‘The Earth is what we all have in common’
MODULE 2
ECOLOGICAL PROBLEMS AND SOLUTIONS
‘The Earth is what we all have in common’
Wendell Berry
| OVERVIEW
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| Reading Vocabulary Listening Grammar Test yourself Skills Speaking |
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1. STARTER. Work with another student to discuss the following questions and choose the most likely answer. One question has more than one correct answer.
GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS
1. Poisonous air is estimated to cause premature deaths of ….. people a year worldwide.
a) 7 million b) 2 million c) 10 million
2. Currently in the world there are over …. million cars, by 2030 the number will rise to …. billion.
a) 300/0.5 b) 500/1 c) 600/1,2
3. Destroying forests causes ….. .
a) flooding b) drought c) earthquakes
4. Nearly 2 billion Christmas cards posted in Britain every year use the equivalent of ….. trees to produce.
a) 200,000 b) 50,000 c) 1 million
5. The world’s largest producer of carbon dioxide (CO₂) is……. .
a) Russia b) the USA c) China
6. The number of vehicles on the planet is increasing at the rate of one new car for ..... babies born.
a) every two b) every ten c) every 100
7. Experts estimate that 1,000 times more energy than we need could be produced by ….. .
a) wind b) water c) the sun
8. In ….. 100% of electricity is produced by water power.
a) Canada b) Norway c) Switzerland
9. Air pollution takes away at least …. years of a typical human life.
a) 1-2 b) 2-3 c) 3-5
10……… is the worst type of pollution.
a) acidification (закисление) of the ocean b) soil pollution c) noise pollution
2. WARMER. In groups brainstorm for some ideas to answer the questions.
• What do we mean by pollution?
• What are the main types and effects of pollution?
• Which of them are the biggest problems where you live?
3. READING. Read the text and find out what paragraph contains the information about
• the main cause of climate change
• steps to help reduce pollution
• climate change and pollution getting worse
• the effects of acid rains
Text A
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
(1) It is difficult to avoid environmental issues today. Every time we turn the television on or open a newspaper, there are new ‘horror’ stories about how pollution is having an adverse1 effect on our planet. For example, the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is possibly above the threshold2 that can potentially cause climate change. Poisonous3 gases destroy the ozone layer, contributing to the greenhouse effect, which results in global warming. According to the report “Our Changing Climate”, the global warming, that has been going on for the past 50 years, is primarily due to human activities. Climate change is not just a distant future threat. The number of people affected and the damages inflicted4 by extreme weather have been unprecedented5.
(2) Acid rain is destroying forests. As more and more rainforests are destroyed, the threat to wildlife increases, with several endangered species6 already on the verge of extinction7. Climate disasters are on the rise: around 70 percent are now climate related – up from around 50 percent from two decades ago. These disasters take a heavier human toll8 and come at a higher price. In the last decade, 2.4 billion people were affected by climate related disasters, compared to 1.7 billion in the previous decade. The cost of responding to disasters rose tenfold9. Destructive sudden heavy rains, intense tropical storms, repeated flooding10 and droughts11 are likely to increase, as will the vulnerability12 of local communities in the absence of strong concerted13 action.
(3) Environmental destruction caused by humans is a global problem and we should all do something to protect the environment. The most basic solution to air pollution, one of the most dangerous forms of pollution, is to move away from fossil fuels14, replacing them with alternative sources, such as solar, wind and geothermal energy. Producing clean energy is crucial15. But equally important is to reduce our consumption of energy by adopting responsible habits and using more efficient devices. For a start, we should try to conserve fossil fuels such as oil and coal by turning down our central heating and air-conditioning, or making less use of our cars. Secondly, since such everyday items as glass and paper can be recycled, we should try to re-use them rather than16 throw them away, which increases waste generation. Thirdly, we can join Environmentalism, a social movement that addresses environmental issues through advocacy, education and activism. For example, governments should be persuaded17 to adopt greener policies, such as subsidizing public transport and protecting wildlife. Think globally, act locally!
Useful words
1adverse-неблагоприятный
2threshold-порог, преддверие
3poisonous - ядовитый
4inflict-наносить, причинить
5unprecedented - беспрецедентный
6on the verge of extinction –на грани вымирания
7endangered species-вымирающие виды
8human toll-человеческие потери
9tenfold - десятикратный
10flooding - затопление
11droughts-засухи
12vulnerability - уязвимость
13concerted - согласованный
14fossil fuels–ископаемое топливо
15crucial - ключевой, решающий
16rather than–вместо того чтобы
17persuade–убеждать