The global warming - Глобальное потепление

⇐ ПредыдущаяСтр 22 из 30Следующая ⇒

Nowadays we are living in the time of rapid scientific and technological progress, which results in an increasing effect on the biosphere (1) of Earth.

I consider that the most destructive problem of nature is global warning. This phenomenon (2) causes the increase in the average temperature of the Earth’s near-surface air and oceans in recent decades.

Today the issue of global warming has become a question of vital (3) concern. The global average air temperature near the Earth’s surface raised 0.742C during the 100 years ending in 2005. Moreover, the global warming is a terrific climate change, which will cause the global cooling in future. Increasing global temperature will increase the intensity of extreme weather events and change the amount of precipitation.

However, not all of the reasons that cause global warming are of human nature. Natural phenomena such as solar variation combined with volcanoes (4) probably had a small warming effect.

The Earth’s climate changes in response to variations in its orbit around the Sun, volcanic eruptions (5), and atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations. People are responsible for the latter and have to take serious measures as increasing global temperature will cause the level of world ocean to rise. Other effects of global warming include the changes in agricultural yields, species extinctions (6) of flora and fauna and increases in the range of disease vectors.

Global warming could also affect human health, harm wildlife and damage ecosystems. Warming may enhance air pollution, particularly in urban (7) centres, increasing the incidence of respiratory diseases. Asthma and allergic disorders result from climate changes too. Health risks can be solved through various scientific strategies (8) which may include improved and extended medical care services, better housing and air conditioning, water purification (9) and public education.

Most national governments have signed the Kyoto Protocol aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions. However, I don’t think that is enough to lessen the negative influence of global warming. The next way out would be to stop using fuel and start exploiting alternative natural resources like water, solar and wind power that may provide us with the necessary amount of energy.

We all have to remember that this planet is our home. It gives us so many resources to live on so we have to take care of it as well.

Vocabulary

1. biosphere ['baɪ ə sfɪ ə ] - биосфера

2. phenomenon [fɪ 'nɔ mɪ nə n] - явление, феномен

3. vital ['vaɪ t(ə )l] - существенной, жизненно важный

4. volcano [vɔ l'keɪ nə u] - вулкан

5. eruption [ɪ 'rʌ pʃ (ə )n] - извержение

6. extinction [ɪ k'stɪ ŋ kʃ (ə )n] - вымирание

7. urban ['ɜ ː b(ə )n] - городской.

8. strategy ['stræ tə ʤ ɪ ] - план, стратегия, разработки

9. purification [ˌ pjuə rɪ fɪ 'keɪ ʃ (ə )n] - очистка

Questions

1. What is the most destructive problem of nature?

2. What does this phenomenon cause?

3. Why has the issue of global warming become a question of vital concern?

4. What reasons cause global warming?

5. What may warming enhance?

Natural catastrophes - Природные катастрофы

We, humans, now dominate the Earth — and our planet is in grave danger of suffering from our activities.

But from time to time the Earth threatens us, warns of the danger of killing the planet and ourselves. We have to be very careful what we do with nature, provoking to some extent natural disasters like drought, sandstorm and famine in Africa, flood in Netherlands, hurricanes in the USA, volcanoes and earthquakes in Turkey, Japan, Mexico, Italy, Armenia, typhoons and tidal waves, landslide and fire. Natural disasters make big problems and people all over the world come to help the regions where the catastrophe has happened. Different countries send to the area of the natural disaster food and medical supplies, as well as doctors, nurses, blankets, tents and clothes.

Natural catastrophes, being great tragedies, teach us to be merciful to the other people and to our planet — the Earth.

Vocabulary

1. dominate - властвовать

2. threaten - угрожать

3. warn - предупреждать

4. disaster - катастрофа

5. drought [draut] - засуха

6. famine ['fæ mɪ n] - голод

7. earthquake - землетрясение

Questions

1. Why is our planet in grave danger?

2. Are we careful with nature?

3. What nature disasters do you know?

4. Do natural disasters make big problems?

5. What do natural catastrophes teach us?

Environmental protection in Great Britain - Защита окружающей среды во Великобритании

We are living in the time of rapid scientific and technological progress, which is accompanied by an increasing consumption of the world’s natural resources. Such vital sources of life as air, water, minerals as well as fauna and flora are being wasted and destroyed.

The protection of nature has become of international importance. Great Britain stresses the need for improvement of environmental protection too. Integrated pollution control restricts emissions to air, land and water from the most harmful process. Responsibility for pollution control rests with local and central government. Great Britain has adopted a phased programme of reductions in sulphur dioxide emissions from existing large combustion plants of up to 60 per cent by 2003. Over 95 per cent of petrol stations in Britain stock unleaded petrol. Strict controls have reduced carbon monoxide, hydrocarbon and nitrogen oxide emissions.

The Government worked out the rules for the use of the Earth’s atmosphere. Total emissions of smoke in the atmosphere have fallen by over 85 per cent since 1960. Sulphur dioxide emissions have fallen by about 40 per cent since 1970.

The Government is committed to the elimination of chlorofluorocarbons which damage the ozone layer. They also contribute to the green-house effect, which leads to global warming and a rise in sea levels.

There are nearly 500, 000 protected buildings and 7, 000 conservation areas of architectural or historical interest in Great Britain.

The Government attaches great importance to the protection of national parks (they cover 9 per cent of the total land area of England and Wales). Great care is taken of three regional parks and forty national scenic areas, which cover 13 per cent of Scotland. The territorial waters of most nations are already being spoiled, but the National Rivers Authority of Great Britain protects its inland waters in England and Wales. In Scotland the river purification authorities are responsible for water pollution control.

Under such strict regime the mineral and other resources of the oceans and seas would become reserves not only for use by this generation but the following generations as well.

Vocabulary

1. rapid - быстрый

2. accompany - сопровождать

3. consumption - поглощения

4. reduction in sulphur dioxide emissions - сокращение выбросов диоксида серы

5. combustion [kə m'bʌ sʧ (ə )n] - сгорания

6. petrol stations - бензоколонки

7. carbon monoxide, hydrocarbon and nitrogen oxide - монооксид углерода, углеводороды и оксид азота

8. work out - разрабатывать

9. the elimination of chlorofluorocarbons - уничтожение, устранение хлорофлюороуглерода

10. ozone layer - озоновый слой

11. conservation area - охранная зона

Questions

1. What programme has Great Britain adopted?

2. What did the Government work out for the use of the Earth’s atmosphere?

3. Which factors lead to global warming and a rise in sea levels?

4. How many protected buildings and conservation areas are there in Great Britain?

5. Why does the Government of Great Britain attach great importance to the protection of national parks and purification of the territorial waters?

Научно- технический прогресс. Компьютер.

Great Inventions

Read the texts, translate them.

Television (1920s)

The invention that swept the world and changed leisure habits for countless millions was pioneered by Scottish-born electrical engineer John Logie Baird. It had been realised for some time that light could be converted into electrical impulses, making it possible to transmit such impulses over a distance and then reconvert them into light.

⇐ Предыдущая 17 18 19 20 212223 24 25 26 Следующая ⇒