Орлова Г.Д. и др. Английский для бакалавров. Часть I

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manufacturing of clean and safe products their main selling point and emphasize

it in their advertising.

The concern for a safer and cleaner environment is making companies

rethink how they do business. No longer will the public accept the old attitude of

"Buy it, use it, throw it away, and forget it." The public pressure is on, and

gradually business is cleaning up its act.

The symbol of TM-An official Japan

recyclability. mark of Environment

Environment Canada Association

(used with permission). logo.

Vocabulaly

run out of, v истощить свой запас

garbage, n мусор, отбросы

dispose, v ликвидировать

reduce, v уменьшать, сокращать

trash, n отбросы, хлам, мусор, макулатура

landfill, n территория

salvage, v спасать, собирать

mold, v отливать в форму, формовать

melt, v плавить, растапливать

consumer demand потребительский спрос

lack, n отсутствие, недостаток

survey, n исследование

sell (sold, sold), v продавать

emphasize, v обращать внимание, подчеркивать

concern, n забота

I. Study the words to text B.

II. Read the text ‘Friendly to the Environment’. Answer the questions below:

1. What is recycling?

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2. Why is the process of recycling important? Prove it by the text.

3. What may paper be reprocessed into?

4. What can be done with glass and plastic?

5. Which country recycles more – Japan or the US?

6. What do the three Rs stand for?

III. Choose the correct answer.

1. Many people choose green products because they are ... .

a) cheaper

b) better made

c) environmentally safer

2. Corporations are producing more green products because ... .

a) they have to pay higher taxes

b) it costs less

c) consumers want to buy them

3. Nowadays ... consumers consider the environmental safety of products before

they buy them.

a) all

b) many

c) no

IV. Write the definitions for the following words and phrases:

a) “green” products ______

b) biodegradable packaging _____

c) recycling _____

d) selling point _____

Text C. MAN THE LOSER?

The warming of the climate on Earth that could only be registered by

experts at the beginning of the century is obvious to everybody in our day. The

process has been set off by the rising content of carbon dioxide in the

atmosphere and is directly traceable to human activity: the burning of fuels, the

spewing of industrial exhausts, the felling of forests, and erosion of farmlands.

However, some of the carbon dioxide is effectively absorbed from the air by the

ocean and the green plants on land. Who will win in this "competition" between

Man and Nature? What will happen to the global climate in a longer run, beyond

the turn of this century?

A mathematical model has been developed by some employees of the

Computer Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences in an attempt to answer

these questions. The model is described by a system of 1,500 differential

equations using such variables as amounts of carbon dioxide in the biomass of

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183

living plants and in humus. To obtain accurate results, the scholars divided the

land mass on the geographical map into meshes measuring 4 by 5 degrees. They

have taken in the mean annual temperature, rainfall, and plant production over

the year, since these characteristics are influenced by the carbon dioxide content

in the atmosphere. The analysis has been carried out for such regions as Europe,

the tropical forests, Canada, the USA, and this country since 1860 and has been

extended till the year 2000.

It turned out that carbon dioxide is absorbed in all the regions, the forests

in the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere playing the most significant

role in the process. However, up to 53 percent of carbon dioxide contributed by

industrial exhausts remains in the atmosphere (in the tropical forest zone the

figure is considerably lower, while in the temperate and northern regions it is

rising continuously). Apparently, plants can no longer absorb these excessive

amounts of carbon dioxide. According to some estimates, the capability of green

plants on land to absorb carbon dioxide declined after 2000, and at some point

between 2000 and 2030 the land itself may become a source of carbon dioxide!

When this will happen, if at all, depends on many factors, in the first

place, on the ecological strategy of mankind which appears to be climbing

further out on to the limb.

A. Tarko, B. Bogatyrev, and A, Kirilenko, "The Role of Countries and Regions

in the Formation of the Global Carbon Budget in the Atmosphere", Doklady

Akademit Nauk, 1992, Vol. 322, No. 2 (in Russian).

I. Read the text ‘Man the Loser?’ Find in the text the information about a

mathematical model developed by the Computer Centre of the Russian

Academy of Sciences. What purpose is it designed for?

II. Describe the mathematical model developed by some employees of the

Computer Centre of the Russian Academy of Sciences. You may do it

either in Russian or in English.

III. Speak on the results of the investigation (either in Russian or in English).

IV. Suggest another headline for text C.

C O N V E R S A T I O N

Environment and Ecology

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184

I. Make sure you can translate the following text both ways – from English

into Russian and vice versa.

Ecology is the science of

how living things are related to

their environment. Many people all

over the world are concerned about

the ecology today. The word

"ecology" came from the Greek

which means "home". This idea of

"home" includes the whole planet

of ours. We must protect our planet

from littering, air pollution, water

pollution, destruction of natural

resources.

Экология — это наука о том,

как живые существа связаны с

окружающей средой. Многие люди

во всем мире обеспокоены

состоянием экологии в настоящее

время. Слово «экология» произошло

от греческого слова, которое означает

«дом». Это понятие «дом» включает

всю нашу планету в целом. Мы

должны защищать нашу планету от

засорения, загрязнения воздуха, во-

ды, уничтожения природных

ресурсов.

We know that polluted air,

land and water are harmful to

plants, animals and people. Many

territories, lakes, rivers, seas,

oceans and the atmosphere are

polluted with all kinds of

technological, chemical, nuclear

and other wastes. Awful harm is

caused to our home by nuclear

tests, atom bombs and accidents on

the atomic power stations.

Мы знаем: загрязненный

воздух, земля и вода вредны

растениям, животным и людям. Мно-

гие территории, озера, реки, моря,

океаны и воздух загрязнены

различными технологическими,

химическими, ядерными и другими

отходами. Ужасный вред причиняют

нашему дому испытания ядерного

оружия, атомных бомб и аварии на

атомных электростанциях.

How can we keep our earth

clean?

Как мы можем сохранить нашу

землю чистой?

Don't buy drinks in plastic

bottles. These bottles can't be

recycled and plastic won't even de-

grade. If you throw this bottle, it

will still litter the earth for ever.

Only buy water and other drinks in

aluminium cans or glass bottles.

Buy milk and juice in cartons.

Glass, aluminium and carton can

be recycled.

Не покупайте напитки в

пластиковых бутылках. Эти бутылки

не могут быть переработаны, а сам

пластик никогда не разрушится. Если

вы выбросите такую бутылку, это

загрязнит нашу землю навсегда.

Покупайте воду и другие напитки в

алюминиевых банках или стеклянных

бутылках. Покупайте молоко и сок в

картонных пакетах. Стекло,

алюминий и картон могут быть

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переработаны.

The energy saved from one

recycled aluminium can will

operate a television set for three

hours. If you throw an aluminium

can out of the train window, it will

still litter the earth up to 500 years

later. If you throw the glass bottle

you litter the earth for ever.

Энергия, сэкономленная при

переработке одной алюминиевой

банки, даст возможность работать

одному телевизору в течение трех

часов. Если вы выбросите

алюминиевую банку из окна поезда,

это загрязнит землю на 500 лет. Если

вы выбрасываете стеклянную

бутылку, вы загрязняете землю

навсегда.

It takes 500 000 trees just to

make the newspapers we read

every Sunday. Save your family

newspapers. Find out how to

recycle newspapers in your area.

Most paper thrown away in the

office just has printing on one side.

So you can use the blank side for

writing or drawing.

Надо израсходовать 500 000

деревьев просто для того, чтобы

получать газеты каждое воскресенье.

Сохраняйте газеты вашей семьи.

Узнайте, как перерабатывают газеты

там, где вы живете. Большая часть

бумаги, выбрасываемая в

учреждениях, имеет текст на одной

стороне. Поэтому вы можете

использовать чистую сторону для

письма или рисования.

II. Read the text ‘Environmental Protection’. Answer the questions after it.

III.

Environmental Protection

The twentieth century is known to be the century of the scientific and

technological progress. The achievements of the mankind in mechanization and

automation of industrial processes, in chemical industry and conquering outer

space, in the creation of atomic power stations and ships are amazing.

But at the same time this progress gave birth to a very serious problem –

the poisoning of our planet, its land, its air and water. The ecological harmony is

disturbed. The seas are filled with industrial and nuclear waste, chemicals and

fertilizers. The concentration of smoke in the air is so high in some industrial

centers that it is deadly dangerous just to breathe there.

Many species of flora and fauna have disappeared. Some of them are on

the brink of extinction, many have been put down into the “Red Book of

Nature”. Every hour some kinds of animals and plants die out for ever.

Acid rains, the greenhouse effect, ozone depletion caused by harmful

substances emitted by industrial enterprises are much spoken about.

Unfortunately some means of transport can be regarded as offenders in

poisoning the environment.

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Atomic power plants are worth mentioning as a grave threat to the

environment nowadays. The pollution of the environment is hard to ignore.

The problem of environmental protection has become an extremely

important part of political programmes in many countries nowadays.

The Environmental Movement had gained a lot of supporters long before

our country joined it. Many laws and vital decisions on the problem have been

adopted, many measures have been taken to protect our forests, rivers, lakes and

seas.

However, the Mediterranean is already nearly dead; the North Sea is

following. The Aral Sea is on the point of vanishing. The environmental

problems have grown beyond the concern of a single country. Their solution

requires the cooperation of all nations.

It is obvious, that only our joint effort will help to avoid a global

catastrophe.

Questions to be answered

1. The environmental pollution is a very serious problem nowadays, isn’t it?

2. What gave birth to the problem of poisoning our planet?

3. Why have a lot of species disappeared and still more are on the brink of

extinction?

4. Have you ever heard of the “Red Book of Nature”? What kinds of animals

are registered in it?

5. What causes acid rains, green house effect and ozone depletion?

6. Atomic power plants do both good and harm, don’t they? Give your reasons.

7. Can transport means be considered a kind of threat to the environment?

8. What movement had gained a lot of supporters before our country joined it?

9. What do many adopted laws and measures aim at?

10. Do students of our University join the Environment Movement?

IV. Make a summary of the text ’Environmental Protection’.

V. Speak on the problem of pollution. Use the key-words:

pollution, to breathe, pure water, burned gas, harmful, invisible, disease, to

affect, lack, to reduce, waste, to spray, garbage and trash, to pack down, acid

rain, nuclear energy, ozone layer, to extinct, wild life.

VI. Deliver a lecture on the problems of environment as if you were

• a teacher of ecology and environmental protection;

• a member of the Ecological International of the Green Cross and

Crescent;

• Chairman of the new International Non-Governmental Board.

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VII. Speak on the reasons which made scientists set up an international

industrial ecological consortium.

VIII. Describe the ways of solving the problems of environmental protection.

IX. Describe the ecological problems of our city. What has been done and is

being done for their solution?

X. Work in pairs. Imagine you are a journalist; your fellow-student is

Chairman of the new International Non-Governmental Board. Interview

him.

D I A L O G U E S

a) Read the short dialogues in pairs

A. Mum, why are you so upset?

B. The window glasses get dirty so shortly and the winter is so long.

A. This is air pollution. All big cities have this problem.

A. Alice, why are you so upset? What’s happened?

B. My best bathing suit was spoilt this summer. I came out of the sea with a

black mineral oil spot on it though the sea water looked so clear.

A. Oh, dear! Don’t take it ill. With “Tide” this problem will be solved, I believe.

III

A. Daddy, why are you so upset? What’s wrong?

B. Oh, my shirt smells awfully because our mum aired it outdoors.

A. Take it easy. I’ll give you another one.

A. Granny, why are you so upset?

B. I can’t sleep quietly because of the noise of all those cars, lorries, buses.

Even late at night!

A. Good heavens! This is the scientific and technological progress of the 20-th

century. How lucky we are that we do not live near the airport.

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b) Memorize the dialogues and reproduce them.

c) Make up your own dialogues on a similar topic.

J U S T F O R F U N

I. Read the following quotations and comment on them.

The “boundless” blue sky, the ocean which gives

us breath and protects us from the endless black

and death, is but an infinitesimally thin film. How

dangerous it is to threaten even the smallest part

of this gossamer covering, this conserver of life.

-Vladimir Shatalov,

quoted in The Home Planet, 1988

The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated.

-Mohandas Gandhi

The frog does not drink up the pond in

which he lives.

-Indian Proverb

This we know. The earth does not belong to man, man belongs to the

earth. This we know. All things are connected like the blood which unites

one family. All things are connected.

Whatever befalls the earth befalls the sons of the earth. Man did not

weave the web of life, he is merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the

web, he does to himself.

-Chief Seattle

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II. It’s interesting to know.

Did you know?

Eight million tons of oil are

spilled into the Earth’s oceans

every year.

Did you know? Glass produced from recycled

glass instead of raw material reduces related air

pollution by 20% and water pollution by 50%.

Did you know?

American workplaces discard enough

paper each year to build a 12-foot high

wall stretching from Los-Angeles to

New York.

Did you know?

Madagascar is home to at least 150,000 living

species found nowhere else in the world.

Did you know

One ton of recycled paper can save 17 trees

and three cubic yards of landfill space.

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III. Do this puzzle.

Across

Down

1. Some species are this 1.An endangered species

9. Large predatory cat 2.Near (poetic)

10. Road (abbr.) 3.Domestic animal

11. What we breathe 4.Indefinite article

13. That which encloses some animals 5.A color

before birth 6.Past-tense marker

14. Exist 7.A time to celebrate the

15. Planting this will help the environment (2 words)

environment 8.Expire; cease to live

16. Often pronounced like "f 12.Scan written matter with the eyes

17. Finger-like part of the foot 14.Made (someone) uninterested by

18. That thing dull talk; drilled a hole

19. Gains; deserves; gets (money) by 15.The seventh note in the sol-fa

working musical scale (between la and do); a

20. Past tense of hide tropical plant

22. North-Northeast 17.Light brown

23. Strange; unusual; opposite of even 19.The power that does work and

24. Endangered ocean animal drives machines

26. Small pie 21. Not working; not doing anything

29. South America (abbr.) 23. Exclamation of surprise

30. Japanese unit of money 24. A liquid necessary for life; H

31. Sweet substance 25. Go in

33. Preposition 27. Motor car; vehicle for carrying

35. Write on a machine; class or sort people

36. Follow as a result; happen 28. Narrow magnetic material used for

afterwards recording sound

38. Negative 32. Concerning; about; second note or

39. At liberty; not enslaved the sol-fa musical scale

34. Number; unit

37. Southeast

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

9 10

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