Ecology is the pattern of relations between plants, animals, people and their surroundings as well as their relations to each other. To achieve the balance, man should use and preserve the environment and natural resources wisely. The relationships of people, animals and plants, as parts of the ecosystem, must be balanced, too.
Unfortunately, at present people's activities do harm to the whole ecological system. People cut down forests, kill animals, exploit the natural resources wastefully and pollute the environment. As a result, air water and land are contaminated in many parts of the world.
The most important green issues are acid rain and greenhouse effect.
Acid rain is rain containing harmful quantities of acid, especially sulphuric acid and nitric acid.
Acid rain is caused by industrial pollution. Plants, factories and power stations emit harmful gases into the atmosphere. These gases react chemically with water vapour and other substances to form acid rain. Acid rain is a serious threat to people's health, agriculture, and the environment as a whole. Some scientists and ecologists believe that air pollution also causes the greenhouse effect.
The greenhouse effect is the gradual warming of the atmosphere of the Earth because heat cannot go through its upper layers. The greenhouse gases trap heat above the Earth and cause the greenhouse effect. The greenhouse gases are water vapour, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and chlorofluorocarbons.
According to some scientists, high concentrations of the greenhouse gases lead to global warming and climate change.
At present, the governments, industry and the public realize the increasing need for stopping pollution and preserving the environment.
Today's major environmental tasks are the following:
- to stop the contamination of air, water and land;
- to stop the burning and cutting down of forests;
- to protect animals, including endangered species and stop destroying their habitat.
Exercise 4. Find in the text the equivalents of these words and word combinations.
, ; ; ; ; ; ; () ; , ; ; ; ; ; .
Exercise 5. Answer the following questions.
1. What is ecology?
2. What are the main ecological issues?
3. What is acid rain?
4. What is the greenhouse effect?
5. What necessity is understood by the governments, industry and the public?
Exercise 6. Speak about world ecological problems.
7.2. Preservation of the Environment
Exercise 1. Answer the questions below.
1. Is the ecological situation in your city favourable?
2. What do the local authorities do to protect the environment?
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3. What do you do to preserve the surroundings?
Exercise 2. Learn the following words and words combinations.
to protect [prq'tekt] v
protection [prq'tekSqn] n
environmental protection [In"vaIqrqn'mentl]
to take measures ['meZqz]
environment-conscious [In'vaIqrqnmqnt "kPnSqs] a
to pursue the policy of [pq'sjH Dq 'pPlIsI]
to determine [dI'tE:mIn] v
attitude ['xtItjHd] n
affair [q'feq] n ;
authorities [L'TPrItIz] n
aim [eIm] n
enforcement [In'fLsmqnt] n ()
incineration [In"sInq'reISqn] n
incinerator [In'sInqreItq] n ,
facilities [fq'sIlItIz] n , ,
to recycle ["rJ'saIkl] v
recycling ["rJ'saIklIN] n
burial ['berIql] n
to promote [prq'mqVt] v ,
support [sq'pLt] n , v
to reduce [rI'djHs] v ,
waste [weIst] n
to save [seIv] v
scrap [skrxp] n
purification plant ["pjVrIfI'keISqn 'plRnt]
mining ['maInIN] n
getting ['getIN] n
to process ['prqVses] v
processing ['prqVsesIN] n
to restore [rI'stL] v
to reclaim [rI'kleIm] v ,
reclamation ["reklq'meISqn] n , , , ()
spoil pile ['spOIl 'paIl]
seeding ['sJdIN] n
planting ['plRntIN] n
dust [dAst] n
noise [nOIs] n
exhaust [Ig'zLst] n
reliance [rI'laIqns] n , ; ,
fertilizer ['fE:tIlaIzq] n
concerned [kqn'sE:nd] a , ,
necessity [nI'sesItI] n
LED
campaign [kxm'peIn] n
litter ['lItq] n , ; v
garbage ['gRbiG] n ; ()
rubbish ['rAbIS] n , ,
trash [trxS] n ; ; ,
disposal [dIs'pqVzql] n (), ()
Exercise 3. Read the text to learn what is done in progressive countries to conserve the environment.
Environmental Protection
Governments, industry, agriculture, business and citizens have to take serious measures to preserve the environment and stop the pollution of air, water and land. They work in cooperation with international green organizations to solve ecological problems all over the world.
Environment-conscious governments pursue the policy of environmental protection and determine the public's attitude to green affairs, direct the development of each country and control actions of local authorities and businesses. They pass antipollution laws to prevent the contamination of air, water and land.
The other aims of progressive governments are as follows:
- to monitor the enforcement of antipollution laws;
- to organize building of waste incinerators, processing and recycling facilities;
- to carry out programs of trash collection, disposal and burial, rubbish incineration and recyclable waste processing;
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- to fine enterprises responsible for contamination of the surroundings and dumping waste illegally;
- to promote green technologies;
- to support ecological studies and educational programmes.
At present, many big international companies pay special attention to green issues and put eco ideas into life. They use green technologies and make environment friendly products. These cutting-edge technologies reduce emissions and waste, save energy and resources.
Good industrial enterprises recycle packaging materials, reuse bottles and other containers, process trash, scrap and paper, build water-purification plants and incinerators. Energy from burning waste can be used to generate electricity and heat houses, industrial and office buildings.
Environment-conscious mining companies use clean technologies of getting and processing of useful minerals, restore and reclaim the mined land.
Reclamation activities include shaping the spoil piles, seeding with grasses and planting of trees. Mines are operated in a way to minimize dust and noise pollution. The uses for reclaimed land are varied: agriculture, forestry, recreation, construction for industry or houses and wildlife habitat.
The world car market is becoming green. Environment-conscious car makers want to create emission-free society. They are producing no-exhaust vehicles zero-emission electric cars and hybrid cars.
Environmental considerations are important for progressive agricultural producers in Europe, Asia and the USA. They reduce using chemicals and switch to organic fertilizers for growing crops, vegetables and fruit.
Some European and Asian countries are trying to reduce their reliance on nuclear power. They use a combination of hydro-, thermal, solar and wind energy. Unfortunately, at present in many countries there is no effective alternative to nuclear power plants.
Environmentalists organize campaigns to draw the public's attention to ecological issues and hold events to raise money for green programmes. Environment-conscious companies and individuals donate money to ecological groups and movements concerned with preservation of the environment and natural resources.
Citizens in many countries are beginning to understand the necessity to solve ecological issues and protect the surroundings. They clean their houses from litter, collect garbage and pay for its disposal and processing. People buy recyclable and recycled products. They use LED light lamps to conserve energy. Citizens plant trees, buses and flowers in their yards, streets, villages and cities to make them beautiful and safe for health.
Unfortunately, a number of countries, including Russia, are decades behind in waste separation, disposal and processing. The governments, industry, agriculture and citizens have to protect the environment for the sake of their children and future generations.
Exercise 4. Find in the text the equivalents of these words and word combinations.
; ; ; ; ; ; , ; ; ; ; ; ; ; ; .
Exercise 5. Answer the following questions.
1. What is the role of governments in environmental protection?
2. How do environment-conscious companies solve ecological problems?
3. How do industrial enterprises protect the environment?
4. What do agricultural producers do to conserve surroundings?
5. What do citizens do to protect the environment?
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Exercise 6. Speak about environment protection.
Bibliography
1. Longman Dictionary of English Language and Culture. Harlow: Pearson Education, 2000.
2. Vaughan-Rees M., Byström P., Bateman S. In Britain. Chancerel Titul, 1999.
3. Wikipedia.
4. .. : / - () (). : , 2010.
5. .. : / - () (). : , 2011.
6. : . .: --, 2003.
充 3
Unit 1. Higher Education. 4
1.1. Higher Education in the UK .. 4
1.2. Higher Education in Russia. 7
Unit 2. Studies at the Institute. 10
2.1. My Institute. 10
2.2. About myself and my friends. 12
2.3. My Speciality. 16
2.4. My Working Day. 22
2.5. My day off 25
2.6. Youth Problems. 28
Unit 3. Topics on Speciality for Economics Students. 32
3.1. Economics. 32
3.2. History of Management 35
3.3. Management 39
3.4. Management Structure of British Company. 43
3.5. Advertising. 46
Unit 4. Learning Modern Languages. 49
4.1. Modern Languages. 49
4.5. English-speaking countries. 51
Unit 5. British Studies. 54
5.1. The United Kingdom .. 54
5.2. London. 59
5.3. The Economy of the United Kingdom .. 63
5.4. The City of London. 66
5.5. British Scientist 68
Unit 6. My Motherland, Russia. 72
6.1. The Russian Federation. 72
6.2. The Capital of the Russian Federation. 76
6.3. My home town. 80
6.4. Russian Scientist 84
Unit 7. Protection of the Environment 86
7.1. Ecological Problems. 86
7.2. Preservation of the Environment 89
Bibliography. 94
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