: I don't agree. I think individuals are powerless and the governments hold all the power. Therefore I think it is the governments' responsibility to try and make the world a cleaner, safer and better place to live.

• One picture shows a rainforest on fire. Although I think this is a serious environmental problem, I don't think the destruction of the rainforests will cause the end of the world.

• I agree, and I think that nuclear power stations do pose a real threat to the world. Yes. Look what happened at Chernobyl. If nuclear power is used carelessly then some serious problems could arise.

• The picture of a man trapped inside a computer shows how man is becoming a slave to computers. I do think that computers could be a problem in the future because we rely on them so heavily, but I don't think they could cause global destruction.

• But don't forget that many countries' defence mechanisms are linked up to a computer system. One problem with the computer could lead to the launching of a nuclear bomb which would cause an explosion, as in the picture.