yastrebova-vladykina_uchebnik_2_kursa

Wish is used to say that you would like things to be different from what they are.

Notes: 1. The subjunctive form I / he / she / it were is possible in formal style, the form I / he / she / it was is acceptable in spoken English.

2.Wish and would cannot have the same subject.

I wish she would change her lifestyle.

Как бы мне хотелось, чтобы она изменила образ жизни.

could

But: I wish I would change my lifestyle.

Как бы мне хотелось изменить свой образ жизни.

Warning: it is not necessary to translate could and would into Russian!

3.Wished can replace wish without changing the form that follows.

I wish / wished I didn’t have to get up early.

Как жаль / Я сожалел, что мне приходится рано вставать.

She wishes / wished she had been promoted.

Она сожалеет / сожалела, что ее не повысили в должности.

Ex. 85. Translate the sentences into Russian.

1.We wish there was a world where every child could stay in their biological family. But we know this is not a perfect world, and there are terrible circumstances where children cannot remain with their biological families and they need to be adopted.

2.In the elevator were two chic women who seemed my age, 25. And I couldn’t help wishing that I were spending my 20s amid stylish young women.

3.She stood heart-broken by her father’s side whispering the words she wished she had spoken that morning. “Daddy, I love you.”

4.At that moment I wished the room would empty, leaving Lily and myself alone.

5.“Have a good trip,” he said. “I wish I was going with you.”

6.“I wish I could go back to school all over again. Don’t we all?” he said.

7.“I wish you would believe in me. I have plans for us two that will require mutual trust.”

8.I wished he had chosen another day to call.

9.I wish you could stay, and then we could talk.

10.She wished so hard that he would stop worrying her with the emotion that she both could and could not understand.

11.She wished there were some way she could help him.

12.Advice is what we ask for when we already know the answer but wish we didn’t.

13.I wish you wouldn’t sleep on your back – it makes you snore.

14.The train went into the tunnel and it was absolutely dark in the compartment. I wished the tunnel would go on forever.

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15.I wish people would look at my contribution when evaluating me.

16.Sophie wishes she’d gone to college instead of leaving school and getting a job.

17.I wish I had his nerves.

18.“I wish you’d stop fussing,” said Eric irritably.

Ex. 86. Paraphrase the sentences using wish.

1.She was sorry that her son was impatient and forgetful.

2.It was a stupid idea – I’m sorry I ever mentioned it.

3.Bob regrets losing touch with his friends from school.

4.My one regret is that I never visited Taj Mahal when I was in India.

5.Jim’s too stingy to give money to charity, and I’m sorry about it.

6.Her biggest regret is that she turned down his proposal of marriage.

7.He was sorry to be leaving the small town where he had grown up.

8.He is not keeping track of what he spends his money on, and I regret it.

9.I’m sorry you can’t tell good from evil.

10.It’s a pity I have to go to work today.

11.I was disappointed not to find her at home.

12.He was sorry not to have been given the chance to prove his point.

13.It’s a pity we don’t have a leader with vision and strong principles.

14.Regrettably, the search for survivors was abandoned.

15.Unfortunately, you were out when we called.

Ex. 87. Express the speaker’s annoyance or disappointment using wish and would.

1.Will you stop this awful noise this instant!

2.Why doesn’t she shut up for a moment and let someone else speak!

3.He just won’t do as he’s told.

4.He is always interrupting people when they’re speaking.

5.My wife keeps asking me silly questions.

6.You never apologize for your outrageous behaviour.

7.Just stop getting on my nerves!

8.Don’t just look at me like that – say something!

9.You hardly ever call your parents!

10.He is always leaving the door open, and it drives me crazy.

11.You’re continually talking about your accomplishments, but you show no interest in mine.

12.You’re constantly reminding me about my weight.

13.She is always asking embarrassing questions.

Ex. 88. Fill in the gaps with wish for unrealizable wishes or want, would like for realizable wishes. Use the verb in brackets in the correct form.

1.The sky is leaden. I _____ the sun (come out).

2.I _____ Bob (take) the children to the zoo. I know it’s a pleasure for him.

3.I _____ Ralph (make) an effort to be polite when the guests come. I’m worried he may ruin the party.

4.I _____ the leaders (reach) a compromise. The chances are very good.

5.I _____ my mother-in-law (come) on Friday. I’m sure she won’t mind.

6.I _____ you (answer) your aunt’s letter. It’s been lying around for weeks.

7.I _____ you (get) rid of all those old newspapers. There are piles of them on the bookshelves. Do you really need them?

8.I _____ my husband (take) care of the tickets. But he has no minute to spare.

9.I _____ Sam (change) the way he behaves. The boy will surely end up in jail.

Ex. 89. Express people’s regrets and desires using wish.

1.Sarah is in a bad mood because her father won’t let her go to the party tonight. Sarah wishes...

2.When Joanne gets angry she shouts a lot. Her husband wishes...

3.I don’t have enough experience to be considered for the job. I wish...

4.We’re not going on holiday this year, simply because we can’t afford it. We wish...

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5.The owner of the car insisted on being given cash in advance. I wish...

6.I asked if I could buy the house from them, but they said they’d already made prior arrangements. I wished …

7.It seems to me that the world is getting more and more unpleasant – people just don’t respect each other any more. I wish...

8.Before he could finish the sentence, she had already walked out of the room. He wished...

9.Richard left the course three weeks before the end of the term. His parents wished...

10.Tony didn’t check the oil and tyres before setting out on a long journey. He wishes...

11.They’re worried that they may have to sell the house. They wish...

12.The situation at the factory is getting out of hand. They wish...

13.It wasn’t a very good start to the vacation – our car broke down on the first day. We wished...

14.My son has got in trouble with the police. I wish...

15.The landlord is an extremely disagreeable man who doesn’t allow us to have visitors in our rooms. We wish...

Ex. 90. Add comments to these sentences using I wish. The first two are done for you.

1.I’m afraid they are disappointed in their son. – I wish they weren’t.

2.Tom has been reduced to poverty. – I wish he hadn’t.

3.He has got into a fix.

4.She never admits her mistakes.

5.The event was not covered in the press.

6.He doesn’t treat his parents with respect.

7.We didn’t check on him.

8.He became redundant.

9.She always imposes her own beliefs and moral values on other people.

10.I lost the keys and wasn’t able to get in without them.

11.My daughter fell off a swing and hurt herself.

12.I was outplayed at cards and lost all my money.

13.Susan snaps at anyone who offers to help her.

14.Nancy is in an irritable mood.

15.Tony just sits around the house smoking all day.

Ex. 91. Answer the questions using wish. The first two are done for you.

1.Can you afford to go on vacation this year? – I wish I could.

2.Did you remember to do the shopping? – I wish I had.

3.Does the security provide enough insurance against illness?

4.Have you seen Arnold Schwarzenegger’s most recent film?

5.Do you have complete confidence in your doctor?

6.Will the United Nations send troops to the region?

7.Do your children show enough respect for you?

8.Have you completed your course of training?

9.Do you think the weather will change for the better?

10.Will he give her a nice present?

11.Are you suited to each other?

12.Were you considered for the job?

13.Is Paul capable of running the business efficiently?

14.Can you remember what you did with your car keys?

15.Is he going to run for parliament?

16.Were you greatly impressed?

17.Will Sally listen to your advice?

18.Is she a productive writer?

19.Was she touched by his kind letter?

20.Is Julia an efficient secretary?

21.Does Johnny pattern himself on his elder brother?

22.Has he been investing in companies with a good social record?

Ex. 92. Express people’s criticisms about their families, lifestyles and themselves. Start every piece of criticism with I wish.

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B.

1.What annoys you about the people you know at the university or at home?

2.Are you fully satisfied with yourself?

3.Do you have any regrets about the things you’ve done and haven’t done?

Ex. 93. Translate into English using wish where possible.

1.Жаль, что Боб не может обеспечивать семью.

2.Да перестаньте же вы спорить! Вы оба не правы, но ни один из вас не готов признать это.

3.Как жаль, что моего сына не приняли в художественное училище. Он тонко чувствует красоту и хорошо рисует.

4.Жаль, что наш план не встретил одобрения.

5.Как бы я хотел, чтобы мне не приходилось работать с 9 до 5. Хотел бы я проводить больше времени с семьей и уделять внимание детям.

6.Он сожалел, что не послушался совета отца и не ушел из банка. Его прогноз оказался правильным – банк разорился.

7.Как жаль, что у нас кончились продукты. Если бы не это, мы могли бы продолжить восхождение.

8.Вы поддерживаете связь со своими школьными товарищами? К сожалению, нет.

9.Джейк осуществил свое тайное желание? Нет, к сожалению.

10.Как бы мне хотелось, чтобы ты не напрашивался на неприятности.

11.Я бы хотела ответить на ваши вопросы более обстоятельно (дать подробные ответы), но наше время истекло. Лекция окончена.

12.Старые банкноты изъяли из обращения. А жаль.

13.Жаль, что ты веришь всему, что слышишь. На твоем месте я бы не был таким доверчивым.

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14.Как бы мне хотелось побывать в Париже, но, боюсь, это неосуществимая мечта.

15.Как жаль, что американские авиакомпании все еще нанимают людей с сомнительной биографией. (questionable backgrounds)

16.Я бы хотел объехать весь мир, но, как вы понимаете, это невозможно.

Ex. 94. Express people’s regrets using wish.

1.“If people think I am happy about my weight, they are wrong. I hate to see how I look to others. I glance in the mirror and say, “ Oh, my God!” – Luciano Pavarotti

2.When she was a freshman at Southern Virginia College in Buena Vista, our daughter Claudine fell in love with Joe. We became concerned that her classwork might begin to suffer. – Claudine’s parents

3.It wasn’t always easy having your grandfather for a roommate – especially when I first met Debby. “You bring a girl to your apartment without marrying her?” he demanded. “You’re lucky I don’t call the police.” – Max Apple

4.“My wife and I were happy for twenty years,” says Rodney Dangerfield. “Then we met.”

5.The parents of Jehudi Menuhin, one of the most famous violin prodigies of the 20th century, were too poor to afford a babysitter, so they took their son to concerts with them and let him share their delight in music. When he was four, Jehudi was given a toy violin, but he was frustrated that it did not play in tune. His parents then bought him a real one – and the rest is history.

6.In the morning I got a speeding ticket. At work my computer broke down. I came to the nearest gas station, only to find all eight pumps taken.

7.A seventh-grader from Brooklyn, N.Y., stole an unattended handbag from a library table. First she was delighted with her booty (добыча), but then guilt slowly overtook her and she started to cry. She returned the bag with all the contents.

AS IF / AS THOUGH IN COMPARISON CLAUSES

1.Comparison clauses are introduced by the conjunctions as if / as though.

As if / as though are used to say what seems to be happening, how someone or something feels, looks, sounds or behaves.

You look as if you’re tired.

Вы выглядите так, как будто вы устали.

I felt as though I’d won a million dollars.

Ячувствовал себя так, как будто (словно) выиграл миллион долларов.

2.If you want to emphasise that the information in the comparison clause might not be true, or is definitely not true, you can use past forms expressing unreality.

Ex. 95. Translate into Russian. Point out the sentences where the speaker wants to emphasise that the information in the comparison clause is probably not true.

A.

1.“Damn you, don’t hold that girl as if she was a sack of potatoes,” Jimmie Langton shouted at him (Michael). “You kiss her as if you were afraid you were standing in a draught. You’re in love with that girl. You must feel that you’re in love with her. Feel as if your bones were melting inside you and if an earthquake were going to swallow you up next minute, to hell with the earthquake!”

/Somerset Maugham, Theatre/

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2.“What’s up, sweetheart?” I asked, holding a hand out to him. But he didn’t let me touch him. He was acting as though he were about to go to jail for sexually harassing someone.

“I don’t think I love you.”

“What? What are you talking about? We love each other. We have two children, for crissake. Roger…Are you

drunk? Are you on drugs?”

“I’m fine.” He stared at me blankly, as though he no longer knew me, as though I had already become a stranger to him, as though I were not someone he had been married to for thirteen years.

/Danielle Steel, The Klone and I/

B.

1.We act as though comfort and luxury were the chief requirements of life, when all that we need to make us really happy is something to be enthusiastic about.

/Charles Kingsby/

2.Rasputin would not turn away as if he were trying to exercise some hypnotic influence.

3.According to a close friend, John Kennedy “always ate as if somebody were about to grab his plate”, and was a modest drinker.

4.“I feel as though I’ve been running cross-country for weeks,” I said. “I could use a holiday.”

5.He stood looking at the house as though he were confronting an enemy.

6.I feel as though the top of my head is going to blow off.

7.“Money…” he pronounced the word as though it were a symbol for a problem in mathematics that had to be solved.

8.She tightened her lips as though she were trying to control herself, but the tears rolled down her cheeks.

9.It’s wrong to treat animals as if they had no feelings.

10.“I don’t need anything to drink,” Jennifer said. “I feel as though I’m already drunk.”

11.There were deep lines around his eyes as though he had laughed a great deal in his lifetime.

12.She felt as though her heart were going to come out of her chest.

13.When she looked as though she was going to fall, Eddie’s arm immediately went out to steady her.

14.Franklin Delano Roosevelt presided over his relatively modest country estate of Hyde Park on the Hudson River as if he were a king, and his wife treated Americans as if she were Queen Eleanor.

Ex. 96. Fill the gaps with the appropriate form of the verb to be.

1.David orders me around as though I _____ his wife.

2.It feels as if it _____ ages since we last spoke and yet it was only last month.

3.You sound as though you _____ hungry. I can’t believe that that enormous meal wasn’t enough to satisfy your hunger.

4.I think you ought to get off that balcony: it looks as if it _____ about to give way.

5.After he was attacked, Ralph rose to his feet and staggered along as if he _____ drunk.

6.Look at me! I’m behaving as if I _____ a love-struck teenager.

7.She looks as if she _____ going to be sick.

8.He liked to photograph her with ferns, daisies, apples and strawberries in her hands as if she _____ an earth mother figure.

9.He is so aggressive – it’s as if he _____ always trying to prove something.

10.Mary’s spent at least three days cleaning up and preparing the meal as though she _____ expecting royalty!

11.He’s only cut his finger but he’s screeching as if he _____ bleeding to death.

12.The guest was treated as if he _____ an icon of great age and value.

Ex. 97. Open the brackets. Emphasise the improbability of the action in the comparison clause.

1.Look at everything as though you (see) it either for the first or last time. Then your time on earth will be filled with glory.

2.He put his hand out in a braking motion, as though he physically (be stopping) himself from going too far.

3.When she was sent to boarding school, she felt as though her parents (reject) her.

4.She giggled as though she (not be) in the least ashamed and then went into the bathroom to wash her face and eyes.

5.She stared in the unlit fire, her gaze intent, as though she (be entranced) by the exquisite beauty of his words.

6.My actions were crisp, almost automatic, as though all my life I (rehearse) for this moment, as though there (be) no alternatives.

7.The policeman’s shoes on the bare floor sounded as though they (have) lead soles.

8.Shocked at what he had just been told Julian put the phone down as if he (see) a ghost.

9.She looked as though she (be about to) burst into tears.

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10.It seemed as if they (spend) their whole life together, even though they had only just met.

11.They had been playing the play for a good many weeks, but tonight Julia played as though it (be) the first night.

12.Really, that man acts as if he (be) the only person in the world who has problems.

Ex. 98. Complete the sentences using as if / as though + the information in brackets.

1.She began learning the Tibetan language. Before long she was speaking _____ (it, be her mother tongue).

2.Catherine Barkley took three nights off night duty, and then she came back again. When she came upstairs it was

_____ (she, be on a long journey).

3.She had no control over herself. It was _____ (someone else, be guiding her).

4.Michael didn’t think he was capable of loving another human being, it was _____ (something, be missing in him).

5.He got to his feet, his movements slow and tired. He felt _____ (all the energy, be drained out of him).

6.He seemed glad to see me _____ (I, be an old friend).

7.It looked _____ (I, lose control of my life in a matter of minutes).

8.I felt _____ (I, be living in a revolving door).

9.The room looks _____ (a hurricane, sweep through it).

10.Under the leaden sky even the lake looked _____ (it, lie in a vault for centuries).

11.The next time Marsha saw him, she acted _____ (she, never see him before).

12.You look _____ (you, be up all night).

13.He knows he’s upset me, but he’s behaving _____ (nothing, happen).

Ex. 99. Translate into English using as if / as though.

1.Он бежал так быстро, как будто за ним кто-то гонится. (to chase)

2.Ваш сын так хорошо говорит по-английски, как будто всю жизнь провел в Англии.

3.Похоже, он собирается сообщить нам какую-то важную новость.

4.– Он невероятно богат?

–Нет, а что?

–Он так легко расстается с деньгами, как будто он самый богатый человек на свете.

5.Она выглядела свежей и отдохнувшей, словно не провела бессонную ночь в аэропорту.

6.По вашим словам получается (You sound), что вы замечательно провели время на вечеринке. А мне сказали, что вы не пробыли там и часа.

7.Она производила впечатление человека, оторванного от действительности. На самом же деле, была весьма практичной.

8.Джейк вел себя так, будто был наделен особыми полномочиями, но он никого не провел. (to be taken in)

9.Лицо у него просветлело, как будто солнце вышло из-за туч.

10.Он нахмурился (to frown), как будто пытался найти ответ на важный философский вопрос.

11.Он выглядит безобидным. Кажется, он и мухи не обидит. (to hurt a fly)

 IT’S TIME FOLLOWED BY THE PAST FORM

Warning: It’s time (that) I / he / she / it was (NOT “I / he / she/it were”)

Ex. 100. Translate the sentences into Russian.

1.It’s time they stopped dictating to me what I should do and what I shouldn’t do.

2.Isn’t it about time you started taking life seriously?

3.It’s about time (that) the school improved its meals service.

4.It’s high time (that) Europe took responsibility for its own defence and stopped depending on the United States.

5.It’s high time (that) we had the car serviced.

6.It’s time the children were in bed.

7.It’s time I was going.

8.I felt it was time I stopped wasting time.

9.Isn’t it time you got down to sorting out that pile of papers on your desk?

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10. It’s time (that) we started to face a few hard facts.

Ex. 101. Comment on the statements using it’s time.

Model: Your room is in a terrible state. → It’s about time you tidied it up.

1.The roads in Scotland are only wide enough for one car at a time.

2.Elliot leads a strangely unsettled life, drifting from place to place and job to job.

3.You are asking for trouble if you keep turning up late every evening.

4.It’s long since we had our flat redecorated.

5.He has been overeating and has put on a lot of extra weight.

6.In the US, more than 20 percent of new teachers leave the profession in the first three years. Money is the major reason.

7.She feels overworked and stressed out.

8.The house has fallen into decay and needs a new roof and new plumbing.

9.The service industry is running down but the government does nothing.

10.Pete has been dating Linda for five years.

11.Sam has had nothing to eat ever since morning.

12.Most of the world’s population don’t get enough to eat.

Ex. 102. Translate into English using it’s time.

1.Тебе пора научиться отличать дурное от хорошего.

2.Не пора ли тебе заняться делом? Ты бездельничаешь со вчерашнего дня.

3.В последнее время мы слишком много тратим. Пора начать откладывать деньги на черный день.

4.Некогда процветавшие деревни покинуты. Правительству пора подумать, как сделать жизнь в деревне более привлекательной.

5.Как жаль, что ты самонадеян! Не пора ли понять, что ты не можешь обходиться без нашей помощи?

6.Давно пора перестать навязывать дочери свои взгляды и убеждения. Она взрослый человек и в состоянии решить, как ей поступить.

7.Его послушать (he sounds), так он самый талантливый, самый умный, самый замечательный. Он себя переоценивает. Не пора ли сказать ему, что мы о нем думаем?

8.На вашем месте я бы продал квартиру и переехал за город. Давно пора позаботиться о своем здоровье.

GRAMMAR REVISION

Ex. 103. Reconstruct the texts using the prompts in brackets.

A.

Whisky

Let it rain, let it pour

Scotland may not be the wettest place on Earth but it often feels that way. However, if we (not to have) the weather then we (not to have) the whisky and a dry Scotland (to be) a very different place in a number of ways.

The rain may make sunbathing a minority interest but without it barley1 (not to be) so keen to grow here and the springs of peaty2 mineral water that feed the distilleries (not to bubble) quite so brightly. Scotland (to be) a less romantic place without whisky.

Speyside, in particular, (to look) very alien if it (to strip) of all its barley fields, pagoda-topped distilleries and the cottages of its Victorian whisky barons. Even the air (to smell) differently if the heady scent of the region’s 48 distilleries (to remove) from the mix.

The Glen Grant distillery has been distilling since 1840 but the man who is really synonymous with the place didn’t take sole control until 1872. James Grant, aka3 The Major, has variously been described as “unconventional,” “a legendary socialiser,” and “a notoriously lavish host”. … the Victorians (to have) tabloids, he (to earn) yet more colourful epithets but instead, one of his lasting legacies has been the gardens at the distillery.(use inversion).

Today, a lily pond, old apple trees and rhododendrons make The Major’s gardens a pleasant spot in between rain showers. If you (to get caught) in the rain, you (to find) a shelter at the head of the garden. The visit (not to be)

1ячмень

2торфяной

3также известный как

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so pleasurable for those with a nose for whisky if the Major (to turn) it into the Victorian equivalent of a bachelor flat with a whisky safe built into the rock.

It takes at least 18 years to mature all the whiskies that go into a bottle of their best blend Chivas 18. You can taste it there while waiting for the rain to stop.

/The Scotsman, August 2002/

B.

Kitty didn’t know whether it was by chance or by design that while she was staying with the Townsends she never found herself alone with Charlie. His tact was exquisite. No one (can guess) that they had ever been more than acquaintances. But one afternoon when she was lying on a sofa outside her room reading he passed along the verandah and stopped.

“Are you still angry with me?” he asked, the shadow of a smile on his lips. “Not a bit,” Kitty laughed.

“I don’t think you (to laugh) if you (not to be). Looking back calmly, don’t you honestly think I was right?” “From your standpoint.”

“Now that you know my wife, you must admit she is one in a thousand. I never (to have) a moment’s peace if we (to bolt). It (to be) a rotten trick to play on her. And after all I had to think about my children; it (to be) an awful handicap for them.”

For a moment she held him in her reflective gaze.

“During the week I have been here I’ve come to the conclusion that you are really fond of Dorothy. I never (to think) you capable of it.”

“I told you I was fond of her. I (not to do) anything to cause her a moment’s uneasiness. She’s the best wife a man ever had.”

“Have you ever thought that you owed her any loyalty?”

“I am human. I fell head over ears in love with you. Naturally I couldn’t foresee that we were going to get into such a scrape.”

“And in any case you had a pretty shrewd idea that if anyone (to suffer) it (not to be) you.”

“I think you are a bit unfair. After all, you must see I acted for the best for both of us. Do you think it (to be) a success if I (to do) what you wanted me to? And you haven’t come to any harm.”

Kitty almost laughed.

“You can hardly expect me to forget that you sent me to almost certain death?”

“Oh, what nonsense. I told you there was no risk if you took reasonable precautions. Do you think I (to let) you go for a moment if I (not to be) convinced of that?”

/after “The Painted Veil” by S. Maugham/

С.

I wished she (Catherine Barkley) (to be) here now. I wished I (to be) in Milan with her. I (to be) very pleased if I (can persuade) her to come down for two or three days and stay with me. I would like to eat at the Cova and then walk down the Via Manzoni in the hot evening and cross over and turn off along the canal and go to the hotel with Catherine Barkley. We (to go) in the front door and the porter (to take off) his cap and I (to stand) by the elevator and then we (to get) in the elevator and it (to go up) very slowly clicking at all the floors and then our floor. And the boy (to open) the door and (to stand) there and she (to step out) and I (to step out) and we (to walk) down the hall and I (to put) the key in the door and (to open) it and (to go) in and then (to take down) the telephone and (to ask) them to send a bottle of Capri bianco in a silver bucket full of ice and you (to hear) the ice against the pail coming down the corridor and the boy (to knock) and I (to say) leave it outside the door please.

/after “Farewell to Arms” by E. Hemingway/

D.

Francesca felt very odd. If anyone (to ask) her to guess how she (to feel) in such a situation, she (to say) she (to feel) confused, or wretched, or frightened. In fact she felt none of these things. Her prime emotion was a kind of shock that Peter Barbour could be involved. Otherwise, she felt oddly calm as if she (to be suspended) from real life altogether. … she (to be) less blind she (to see) what was going on. (use inversion) She wished she not (to be) so determined to believe that everything was all right. … she (to know) then what Bard’s request meant she not (to be) in such a fix now.

/from “The Dilemma” by Penny Vincenzi/

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PART V

It’s a Small World

UNIT 10.

CHALLENGES AND BREAKTHROUGHS

 READING 1

Pre-reading questions:

1.Which, in your opinion, could be the greater hazard of the 21st century:

proliferation of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons

high-tech terrorism

extreme climate change

violent ethnic explosions

economic and political aftershocks of globalisation

the ageing of the developed world’s population

Skim the text to find out what the author means by “the web of life”. The Web of Life

As the century draws to a close, we are facing a whole series of global problems which are harming the biosphere and human life in alarming ways that may soon become irreversible. Concern with the environment is no longer one of many “single issues.” It is the context of everything else – of our lives, our businesses, our politics. The great challenge of our time is to build and nurture sustainable communities – social, cultural and physical environments in which we can satisfy our needs and aspirations without diminishing the chances of future generations.

What is sustained in a sustainable community is not economic growth or development, but the entire web of life on which our long-term survival depends. In other words, a sustainable community is designed in such a way that its ways of life, businesses, economy, physical structures and technologies do not interfere with nature’s inherent ability to sustain life.

The first step in this endeavor, naturally, must be to become “ecologically literate”, i.e., to understand the principles of organization that ecosystems have developed to sustain the web of life. In the new century, ecological literacy will be a critical skill for politicians, business leaders and professionals in all spheres. More than that, it will be critical for the survival of humanity as a whole, and therefore will be the most important component of education at all levels – from schools to colleges and universities and the continuing education and training of professionals.

Systems Thinking

When you ask yourself how ecosystems work, and when you study them in detail, you will find out very soon that their basic principles of organization are the principles of organization of all living systems.

So the most appropriate theoretical framework for ecology is the theory of living systems. This theory is only now fully emerging, but it has its roots in several scientific fields that were developed during the first half of the 20th century

– organismic biology, Gestalt psychology, ecology, general systems theory and cybernetics.

Systems theory entails a new way of seeing the world and a new way of thinking, known as “systems thinking,” or “systemic thinking.” It means thinking in terms of context, relationships, patterns and processes.

Systems thinking was raised to a new level during the past 20 years with the development of a new science of complexity, including a whole new mathematical language and a new set of concepts to describe the complexity of living systems. So systems thinking is now at the very forefront of science. But although this intellectual tradition is almost 100 years old, it has still not taken hold in the mainstream culture of Western, developed countries.

On investigating why people in the West find systems thinking so difficult, I have come to the conclusion that there are two main reasons. One is that living systems are nonlinear – they are networks – while our whole scientific tradition is based on linear thinking: linear chains of cause and effect; when you do something that works, more of the same will work even better; a healthy economy is one that shows strong, indefinite growth; and so on.

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