Ecological Problems

Look through the list of English words and their Russian equivalents before reading the text:

1. interference	вмешательство
2. destruction	разрушение
3. ecological imbalance	нарушение экологического равновесия
4. to go beyond	превосходить, выходить за
5. urgency	срочность
6. densely populated	густонаселенный
7. to exert a heavy load	оказывать большую нагрузку
8. to endanger	подвергать опасности

With the development of civilization man’s interference in nature increases leading to various negative changes in the environment. Among the negative factors that result in the destruction of ecological systems are the pollution of water and air and destruction of natural landscapes.

Ecological imbalance has become a global problem, drawing attention of practically all countries.

It is evident that owing to global nature and extreme complexity of the problem protection of the environment goes beyond the scientific, technological and economic abilities of even the best developed countries, if taken separately. The consideration of, for example transport of pollutants across state frontiers presupposes bilateral and multilateral cooperation of governments, public and international organizations.

Special urgency and complexity acquire the question of large-scale environmental protection in densely populated Europe where developed industry exerts a heavy load on all environmental components. The state of the environment in the USA and Canada also causes serious concern.

Due to the extreme significance of the problem more and more often suggestions are put forward about creating a system of international ecological security. Such a system presupposes a systematic analysis of global ecological situation, as well as trying to answer the following questions: at what point will nature cease to tolerate man? What amount of which resources can man use each year without endangering the environment? It also includes research and development of problems of a purely applied nature, such as international projects to develop no-waste technologies, ecologically clean production processes, improved technologies to purify water and air, alternative energy sources, methods for the rehabilitation of the environment.

Global monitoring of the environment would make it possible to isolate ecologically endangered areas on the planet. On the same level there should be a special world service concerned with elimination of large-scale ecological disasters, like forest fires, big oil slicks, accidents at major chemical factories or nuclear power plants.

The creation of a system of international ecological security cannot be delayed as the problem of environmental pollution poses much threat to humanity as could a nuclear war.

Ex.1. Match the English words with the appropriate Russian equivalents:

1. environment	a) авария, катастрофа
2. pollution	b) чрезвычайный, крайний
3. extreme	c) утечка нефти
4. presuppose	d) загрязнение
5. significance	e) окружающая среда
6. to create	f) угроза
7. elimination	g) важность, значение
8. disaster	h) предполагать
9. oil slick	i) создавать
10. threat	j) устранение, уничтожение

Ex.2. Give English equivalents from the text:

Многостороннее сотрудничество, нарушение экологического равновесия, окружающая среда, лесные пожары, атомные электростанции, экологическая безопасность, угроза человечеству, экологическая катастрофа, подвергать опасности, превосходить, разрушение, срочность, прекращать, терпеть.

Ex3. Say whether these statements are right or false:

1. Man’s interference in nature poses no problem to the environment. It helps to preserve natural landscapes and doesn’t affect water and air.

2. The problem of ecological imbalance can be settled by by separate countries, especially highly developed ones.

3. Special urgency and complexity acquire the questions of large-scale environmental protection in densely populated Europe.

4. The state of the environment in the USA and Canada is quite satisfactory and causes no serious concern.

5. Global monitoring of the environment would make it possible to isolate ecologically endangered areas on the planet.

6. The creation of a system of international ecological security cannot be delayed as the problem of environmental pollution poses as much threat to humanity as could a nuclear war.

Ex.4. Answer the questions:

1. What negative factors does man’s interference in nature lead to?

2. Ecological imbalance has become a global problem, drawing attention of practically all countries, hasn’t it?

3. Why does the problem of ecological imbalance go beyond scientific technological and economic abilities of even the best developed countries, if taken separately?

4. What can you say about the problem of large-scale environmental protection in Europe?

5. What suggestions are put forward more often? Why?

6. What does a system of global ecological security presuppose?

7. What does a system of global ecological security include?

8. What would global monitoring of the environment make it possible to do?

9. What other world service should there be on the same level?

10. The creation of a system international ecological security cannot be delayed, can it? Why not?

Ex.5.Complete the sentences:

1. With the development of civilization man’s interference in nature…

2. Ecological imbalance has become…

3. It is evident that owing to global nature…

4. Special urgency and complexity acquire…

5. Due to the extreme significance of the problem…

6. Such a system presupposes a systematic analysis…

7. It also includes research and development of problems…

8. Global monitoring of the environment would make it possible…

9. The creation of a system of international ecological security…

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