Traffic and air pollution

Text B

POLLUTION

Man has been trying to make life easier for many centuries. In doing so, he invented machines and instruments. They have been working – and polluting the world we live in.

In this world around us, there two things that do not belong to any country: air and ocean water. In both the air and the water, there is much pollution. People are concerned about the air and the water used by everyone, and they are also concerned about the future of the Earth.

One of the most important pollution problems is the ocean. Many ships sail in the ocean water – fishing ships, some ships carrying people, some carrying oil. If a ship loses some of the oil in the water, or trash from the ships is put into the ocean, the water becomes dirty. Many fish are dying in the sea, others are getting contaminated. Fisherman catch contaminated fish which may be sold in markets and people may get sick from eating them. Fish may also move to another part of the ocean. Lakes and rivers are getting polluted, too. Some beaches are considered dangerous for swimming.

The second important problem is air pollution. Cars and factories polluted the air we use. It also destroys the ozone layer, which protects the Earth from the dangerous light of the Sun.

Another problem is that our forests are dying from acid rain. This, in turn, affects the balance of nature.

If we want out children to live in the same world we live in, or in a better or healthier world, we must learn to protect the water, the air and the earth from pollution.

4. Answer the questions:

1. What did man invent to make lifeeasier?

2. What are people concerned about?

3. What doesn′t belong to any country?

4. What is one of the most important pollution problems and why?

5. What can you say about other environmental problems?

6. Why mast we protect the earth from pollution?

5. Complete the following sentences using some active words and word combinations (see below):

1. People are concerned about …… used by everyone.

2. Many shipslose …..in the water.

3. People may get sick from eating…..

4. Cars and factories polluted the air destroy……

5. Acid rains lead to ……

6. We must learn to protect the water, the air and the earth from …..

pollution, some of the oil, the air and the water, contaminated fish, the ozone layer, deforestation.

6. Retell the text using the scheme:

1. The headline of the text is…

2. The text informs on (deals with, dwells upon)…

3. At the beginning the author makes close study of

(considers)…

4. Then much attention is given to…

5. The text also tells about…

6. To sum up it should be noted…

1. Match the English words and word combinations in A with their Russian equivalents in B.

AB

to improve здоровье

congestion твердые частицы

lungs улучшать

health выделение

solid particles легкие

lead решать проблему

to emit скопление

emission врожденный

to solve the problem испускать, выбрасывать

inherent свинец

2. Read the text trying to understand its main idea.

A continuous increase in the number of cars leads to serious congestion and escalate pollution caused by cars. Governments build new roads trying to improve the situation but this means that they cut down trees and destroy more of the countryside.

The car is one of the biggest polluters today. Exhaust fumes from cars are the main cause of bad air quality, which can make people feel ill and have difficulty breathing. The problem is especially bad in some cities where a brown layer smog (mixture of fog and smoke) hangs in the air. Poor air quality can have a damaging effect on the lungs of children. High level of air pollution increases the risk of retarded lung development determining their breathing capacity and health for the rest of their life.

Air in large cities contains a great deal of dust – suspended in air minute solid particles. Some of them are toxic and can contain lead. Lead comes from petrol in which lead compounds are added to raise its octane number and the performance of the engine. The lead is emitted in tiny particles, which take a long time to settle and, if breathed in, can accumulate in the body and cause lead poisoning.

The toxic emissions from car exhausts can be reduced considerably by installing catalytic converts on the engines. Other strategy to solve the problem involves the use of electric cars powered by storage batteries. One inherent difficulty with a storage battery is that the supply of reactant is limited. When these reactants are consumed, the battery must be recharged. A different kind of battery, called a fuel cell, is one in which the reactants are continuously supplied from an external source. Experimental models have already been produced in Germany. Their use seems to have considerable promise, and it is growing up gradually.

3. Divide the text into some logical parts and entitle them.

4. Translate the following sentences into English using lexical material of the text:

1. Одним из крупнейших загрязнителей воздуха сегодня являются автомобили.

2. Выхлопные газы автомобилей являются основными причинами плохого качества воздуха.

3. В больших городах в воздухе много пыли, которая содержит в себе свинец.

4. Во время вдоха свинец накапливается в теле человека и приводит к отравлению.

5. Использование электромобилей, работающих от батареек – один из способов решения проблемы выделения токсинов.

Дата добавления: 2014-10-17