The Antarctic

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The continent of Antarctica lies at and around the South Pole. Antarctica stretches from the South Pole to the 70th latitude and is twice as large in area as Australia.

Twenty million square kilometers of the land mass is thick ice which forms the largest load on the earth's crust. The stormy ocean isolates Antarctica from other lands. In winter sea water freezes and doubles the area of the continent. The summer season lasts for two months — from December to January. On a clear summer day the icebergs change colour from red to violet and the sea is green but all the rest is white, quite white. A small piece of land free from ice and snow with a lake in its centre lies about 250 miles from Mirny. The water in the lake is icy cold but the stones around it are quite hot from the sun rays. Because the ice reflects most of the solar heat back into space, ice and snow do not melt, but any object may get hot in the sunshine.

Geological exploration shows that the continent in the past had rich flora and fauna. Geologists find signs of plants and animals that are characteristic of a warm climate. Geological exploration may help to solve many questions about the history of the earth. What lies under the cover of the ice? How long did the life exist here? How many thousands of centuries ago did forests grow here and huge animals people them? Why did they disappear? The unique geography of the Antarctic makes it a great natural observatory for the study of the earth and its three southern poles: the geographic, magnetic and geomagnetic. Antarctica may become a laboratory for the scientists of many nations where they can work together and develop international cooperation and contacts.

3. Time for fun

In the Class-room

Student: Professor, I can't go to class today.

Prof: Why can't you go?

Student: I don't feel well.

Prof: Where don't you feel well?

Student: In class.

III.Supplementary reading

1. How we choose our friends

A survey conducted by a telephone helpline in the USA found that young people today rely less and less on their families and more and more on their friends. Why so?

A friend is a person you know and like well. How do we choose our friends?

The words friend and free come from the same root word suggesting that the main thing in a friendship is the freedom to be ourselves in the company of another person.

Most friendships begin with shared interests or activity which gradually develop into mutual trust, openness, affection and loyality. We like people who share our attitudes and values. When someone agrees with us or makes the same choice that we have made, we gain confidence in our own views.

There is also a tendency to enjoy the company of people of the same economic status and level of education.

Most young people say that they have a main group of about fifteen close friends, not just one or two best friends as was the case long ago.

It seems more secure to have a close group of people than to have exclusive relationship with one person. Friends share problems, gossip, jokes, concerns and hobbies. This is all young people need and want.

2. The throw-away society

Many countries bury and forget millions of tons of rubbish every year.

How do we get rid of this rubbish? We find or dig huge holes in the ground and fill them with this stuff. These are known as "landfill sites"(место для сброса отходов).

These 20 million tons of rubbish perform major environmental problem polluting big cities. It is a slow and unseen threat. Methane gas given off by decaying organic matter can build up and explode. Toxic materials poison the water and air and pose a long-term threat to our food chain. But a lot of what we throw away is still useful. The glass, plastic, metal, oil, textile, paper, cardboard, battery content which we send to landfill is potentially very valuable because it is a concentrated source of many raw materials. Rubbish can be also burnt to generate electricity and heat our homes. But we don't have to throw away all our waste paper, glass, metal, plastic. We can recycle a lot of it. In fact waste can be very useful stuff.

Дата добавления: 2015-05-31