Summary. Following the recent Japanese earthquake and tsunami disasters, a massive amount of rubbish has washed into the Pacific Ocean

11 April 2011

Following the recent Japanese earthquake and tsunami disasters, a massive amount of rubbish has washed into the Pacific Ocean. The US

Navy is watching the garbage with interest as it floats towards Hawaii and

the west coast of the United States.

Reporter

Mark Lobel

The debris is floating towards the west coast of America

Report

Entire houses, bodies, car parts, tractors and many upturned boats

have amassed off the east coast of Japan on an epic scale.

The floating objects have been declared a maritime hazard by the Ame-

rican Navy, which warned they could pierce the body of a boat, or destroy

engines in the Pacific’s shipping lanes.

The island of debris of most concern, 110 kilometres long, is being close-

ly monitored by the US Navy’s seventh fleet, as experts predict it could hit

Hawaii’s shores in two years and the American west coast a year later.

Hawaiian scientists put it bluntly. They warned that a vast mess that

originated in a few moments of destruction in Japan, could eventually foul beaches and reefs off the Eastern North Pacific and kill marine life.

The American Navy’s working with civilian construction companies

from the earthquake-hit country, as huge cranes and boats are deployed to

clear the seas of this vast bobbing mass of wreckage of household furniture,

wood, tyres, fishing equipment and other garbage, sweeping eastwards.

Mark Lobel, BBC News

y Amassed — gathered or collected a large amount

y an epic scale — a big or impressive size

y a maritime hazard — a danger, encountered while at sea

y pierce — puncture or damage the outer layer of

y shipping lanes — routes travelled by ships and boats at sea

y island of debris — here, large mound of wreckage or garbage

y bluntly — honestly or directly

y foul — here, make a dirty mess on

y deployed — sent or assigned

y bobbing — moving up and down with the currents of the sea

4. Vocabulary practice

Do ex. 3, p. 148.

5. summary

do the quiz

1) Which of the following cannot be recycled?

a) Milk cartons b) Plastic water bottles c) Glass containers d) Paper bags

e) None of the Above

2) Who can recycle?

a) Your teachers b) Everyone c) Your best friend d) You

e) Your mom

3) If you recycle one ton of paper, how many trees can you save?

a) One b) Nine

c) Seventeen d) Thirty-five e) One Hundred

4) How many times can glass be recycled?

a) None, glass can’t be recycled! b) Once

c) Four times d) Twenty times e) Forever

5) How much less energy does it take to make one ton of recycled paper than one ton of virgin paper?

a) 10 percent b) 20 percent c) 40 percent d) 60 percent

6) The energy saved from recycling one aluminum can is enough to run a TV set for how long?

a) 30 minutes b) 1 hour c) 2 hours d) 3 hours

7) The average aluminum can is made up of how much recycled alu- minum?

a) 10 % b) 30 % c) 50 % d) 70 % e) 100 %

8) What ways can you help save our earth?

a) Re-use your plastic bottles and bags

b) Reduce the amount of waste you produce c) Plant a tree

d) Recycle

e) All of the Above!

Key: 1 e, 2 b, 3 c, 4 e, 5 d, 6 d, 7 c, 8 e.

6. Homework

Do ex. 4, p. 149.

Lesson 54