The destruction of the rainforests is causing widespread ecological problems

Overfishing has depleted the number of fish in the oceans.

Air pollution knows no boundaries: poison in the air over Europe will later be poison in the air over Asia and North America. Contamination with carbon dioxide, lead, cadmium or fluoride emissions shows up first and most dramatically in the atmosphere over big cities, though it is not solely a big city problem. Unlike water pollution which can be removed before water is used, air pollution must be attacked at the source to keep our air breathable. The destruction of the ozone layer is leading to climatic changes and what is known as the greenhouse effect.

Amount of land each person has to feed himself is shrinking rapidly, and half the earth’s populations is already hungry. Paradoxically, nations with chronic food shortages have the largest farm populations. The limiting factor to growing more food is not labour, but supply of productive soil. Only about two per cent of the earth’s surface is used to grow crops; the rest is too hot, too cold, too wet, too dry – or covered with water or ice. Besides, the pesticides, fertilizers and irrigation techniques applied to produce more food are polluting the pure water and productive land we need to survive. Poor waste disposal adds to this pollution.

5.2. Study the vocabulary used to describe environmental and social problems. Consult a dictionary if necessary.

Environmental problems:

shrinking habitat, endangered spices, finite resource, ecological balance, pristine environment, piecemeal conservation, protection, green credentials(= reputation of positive support of the environment), greens;

the worst case scenario, global warming, climatic changes, greenhouse effect, deforestation, prophets of doom and gloom (= people who make the most pessimistic forecasts for the future), pollution, ozone layer, acid rain, smoke (from factories), car exhaust fumes, emission, fossil fuel, dumping industrial waste, aerosol can/ spray, CFC (= chlorofluorocarbon, gas used in sprays),carbon dioxide, bottle bank;

harmful /damaging/ destroying;

to exert severe pressure on smth., to cut down, to throw away, to recycle, to plant, to waste resources;

Problems or war/ terror and peace:

outbreak/ start, clashes, ultimatum, hostilities/ hostile acts, hostilities begin/ break out, hostilities cease, (to take somebody) to the brink of war, conflict, war zone, the war between (two countries), in a state of war, a theatre of war, ally/ allies/ allied forces, aid, troops, military forces, supplies, civilians, casualties, victim, survivor, refugees, guerrilla, to be hostile;

shelling / firing of guns and explosives, incendiary device/ bomb, germ/ biological warfare, weapon of mass destruction (WMD), target, to take aim at;

peace talks, peace settlement, ceasefire, peace treaty, truce, intermediary, peacekeeping troops, international observer, campaign, corps [ko:];

to be alive, to be wounded, to be contused/ shell-shocked, to be missing, missing in action (M.I.A.), prisoner of war (P.O.W.);

to invade a country, to capture/ to take/ to take control of, to retreat, to attack, to defend, to run out (food supplies have run out), todeteriorate, to mobilize, to declare war, to retaliate (against smb. for smth.), to wage war/ to fight/ to make a war against/ with smb., to rout/ to defeat, to withdraw (troops), to station troops, to besiege, to ambush, to plan/ to organize/ to launch a campaign, to place/ to set off/ to throw a bomb, to place an army on a war footing;

terrorist, hijacker, hostage, to take smb. hostage, to hold smb. hostage, to bargain for smth., to release;

Adjectives:

war-stricken (area), war-devastated (area), a war can be limited, holy, civil, global/ world, air, guerrilla, nuclear, cold, trade, class, liberating;

Problems of poverty:

poverty line,income poverty (= if your income is less that the defined poverty line in your country), human poverty, malnutrition, illiteracy, lack /shortage of food, famine, poor sanitation, poverty alleviation, overseas aid, scarce resources, Peace Corps [ko:].

5.3. Put each of the following words or phrases in its correct place below.

Дата добавления: 2014-12-27