It’s clean air month

When well-known Canadian environmentalist David Suzuki went to school he was taught that air was a colourless, odourless, invisible gas.

“But now,” he says, “you look out the window and you know that what I was taught was wrong. You can see air and that’s a measure of how bad it is.”

David believes it is vital that we take greater care of our air.

“The way I like to put it is, try going for longer than five minutes without taking a breath. It’s the thing that keeps you alive. And I think we’ve used our air in a way that is just beyond belief and we continue to use it. We continue to act as if we can put some of the most poisonous things that have ever existed into it and not have to worry about it. Every year, lung disease affects millions because the air is so bad, so it’s a very serious problem.”

David stresses that there are a lot of simple things everyone can do to affect the air in a positive way.

“The rule in our house is if it’s less than 10 blocks, you walk or you take a bike,” he says. “I’ve got a seven-year-old and an 11-year-old and we all take bikes. That is one of the best rules that we’ve ever had in our family because we end up doing a lot of biking together. We also walk together all the time. Ano­ther rule is that if you’re going to work, you take public transport. I never drive into town alone – make a car pool and carry several people.

The cynic who says it doesn’t matter is the cause of the trouble because they’re not trying. I get a huge satisfaction in taking the bus. I feel good as I’m saving nature.”

During April, people are asked to take better care of the atmosphere and help in whatever way they can – as every little bit helps. The atmosphere is critical to us for three main reasons.

ONE is we live off it – we breathe from it.

TWO is it protects us from dangerous solar rays, so we can’t afford not to take care of it.

THREE is the greenhouse effect – we’ve got to keep the climate livable. Clean air’s our life force – we don’t place enough value on it. We will, though, when we find it hard to breathe. What we want people to do this month is to help the earth.

Dr Bennett from “LIFE. BE IN IT” urges all Australians to reduce use of their cars. We want people to exercise their way to work this month – leave the car at home if you can. Ride a bike, walk to the bus or train, get off a stop early because clean air tastes good. Another way you can help is by forming a car pool with friends – it’ll cost you less. Be careful with energy. Switch off unused appliances. Don’t leave lights on around the house.

All these things contribute to the greenhouse effect, which is the warming of the earth, and they also contribute to air pollution.

V.Coleman

New Idea 23/03/2006

Vocabulary notes

odorless ['qudqlqs] не имеющий запаха

affect [q'fekt] воздействовать, влиять

a car pool – arrangement by which many persons use (share) the same car instead of each using his/her own car

cynic ['sInIk] циник

solar rays ['squlq] солнечные лучи

livable ['lIvqbl] пригодный для жизни

appliance [q'plaIqns] зд. бытовой электроприбор

Analyze the following words

environmentalist appliance colourless

poisonous disease satisfaction

odourless pollution invisible

dangerous greenhouse livable

Find the English equivalents

Делать вдох; обходиться без чего л. более пяти минут; невероятно, невозможно поверить; болезнь поражает миллионы людей; положительно влиять; пользоваться общественным транспортом; использовать машину совместно с кем-л.; это не имеет значения, это неважно; испытывать удо­влетворение, спасая природу; лучше заботиться о чем-л.; любым возможным способом; помогает каждая мелочь; жизненно важный для; по трем основным причинам; защищать от солнечных лучей; жизненные силы; недостаточно ценить что-л.; экономьте электроэнергию; сокращать использование; неиспользуемые электроприборы; оставлять свет по всему дому; способствовать парниковому эффекту; загрязнение воздуха.

Comprehension questions

1. What was David Suzuki taught when he went to school?

2. How has the situation changed since then?

3. What proves that air is vital for us?

4. What are the immediate results of the way we treat our air?

5. In what way do they try to affect the air in a positive way in David’s family?

6. Why do some people remain indifferent to the problem of air pollution?

7. Can you agree with the opinion that when we speak about saving nature little things don’t matter?

8. What are people in Australia asked to do during April?

9. Can ordinary people really affect the atmosphere and reduce air pollution or is it the task of the governments?

10. What makes the atmosphere so critical for people?

11. What, in the author’s opinion, will make people take better care of the air?

12. Do we have the same problems in our country?

13. Which of the pieces of advice given in the article sound sensible to you?

14. What else, in your view, should people do to help the earth?

15. What is the message of the article?

16. Find the phrase that best expresses the author’s idea.

***

ACTIVE VOCABULARY

button ['bAtn] кнопка

com­mon ['kPmqn] обычный, привычный

contain [kqn'teIn] содержать, включать в себя

current ['kArqnt] текущий, нынешний

elsewhere [els'weq] где-либо еще

equip [I'kwIp] снабжать, оборудовать

facility[fq'sIqti] (usu Pl) учреждение, заведение, предприятие

forbid [fq'bId] (forbade, forbidden) запрещать

gar­bage ['gaLbIG] мусор, бытовые отходы

improve [Im'pru:v] улучшать

indicate ['IndI"keIt] указывать, быть показателем

on average ['xv(q)rIG] в среднем

press – нажимать

proud­ly ['praudli] гордо

recycle [ri:'saIkl] подвергать вторичной переработке; перерабатывать

similar ['sImIlq] подобный

truck – грузовик

visibly ['vIzqbli] визуально, видимо

Practise aloud

current gar­bage grind forbid

equip improve recycle resume

visibly chemical periodic authorities

counterpart average entire experience

bacteriological enthusiastic economical environmental