Task 4. Answer the questions:

1. When did the problem of pollution become a major one?

2. What environmental tragedies have pointed up the seriousness of the pollution problem?

3. Why is pollution considered to be both a benefit and a killer?

4. What has the lack of pollution control resulted in?

5. What can scientists, engineers, governments and individuals do to lessen the amount of pollution? Why hasn’t the pollution been stopped yet?

6. When do we celebrate the Earth Day and what is the purpose of it?

Task 5. Make word-combinations. Match nouns to verbs (a) and adjectives to nouns (b):

A			B
be under	the same		human	advance
burn	threat		early	amount
call	environment		ancient	area
face	problem		huge	awareness
release	fuel		urban	beauty
remain	wastes		natural	being
ruin	fire		power	exhaust
safeguard	soil		technological	people
set on	attention (to)		public	plant
spill	steps		hazardous	times
take	oil		automobile	wastes

Task 6. Decide which words do not go along with these key words:

to fight		raw			problem
to reduce	pollution	hazardous	sewage	to cause	pollution
to control		plant			people
to decide		poisoned			illness

Task 7. Speak on the harm done to the environment . Use the table:

People Factories We Some companies Vehicles

dirty poison cut down damage fill burn

woods the air the water the soil

with

radioactive wastes gases and smoke chemicals fertilizers and pesticides special equipment

Task 8. Fill in the gaps with the words from the box to complete the sentences:

dead; disturbing; home heating plants; litter; to persuade; pollutants; pollute; pollution; scattering; ugliness; unfortunately; danger; cut-down

1. … rivers and lakes can be … found all over the world.

2. Heavy industries in many cities operate and have operated without … .

3. Motor vehicles, different machines and mechanisms fill our surrounding with … noise.

4. 4. Our natural beauty is ruined by … junk and … on the land.

5. People … the air with gases and smoke.

6. Pollution of soil, air water brings … to our natural surrounding .

7. Coal was burnt by the first locomotives which were great … .

8. Many farmers use … … … operating on cleaner fuels than coal and wood.

9. Poisoned fish and dirty water are of very great … for people.

10. The “Greens” try to … the Ukrainian government to draw attention to the problems of environment.

Task 9. Translate the word-combinations and ask questions with them:

шкідливий вплив; утиль та сміття; проблеми забруднення; забруднення повітря; отруєння води; порушувати спокій шумом; забруднена вода; здійснювати контроль над забрудненням навколишнього середовища; охоплювати пожежею; зменшити кількість пилу; порушувати природну покрівлю; спалювати паливо; озоновий шар; потепління атмосфери; парниковий ефект; шкідливе ультрафіолетове випромінювання .

Task 10. Explain the fact that pollution problems did not arise with the early people. What was the main reason of environmental pollution during ancient times?

Task 11. Think over the answers to the following questions:

 What might have happened if no electricity had been invented?

 What will happen if people don’t worry of environmental protection?

 What could happen if all rivers and oceans and lakes were poisoned?

 What could happen if all woods were cut down?

Task 12. List things you are able to do every day in order to lessen pollution.

Task 13. Write an essay “Things we can do to protect environment in our region":

For ideas: to re-use plastic bags and cans; to dry clothes in the open air; to walk or use a bicycle; to switch off light; to repair faucets; to eliminate leaks; to re-cycle paper; to use environmentally friendly technologies; to use re-charged batteries; to share books and manuals; to plant trees…

Text 9 B

1. Look through the text and agree or disagree with the statements after the text:

Kinds of pollution

There are several kinds of environmental pollution. They include air pollution, water pollution, soil pollution, and pollution caused by solid wastes, noise, and radiation.

All parts of the environment are closely related to one another. A kind of pollution that chiefly harms one part of the environment may also affect others.

For example, air pollution harms the air. But rain washes pollutants out of the air and deposits them on the land and in bodies of water. Wind, on the other hand, blows pollutants off the land and into the air.

Most common forms of air pollution are smog and cigarette smoke.

Most of the gases and particles that people put into the air come from combustion (burning) processes. The furnaces in factories, homes, and office buildings; the engines in automobiles, airplanes, and other motor vehicles; and the burning of trash are the chief sources of pollution from combustion. The pollutants from these sources have a wide variety of effects, one serious result of air pollution is its harmful effect on human health. Both gases and particles harm people’s eyes and irritate their lungs, worsen such respiratory diseases as asthma, bronchitis and pneumonia. In cities throughout the world, long periods of heavy air pollution dramatically increased illness and death rates.

Poisonous gases in the air can restrict the growth of and kill nearly all kinds of plants. Polluted air even harms such hard and strong materials as concrete and steel. In some cities, statues and other art objects that stood outdoors for centuries have been moved indoors because air pollution threatened to destroy them.

Air pollutants may also affect climate. Some gases, including, carbon dioxide, may cause a phenomenon called the greenhouse effect. Carbon dioxide, like glass in a greenhouse, allows sunlight to warm the earth but prevents heat from escaping back into space. The greenhouse effect could permanently raise temperatures on the earth, partially melting the polar icecaps and causing floods.

In addition, air pollutants may damage the layer of ozone in the atmosphere. The ozone layer protects animals and plants from the sun’s harmful ultraviolet light.

Most of the pollutants that people put into water come from treated and untreated sewage, from agricultural drainage, and from industrial wastes. The pollutants reduce valuable supplies of pure, fresh water by upsetting the natural cycles that work to keep water clean. By upsetting the cycles, the pollutants harm the animals and plants that live in the water.

The addition of heated water to a body of water also upsets cycles. Heated water can kill animals and plants that are accustomed to living at lower temperatures. It also reduces the amount of oxygen that water can hold. The addition of heated water is called thermal pollution. Most heated water comes from industries and power plants that use water for cooling.

Another major pollutant is fuel oil, which enters oceans mainly from oil tankers and offshore oil wells. Such spills ruin beaches and kill birds and marine life.

Soil pollution damages the thin layer of fertile soil that covers much of the earth’s land and is essential for growing food. Natural processes took thousands of years to form the soil that supports crops. But people can destroy soil in a few years.

Solid wastes are probably the most visible forms of pollution. People throw away billions of tons of solid material each year. Much of this waste litters roadsides, floats in lakes and streams, and is collected in ugly dumps. Examples of solid wastes include junked automobiles, tires, refrigerators, and stoves; cans and other packaging materials; and scraps of metal, paper, and plastic.

Solid wastes present a serious problem because most of the methods used to dispose them result in some type of damage to the environment.

Noise pollution is a problem in urban areas. Loud noises annoy people and can cause damage to hearing. Some studies have linked loud noises with the development of high blood pressure and ulcers.

The amount of radioactive waste from nuclear weapons testing and nuclear power plants is increasing. Scientists are studying ways to dispose of these wastes safely and permanently.

Acid rain has become an increasingly serious problem. This pollutant forms when moisture in the air combines with nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide released by automobiles, by factories, and by power plants that burn coal or oil. The acids pollute lakes, streams, oceans, fish and contaminate drinking water. They also can damage crops, forests, soil, even buildings and statues. In addition, acid rain pollutants sometimes travel long distances, even from one country to another.

1. Pollution that harms one part of the environment can’t affect others.

2. Smog and cigarette smoke are the most common forms of pollution.

3. Poisonous gases in the air don’t influence our life and plants.

4. Solid wastes are the most visible forms of pollution.

5. Noises annoying people cannot cause damage to hearing.

6. Heavy metals are not long lasting and therefore can not spread over large areas.

7. The greenhouse effect can be caused by some gases, excluding carbon dioxide.

8. The greenhouse effect can permanently raise temperature on the earth.

9. Acid rain is a pollutant which is formed when moisture in the air combines with oxide and sulfur dioxide released by automobiles, factories, plants.

10. The acids pollute lakes, streams, oceans, crops, forests, soil.