Animal inhabitants of the British Isles

The animals of the British Isles resemble those of North-Western Europe, though there are fewer kinds. Some of the larger animals, the wolf, the bear and the reindeer, have become destroyed, though reindeer remained in Scotland. Foxes are spread in many districts of the country. One can see seals on different parts of the coast. Smaller animals are rats, squirrels, hares, etc.

There exist about 430 kinds of birds, many of them are song-birds. About 230 kinds are natives and the rest are regular visitors to Britain. The sparrows and starlings are numerous. Many kinds of sea-birds live round the coast and they often fly far inland looking for food. Some kinds of birds are protected by law.

Reptiles are few. There are only three types of snakes of which only one is dangerous. Snakes can't be found in Ireland.

In the British Isles there are more than 21, 000 different kinds of insects, most of them small.

Britain's production of sea-fish is about 5 per cent of the world's. But river-fishing in Britain became unimportant, except salmon.

In spring and just before the winter colds begin, the rocks of the island off the west coast of Britain are absolutely covered with birds, flying from the north to the warmer lands. And local people bring food and water for them while the long-distance travelers stop there for a rest.

 

Vocabulary:

1. fauna ['fo: nə ] — фауна; животный мир

2. inhabitant — житель; обитатель

3. to ihabit — обитать; населять

4. to destroy — уничтожать

5. to spread (spread, spread) — распространяться

6. are spread — распространены

7. reindeer sing/pl — северный олень

8. squirrel — белка

9. hare — заяц

10. song-bird — певчая птица

11. native — местный обитатель

12. regular visitor — постоянный гость

13. sparrow — воробей

14. starling — скворец

15. to fly far inland — залетать в глубь суши

16. are protected by law — охраняются законом

17. salmon sing/pl — лосось

18. long-distance — дальний

 

Task: Speak on the peculiarities of Britain's fauna.

Text 29

The nutrition revolution

Since the 1970's eating habits in Britain have undergone a change. People have been encouraged by doctors, health experts and government advertisements to eat less fat and more fibre. Experts believe that fat is one of the main causes of obesity and heart disease. 40 per cent of adults in Britain are overweight, and Britain has one of the highest death rates due to cardiovascular diseases in the world. High fibre foods and lowfat foods can now be found in all shops and supermarkets.

British people have also become more aware of calories, the energy value of food. Some people count the number of calories they eat every day, so that they can try to take in fewer calories and lose weight. This is called a calorie-controlled diet. Manufacturers are increasingly producing special foods with fewer calories for slimmers. One of the fastest-growing sectors of the food market in Britain today is slimming foods.

Food manufacturers have started to help the general public to make more informed choices about what they eat. Most packaging gives information about the content of the food, and the ingredients are listed by law. This complex information service has made British people more aware of what they are putting in their mouths.

 

Vocabulary:

1. nutrition – питание

2. to undergo a change – испытывать изменения

3. to be encouraged – поддерживаться, поощряться (кем-л.)

4. obesity – чрезмерная полнота, ожирение

5. obesic – очень полный

6. overweight – имеющий лишний вес

7. adult – взрослый

8. death rate – уровень смертности

9. due to – благодаря, из-за

10. to count (calories) – считать (калории)

11. to take in – потреблять, принимать

12. to lose weight – худеть, терять вес

13. increasingly – больше и больше

14. slim – стройный, подтянутый

15. slimmer – находящийся на диете с целью похудеть

16. packaging – упаковка

17. the content – содержание, содержимое

18. to contain – содержать, иметь в своем составе

Tasks:

1. Find the English for:

традиции в питании (еде); продукты с высоким содержанием клетчатки; продукты с низким содержанием жира; специалисты в области здравоохранения; заболевания сердечно-сосудистой системы; лучше осознать что-либо; энергетическая ценность пищи; сидеть на диете с целью похудеть; диета, ограничивающая по­требление лишних калорий; более осознанно (квали­фицированно) подходить к выбору продуктов питания; список ингредиентов, допускаемых при производстве продуктов питания, ограничен законом.

 

2. Answer the questions:

a) Who has encouraged people to eat less fat and more fibre?

b) What is one of the main causes of obesity and heart disease according to health experts?

c) Due to what does Britain have one of the highest death rates in the world?

d) What kinds of foods can be found in all shops in Britain now?

e) Why can we say that British people have become more aware of calories?

f) What are manufacturers doing to help people lose weight?

g) Can we say that British people are more aware of what they eat today?

 

Text 30

Feeding of dogs

Four or five meals a day are the rule from six weeks to three months: three meals — from three to six months: two meals — from six months to one year. After a year, a dog can do well on two or even one meal daily. In the early stages, two of the meals should be milk, with cereal added, and two should be of minced or chopped meat. Any boneless meat is suitable, though dogs cannot digest too much fat or pork. There are as many feeding schedules as there are breeders, and puppies do fine on all of them, so it is best for the new owner to follow the one given him by the breeder of his puppy.

Remember that all dogs are individuals. The amount that will keep your dog in good health is right for him, not the " rule-book" amount. Supplementary vitamins and minerals should be given to all growing animals. Chemicals that are present in very small quantities in natural foods and are essential for the proper growth and nutrition of the body: Vitamins A and D are needed for bone development in puppies, but if given in excessive doses are capable of causing bone disease. Vitamin В complex is important at all ages, but specially in older dogs. Vitamin К is essential for normal blood clotting, and Vitamin E is associated with fat metabolism and fertility.

 

Tasks:

1. Give the Russian for the following words and phrases:

meals; cereal; minced/chopped/boneless meat; digest; feed­ing schedules; the amount (of food); keep your dog in good health; supplementary; in small quantities; essential for; bone development; in excessive doses; normal blood clotting; fat metabolism; fertility.

2. Make a list of food products that dogs should be fed.

3. Make a list of vitamins necessary for the proper nutri­tion of the dog.

Text 31

Care of dogs

Dogs need regular care from the time they are born. In addition to a balanced diet, grooming is an important part of maintaining good health. Care of the ears, coat, and nails on a weekly basis gives owners an opportunity to examine their pets and to spot any potential illness. Ears should be cleaned regularly and nails kept trimmed. Brushing should be part of a dogۥ s weekly or even daily routine. Dogs with long or thick coats will need more frequent brushing than shorthaired varieties in order to loosen dead hair and prevent skin irritations or infection.

Regular veterinary care is important to a dogۥ s health. Puppies usually are vaccinated against the most virulent diseases, starting at six weeks of age. A series of three or four vaccinations against distemper, hepatitis, parainfluenza, leptospirosis, and parvovirus are given three weeks apart.

Routine vaccination procedures have succeeded in reducing, and in some areas eliminating, diseases that formerly killed half of all puppies born.

 

Vocabulary:

1. in addition to – в дополнение к, вдобавок

2. grooming – уход за животным

3. to maintain a good health – поддерживать хорошее здоровье

4. to keep trimmed – подрезать, подстригать (когти)

5. brushing – расчесывание

6. to loosen dead hair – проредить омертвевшие волосы

7. skin irritations – раздражения кожи

8. the most virulent diseases – самые опасные болезни

9. distemper – собачья чума

10. to eliminate – устранять, исключать

 

Task: Describe the ways of care of dogs you know.

 

Text 32

Ailments

Fleas and ticks are sources of irritation and disease in every climate of the world (with the possible exception of the Arctic). Regular bathing and grooming helps to keep these and other external parasites under control. Treatment of the animal and its environment are essential to eliminate these pets. In some areas this is a yearlong process, whereas in other climates it is a seasonable problem.

Internal parasites are a common cause of sickness, especially in puppies. There are many kinds of worms that invade the intestinal tract, resulting in listlessness, loss of blood and subsequent anemia, poor hair coat, and occasionally death. Many of these parasites are found in dirt and are ingested or get into the bloodstream through the skin of the dog. Effective veterinary remedies are available for the animal, but it is important to determine through fecal examination or blood tests exactly what type of parasite is present. Puppies should be examined about every three months, and adults need to be examined annually.

Dogs are susceptible to many of the same illnesses that afflict humans. Cancer, respiratory ailments, allergies, arthritis, and certain forms of heart diseases are all found in dogs. Some illnesses have a breed predilection, whereas others occur in all pure and mixed breeds.

Dogs do not suffer from high cholesterol or from the life threatening circulatory illnesses that afflict humans, but certain breeds are predisposed to malformations of the heart muscles and valves. Some of these are surgically correctable, while others are not.

Dogs are as much at risk of contacting cancers as people are. The treatment is often the same. Cancers most often seen in dogs involve osteosarcomas, mammary tumours, and lymphomas.

Eye diseases, many of which are hereditary, also are found in dogs. Dogs are subject to cataracts, glaucoma and retinal diseases, all of which can cause blindness.

Dogs with dropped ears – the basset hound is an extreme example – are prone to diseases of the ear canal. Moisture becomes trapped in the ear, producing yeast infections. Such parasites as ear mites thrive in the ear canal, causing a dark, malodorous exudates. Frequently, the dog is uncomfortable and stretches the ears or rubs the ears along the ground or on the furniture. Most ear problems can be cured with proper medication. If problems are left unattended, the ear canal will develop ulcerations that are painful and difficult to treat.

 

Vocabulary:

1. fleas and ticks – блохи и клещи

2. external parasites – внешние паразиты

3. internal parasites - внутренние паразиты

4. intestinal tract – кишечный тракт

5. listlessness – вялость, апатичность

6. subsequent – последующий, являющийся результатом чего-либо

7. remedies – средства от болезни; меры (против чего-либо)

8. annually – ежегодно

9. to be susceptible to – поддаваться чему-либо

10. to have a predilection – иметь склонность к

11. mammary – относящийся к грудной (или молочной) железе

12. tumour ['tju: mə ] – опухоль

13. hereditary – наследственный

14. retinal diseases – болезни сетчатки (глаза)

15. blindness – слепота

16. to be prone to – быть склонным к

17. yeast infections – дрожжевые инфекции

18. ear mite – ушной клещ

19. malodorous exudates – зловонные экссудаты (выделение (пота) через поры)

20. ulcerations – изъязвления

 

Questions:

1. What external and internal parasites of dogs do know?

2. Are dogs susceptible to the same illnesses that afflict humans?

3. What kinds of eye diseases are dogs subject to?

4. What breeds of dogs are prone to diseases of the ear canal?

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