Protection of Environment

Since ancient times Nature has served Man, being the source of his life. For thousand of years people lived in harmony with environment. But with the development of civilization man’s interference with nature began to increase.

Large cities with thousands of smoky industrial enterprises appear all over the world today. They pollute the air we breathe, the water we drink, the land we live in.

Many cities suffer from smog. Vast forests are cut and burn in fire. As s result some rare species of animals, birds, fish and plants disappear forever, a number of rivers and lakes dry up.

Human activities such as farming and industry create pollution by releasing poisonous chemicals into the atmosphere, soil, and water. Species with little tolerance to such pollutants may be threatened. Sometimes catastrophic accidents that release large amounts of oil, toxic gases, or radioactive waste can have immediate and disastrous effects on wildlife. The burning of wood and fossil fuels to produce energy may have long-term effects on the carbon dioxide content of the atmosphere – possibly affecting the climate in an adverse way. Other experiments in climate control might have unpredictable effects on the world’s ecology.

The introduction of species from different parts of the world into ecology can have a disastrous effect on local species and may result in the extinction of those that are unable to compete or those that become predated upon.

Environmental protection is 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 – nave set up environmental protection agencies.

Numerous conferences have been held by these agencies to discuss questions of ecologically poor regions including the Aral Sea, the South Urals, Kuzbass, Donbass, Semipalatinsk and Chernobyl. An international environmental research centre has been set up on Lake Baikal. The international organization Greenpeace is also doing much to preserve the environment.

The Earth is our Home. We must take care of it for ourselves and next generations.

2) Дайте відповідь на запитання:

1) What kind of human activities creates pollution?

2) Why did man’s interference with nature begin to increase?

3) How many countries have already set up environmental protection agencies?

4) Why must we rake care of the Earth?

3) Заповніть пропуски відповідною формою дієслова to be: am, is або are. Перекладіть речення на українську мову:

1) I … am against going there.

2) He … starting a cold.

3) They … not interested in politics.

4) A great number of books … in bad condition because the building of the library needs repairing.

5) I can wait, four weeks … not so long.

4) Перекладіть речення українською мовою. Пам’ятайте про те, що в сталих виразах дієслово to have втрачає своє основне значення “ мати (щось)»:

1) She has a bath every day.

2) She has got a lot of jewelry.

3) They have a lot of rare plants in their garden.

4) We have got a lot of problems now.

5) The President has a bad cold.

5) Заповніть пропуски одним із поданих у дужках дієслів. Перекладіть речення українською мовою:

1) Peter …(speaks, speak) English as well as Ann … (speak, speak).

2) The child … (go, will go, goes) to school every day.

3) Richard’s life in Paris was a bit difficult. He …(speaks, speak, spoke) only English.

4) The building of the trade centre …(begin, began, will begin) a month ago.

5) The postman …(brought, bring, will bring) the morning mail only at 10 o’clock yesterday.

6) Перекладіть наступні речення:

1) Мій батько зазвичай миє нашу машину по неділям.

2) Але минулого тижня він помив нашу машину в п’ятницю.

3) Якщо в мене буде словник, я допоможу тобі перекласти цю статтю про комп’ютери.

4) Коли ти зателефонуєш мені?

5) Ти часто ходиш у кіно?

7) Оберіть правильну відповідь:

1) There’s no doubt that computers have … our lives easier.

A) done

B) got

C) become

D) made

2) You’ll be here tomorrow, …?

A) isn’t it

B) won’t you

C) will you

D) will you be

3) There was … to eat and drink after the party.

A) many

B) lot of

C) a lot

D) lots of

4) …that strange man sitting over there?

A) Whose

B) Which

C) Who’s

D) Who

5) A kangaroo has such strong legs … it can jump over a car.

A) so

B) so as

C) as

D) that

6) Does he know… foreign languages?

A) some

B) some of

C) any

D) the