Anna, a teacher from the USA

Why I love this city

Tapescript № 1 (to ex. 1.21, 1.22)

Tapescripts

Heavy Metals as Toxicants in Big Cities

ТEXT № 7

The Ozone Layer

ТEXT № 6

The ozone layer is a thin layer of gas about 25 to 40 kilometres above the Earth's surface. The ozone protects us from the sun's radiation. In the 1980s scientists discovered 'holes' in the ozone layer.

The causes include more carbon dioxide (CO₂) and the use of CFCs
(chlorofluorocarbons).

The holes in the ozone layer might become bigger. Some scientists believe the average temperature of the Earth will increase by between 1.5˚ С and 4˚ C. There will be more droughts and we will change the way we grow our food.

The forests will die. The polar ice will melt and the sea levels might rise by a metre. There will be floods and some big cities might disappear. Some scientists think many thousands of people might die.

Heavy Metals (HMs) can have harmful effects on human health and on the environment. Their ecotoxicological properties are generally well known. As regards human toxicology, new aspects should be taken into consideration – gender and age dependence. We can estimate the HMs chemical risk and in this context, city demography data help to evaluate today's ecological situation (including HMs) and to predict the dynamics of future urbanization.

As regards urban atmosphere, motor vehicles (Pb) and industry (V, Ni, Cr, Cd) exert the greatest influence; water, soil, vegetation also experience menace caused by HMs. We should protect urban environments against contamination which is posed by HMs; the health status of big cities is dependent on adequate and safe supply of water. Vegetation plays a helpful role if we want to reduce HMs content in the atmosphere and the soil. Awareness of the inhabitants regarding the risks that are posed by HMs also counts as a critical factor today. Ecoeducation at the beginning of the new century can be taken into consideration.

Appendix 3

My parents are from Dublin. It's on the east coast of Ireland, near the sea. The River Liffey runs through the city. There are a lot of beautiful bridges, parks and elegant grey houses in this small and very old city.

The people are kind and friendly. You can meet them in cafes and have delicious Irish coffee (hot coffee, brown sugar, Irish whiskey - with an e! - and cream on the top). Dublin is also famous all over the world for its beer. Guinness is a black beer with a white creamy 'head'. There are a thousand pubs in Dublin. It's also famous for music, dance and poetry. Bob Geldof, Sinead O'Connor, U2, Oscar Wilde, George Bernard Shaw and James Joyce are all Dubliners.

Дата добавления: 2015-05-26