Сыктывкарский государственный университет

Кафедра иностранных языков естественно-научных специальностей

Ecology

ПОСОБИЕ ПО ОБУЧЕНИЮ ЧТЕНИЮ И ПЕРЕВОДУ НАУЧНОЙ ЛИТЕРАТУРЫ НА АНГЛИЙСКОМ ЯЗЫКЕ ПО СПЕЦИАЛЬНОСТИ “ ЭКОЛОГИЯ”

ТЕКСТЫ И УЧЕБНЫЕ ЗАДАНИЯ ДЛЯ СТУДЕНТОВ I-II КУРСОВ ХИМИКО-БИОЛОГИЧЕСКОГО ФАКУЛЬТЕТА

Сыктывкар 2011

Авторы: Беляева Е. А., Комаровских Т. В. старшие преподаватели кафедры иностранных языков естественно-научных специальностей Сыктывкарского Государственного университета

Рецензенты : Трофимова Ю.И.кандидат педагогических наук, доцент кафедры английского языка факультета иностранных языков Коми Государственного Педагогического Института,

Зильберг Е.А. преподаватель английского языка физико-математического лицея г. Сыктывкара, заслуженный учитель России

Учебное пособие предназначено для студентов I-II курсов химико-биологического факультета по специальности «Экология».

Пособие имеет целью подготовить студентов к самостоятельной работе с оригинальной литературой и стимулировать развитие навыков чтения, перевода и устной речи по специальности «Экология». Тексты для пособия взяты из оригинальной английской литературы. Работа составлена в соответствии с требованиями программы и имеет профессиональную направленность.

Содержание данного пособия отражает современный уровень экологии и носит не только обучающий, но и познавательный характер.

CONTENTS

Предисловие 4

I. BASIC TEXTS (ОСНОВНЫЕ ТЕКСТЫ)

Text 1. Ecology 5

Text 2. Ecosystem 6

Text 3. How Plants and Animals Become Endangered 8

Text 4. Protection 11

Text 5. Pollution 13

Text 6. The Air 15

Text 7. Air Pollution 18

Text 8. The Ozone Layer and the Greenhouse Effect 21

Text 9. Water 23

Text 10. Water Pollution 26

Text 11. Land Pollution 29

Text 12. Science and Its Future 30

Text 13. Recycling 34

Text 14. The Killer in Your Kitchen 36

II. TEXTS FOR WRITTEN TRANSLATION (ТЕКСТЫ ДЛЯ ПИСЬМЕННОГО ПЕРЕВОДА) 40

III. TEXTS FOR ABSTRACTING (ТЕКСТЫ ДЛЯ УСТНОГО И ПИСЬМЕННОГО РЕФЕРИРОВАНИЯ) 53

IV. SUPPLEMENTARY READING AND TRANSLATING (ТЕКСТЫ ДЛЯ ДОПОЛНИТЕЛЬНОГО ЧТЕНИЯ И ПЕРЕВОДА) 69

Список литературы 78

ПРЕДИСЛОВИЕ

Настоящее пособие предназначено для студентов I-II курсов химико-биологического факультета по специальности «Экология» и ставит целью приобщить студентов с первых же занятий к литературе специального характера. Пособие построено таким образом, чтобы к концу обучения подготовить студентов к чтению и переводу, а также реферированию, сложных по содержанию и языку экзаменационных текстов.

Пособие состоит из четырех разделов. Первый раздел (Basic Texts) содержит 14 текстов для аудиторной работы, которые снабжены лексическими и грамматическими упражнениями. Активный словарь к каждому тексту отобран на основе общеэкологической лексики. Упражнения направлены на усвоение специальной лексики, а также грамматики, необходимой как для чтения научной литературы, так и для устного общения. Кроме того, они предполагают постоянное повторение материала предыдущих текстов. В целом послетекстовые упражнения создают условия для развития навыков и умений чтения и устной речи. Таким образом, на базе текстов, включенных в первый раздел, обрабатывается узнавание, восприятие, закрепление пройденного материала и развиваются навыки различных видов чтения.

Второй раздел пособия (Texts for written translation) содержит тексты для письменного перевода, которые связаны с тематикой пройденных уроков. Перевод можно осуществлять как на уроке, так и выводить на домашнее задание. Третий раздел (Texts for abstracting) включает тексты для реферирования (устного и письменного). Эти тексты предназначены для обучения студентов самостоятельному творческому осмыслению прочитанного (выделению основной мысли отрывка, постановке ключевых вопросов к тексту или ответов на них, разбивке на смысловые части, подбору заголовков, аннотированию, реферированию). Их можно рекомендовать как для самостоятельной домашней работы, так и для работы в аудитории, под руководством преподавателя.

В четвертый раздел включены отрывки из статей, взятые из научных и научно-популярных журналов и газет. Эти тексты выведены на дополнительное чтение и перевод и предназначены для студентов, имеющих достаточно высокий уровень владения английским языком.

Все тексты, включенные в пособие, взяты из научных и научно-популярных изданий (журналов), учебников и пособий. Тексты оригинальные и приводятся без адаптации.

Цели пособия:

1. развитие у студентов навыков чтения и перевода оригинальной литературы по специальности;

2. накопление словарного запаса по специальности;

3. повторение и закрепление основных грамматических структур.

Пособие также имеет целью подготовить студентов к самостоятельной работе с оригинальной литературой и стимулировать дальнейшее развитие навыков устной речи по специальности «Экология». Пособие составлено в соответствии с требованиями программы и имеет профессиональную направленность.

Text 1. ECOLOGY

Memorize the words and expressions (запомните следующие слова и выражения):

living thing, a branch of science, natural resources, environment, knowledge, solution, pollution, population, region, plant, importance, cause, pest, to harm, to handle, to show, to determine, to be interested in

Read and translate the text (прочитайте и переведите текст):

Living things have relationships with one another and with their physical surroundings. Ecology is a branch of science that studies these relationships. It shows how much plants, animals, and other organisms in nature depend on one another and on natural resources such as air, soil, and water.

Changes made in an environment affect all the living things in it, for better or for worse. Knowledge of ecological relationships helps people understand the effects of these changes. Suppose a new plant is brought into a region. Ecology helps people to predict which pests may be attracted to the plant. They can then guess how these pests may harm other plants and animals in the region. Finally, they may figure out how to handle the pest by looking at how it has been dealt with in the past. For example, they might bring in a type of bird that eats the pest.

This example shows the importance in ecology of cause and effect chains—how one action may bring about another change. Through the study of such chains, ecology can help uncover the causes of and determine solutions to some of the world's most pressing problems. The potential of ecology to deal with issues such as expanding populations, food shortages, and environmental pollution helped it emerge as a major field of study in the late 20th century.

 Scientists who are interested in ecology are called ecologists. Ecologists need to know much about biology—the science of living things. They also must understand the sciences that deal with weather, climate, rocks, earth, soil, and water.

Ecologists may work in a laboratory or out in a natural setting. Laboratory experiments allow ecologists to study things under controlled conditions. It is harder for ecologists to control conditions in a natural setting. They cannot make sunshine or rain. However, natural settings are useful because they are real. They show all of the different factors that make up life in a given community.

Knowledge of ecology is probably more important today than at any other time. Scientists must now work to increase food supplies; find new, safe sources of fuel and power; and conserve the Earth's natural resources.

Glossary:

to deal with – рассматривать; заниматься

to figure out- выяснить, понять

to bring in –приносить, вводить

to bring about – вызывать

food shortage- недостаток, нехватка продовольствия

cause and effect chain – причинно-следственная цепочка

a pressing problem –насущная / острая проблема

a natural setting – естественные(природные) условия

food supplies – пищевые запасы

Ex.1. Answer the questions (ответьте на вопросы):

1. What is ecology?

2. What does ecology show?

3. What natural resources do living things depend on?

4. Do changes in the environment affect all the living things? How?

5. What helps people understand the effects of these changes?

6. How can ecology help uncover the causes of some of the world’s most pressing problems?

7. What helped ecology become a major field of study in the late 20^th century?

8. What scientists are called ecologists?

9. What must ecologists know much about?

10. Where may ecologists work?

Ex.2. Agree or disagree (выразите согласие/несогласие):

1. Ecology shows how living things depend on each other and natural resources.

2. Organisms do not depend on their physical surroundings.

3. Changes in the environment affect all the living things.

4. People cannot understand the effects of changes in the environment.

5. Ecology studies cause and effect chains, but it cannot uncover the causes of and determine solutions of some of the world’s most pressing problems.

6. Ecology deals with such problems as expanding population, food shortage and environmental pollution.

7. Ecologists are interested in biology.

8. Laboratory experiments are easier for ecologists than the work in a natural setting.

9. Natural settings are useful because they show all the factors that make up life in a community.

10. Ecology is a very important branch of science.

Ex.3. Speak about (расскажите о):

• the definition of ecology

• the questions ecology deals with

• the importance of ecology

• the work of ecologists

Text 2. ECOSYSTEM

Memorize the words and expressions:

vital materials, raw materials, decay product, to transfer, to exchange, to exist, existence, producer, consumer, decomposer, photosynthesis, bacteria, food chain, nutrient, herbivore, carnivore, eventually, species, tiny, to include, to contain

Read and translate the text:

A natural community and its environment—the living and the nonliving—make up an ecological system, or ecosystem. Every community takes vital materials from its surroundings and transfers materials to it. Raw materials and decay products are exchanged continuously.

Ecosystems exist on many kinds of lands, in lakes, in streams, and in oceans. They generally contain many kinds of life. A cornfield, for example, contains more than just corn. It also includes smaller plant species, insects, earthworms, and many tiny organisms in the soil.

Each member of an ecosystem has a role to play—producer, consumer, or decomposer. Green plants are producers because they make their own food through a process called photosynthesis. Animals, including humans, are consumers because they eat plants or other animals. Bacteria and other organisms that cause decay are decomposers.

The sequence in which producers, consumers, and decomposers feed on one another is called a food chain. For example, a typical food chain in a grassland begins with grass (producer), which is eaten by a mouse (consumer), which is then eaten by a snake (consumer), which in turn is eaten by a hawk (consumer). Decomposers feed on dead plants and animals, breaking them down and returning nutrients to the soil so that new plants may grow. This starts the food chain over again.

The continued existence of an ecosystem involves a balance among its members. In a balanced ecosystem, the population of each species stays within limits. For example, carnivores (meat eaters) eat herbivores (plant eaters) and therefore keep the herbivore population under control. Without carnivores, the herbivore population would soar, leading to overgrazing. Eventually there would not be enough plants for the herbivores, which would then starve and die as a result.

 Glossary:

to break smth. down – разрушать

to keep under control – контролировать

to make up – составлять

overgrazing - выбивание пастбища ( скотом ), чрезмерное стравливание пастбища

Ex.1. Group the words according to the root (сгруппируйте однокоренные слова):

product, decomposer, system, exist, nutrient, to produce, a change, to decompose, balance, systematic, producer, to change, ecology, consumer, decomposition, nature, existence, production, to balance, to exchange, nutrition, ecologist, natural, to compose, systematically, ecological, productivity, to consume, balanced, changeable, naturally, ecologically, composition, unnatural.

Ex.2. Fill in the missing words (вставьте пропущенные слова):

decomposers photosynthesis decay community environment a food chain

decay grassland producers raw consumers exist

1. Ecosystem is a natural … and its … .

2. … products are continuously exchanges with … materials.

3. Green plants are … because they make their own food through a process called … .

4. Humans are … because they eat plants and animals.

5. Bacteria are… .

6. … is a process in which producers, consumers and decomposers feed on each other.

7. Ecosystems … in different kinds of lands, in lakes, streams and oceans.

Ex.3. Answer the questions. Give short answers.

Example: Do ecologists study changes in the environment? – Yes. They do.

What is made up of a natural community and its environment? – An ecosystem is.

1. Does a community take vital materials from its surrounding and transfer materials to it?

2. Are raw materials and decay products exchanged?

3. What usually contains many kinds of life?

4. Does each member of an ecosystem have a role to play?

5. What living things make their own food through photosynthesis

6. What living things are called consumers?

7. Are bacteria decomposers?

8. Do decomposers feed on dead plants and animals?

9. Does in a balanced ecosystem a population of each species stay within limits?

10. Do herbivores feed on carnivores?

Ex.4. Give definitions to the following words (Дайте определения следующим словам):

ecosystem, producer, consumer, decomposer, food chain, carnivore, herbivore, bacteria, photosynthesis

Ex.5. Write all types of questions to the sentences (напишите все типы вопросов к предложениям):

1. Green plants are producers.

2. Ecosystems generally contain many kinds of life.

3. The existence of an ecosystem involves a balance among its members.

Ex. 6. Speak about an ecosystem.

Text 3. HOW PLANTS AND ANIMALS BECOME ENDANGERED.

Memorize the words and expressions:

danger, endangered, to disappear, extinct, extinction, dinosaur, disaster, climate, habitat, to destroy, activity, to harm, to pollute, to threat, to survive, competition, harmful

Read and translate the text:

An endangered species is any type of plant or animal that is in danger of disappearing forever. Some animals and plants, like houseflies and daisies, are very common. They are in no danger of becoming extinct. But other species of animals and plants are very rare. Such species are said to be endangered.

Certain animals and plants have died out and new ones have appeared ever since life began on Earth. That is part of a natural process called evolution. Probably the best-known animals to become extinct by natural causes are the dinosaurs, which died out about 65 million years ago.

  Natural disasters or changes in the climate can harm or destroy habitats. But human activities cause many of the environmental changes that affect plants and animals today. Animals and plants need clean air, soil, and water, but people pollute the environment with garbage, car fumes, and factory wastes. Animals and plants also need places to live. The human population is increasing, and people are taking over natural areas to build houses, roads, factories, and farms. By clearing forests, swamps, and other wild places, people cause the death of many animals and plants.

The arrival of a new species in a habitat is another threat. Often the new species can spread freely because it has no natural enemies. The native species may not be able to protect themselves against the newcomer. For example, mongooses brought to Jamaica in the 1800s killed many animals native to the island.

The list of endangered mammals includes many large, well-known animals. Hunters have killed so many African and Indian elephants for their tusks that the animals are now endangered. People use the tusks to make ivory jewelry and other art objects. Several types of whale are also endangered. Other threatened mammals include the giant panda, the tiger and types of deer, antelope, and primate.

Many birds are also in danger of extinction: the passenger pigeon, the ivory-billed woodpecker, the largest woodpecker in North America, different types of eagles, vultures, and parrots.

Many amphibians have declined in number because of the loss of their natural homes. The Red Hills salamander, for example, is in danger because of logging in its habitat. People kill such reptiles as lizards, crocodiles, alligators, and snakes for their skins. The leatherback turtle—the largest living turtle in the world—is threatened by human collection of its eggs and pollution of the seas. The list of endangered insects includes several species of butterfly.

  The plant species under threat throughout the world range from tiny mosses to towering trees. As with animals, several different types of threats can endanger a plant species. For example, on the island of Bermuda, the Bermuda cedar, or Bermuda juniper, is endangered because of human activity and because of the introduction of a harmful species to the island. For centuries, people cut down the trees in great numbers to get wood for building houses, ships, and furniture.

Glossary:

Such species are said to be endangered – такие виды называют вымирающими

environmental change - изменение окружающих природных условий

mongoose – мангуста

juniper - можжевельник

cedar - кедр

Ex.1. Make up sentences out of the words (Составьте из слов предложения):

Example: plants/some/very/and/common/animals/are.-

Some plants and animals are very common.

1. need /and /water /animals /air /clean/ and /plants /soil.

2. environment /pollute /wastes /people /with /the.

3. numbers /cut down /great /people /the /in /trees.

4. threats /different /species /several /plant /of /endanger /a /types /can.

5. climate /destroy /in /habitats /changes /the /can /or /harm.

6. extinct t/their /become /changes /animals /environment /and /plants /when.

Ex.2. Fill in the articles where necessary (Вставьте артикли, где необходимо):

1. … endangered species is … type of plant or animal that is in … danger.

2. …houseflies and … daisies are very common.

3. Many species provide …useful medicines for … people.

4. Animals and plants need clean … air, … soil, and … water, but people pollute … environment.

5. … arrival of … new species in … habitat is … threat.

6. … hunters have killed so many elephants for their … tusks that … animals are now endangered.

7. …last dusky seaside sparrow, which lived in … Florida, died in 1987.

8. … largest woodpecker in … North America is very close to extinction.

9. … giant panda survives only in remote parts of … China and in … zoos.

Ex.3. Make up tag-questions. Answer them. (Составьте разделительные вопросы. Ответьте на них).

Example: Some animals and plants are very rare. - Some animals and plants are very rare, aren’t they?

1. Some animals and plants are very common.

2. Houseflies and daisies are in no danger of becoming extinct.

3. Dinosaurs died out about 65 thousand years ago.

4. Animals and plants rely on each other and their environment to survive.

5. When their environment changes plants and animals may become endangered.

6. The human population is increasing.

7. Many amphibians have declined in number.

8. The list of endangered species includes several species of butterfly.

9. For centuries people cut down the trees in great numbers.

Ex.4. Look through the text once more and change the given questions to the order of events they occur in the text:

-How do plants and animals become endangered?

-What threats can make plant species extinct?

-What animals are in danger of extinction?

-What is an endangered species?

Ex.5. Retell the text using the questions from Ex. 4 as a plan.

Ex.6. Read and translate the text.

ENDANGERED SPECIES OF ANIMALS

Gray wolf

Ever since Little Red Riding Hood, the wolf has been personified as a devilish creature and a threat to man. Exaggerated fears and loss of habitat may result in the disappearance of this great predator.

Cheetah

Even the fastest animal on Earth is defendless against poachers. In recent years, as many as 5,000 cheetahs have been killed annually. Today the wild cheetah is only found in a few east African parks and reserves.

Lowland gorilla

Despite its enormous strength and awesome appearance, the gorilla is a mild-natured animal. But due to loss of habitat and extensive hunting, one of our closest relatives is threatened.

Red kangaroo

Kangaroos are killed by the millions each year in their native Australian habitat. There people see them as pests competing with sheep for grazing land.

Cape penguin

The cape penguin is South Africa’s only resident and breeding penguin. Overexploitation of fishing grounds in this region is resulting in an overall decline of this penguin and other fish-eating shore birds.

Humpback whale

Unafraid by ships, the humpback whale was easily approached by hunters, resulting in dwindling population of only 10,000 animals today. Their playfulness and spectacular leaps out of the water make them a favourite among whale-watchers.

Green sea turtle

The green sea turtle, as well as all other sea turtle species, have been overexploited for their meat, eggs, oil and skin. Thus, their population is dangerously low.

Whooping crane

This crane once lived in the northern U.S. and in the coastal prairies of the Midwest. Today the total population of the whooping crane may only total 50, due to the spread of civilization.

African elephant

It is estimated that several hundred thousand elephants live in Africa. As many as 300 are killed every day to supply the world’s ivory trade. If this trend continues, the largest living land mammal could disappear from the face of the Earth – forever.

(lowland gorilla – горилла, обитающая на равнинах, humpback whale – кит-горбач, whooping crane – журавль-кликун)

What other endangered species of animals and plants do you know? Find information about them and make reports.

Text 4. Protection

Memorize the words and expressions:

impact, wild, wildlife, extreme change, to worry, landscape, to conserve, conservation, effort, to protect, to be concerned, law, to provide, safe, safety, to come up

Until fairly recent times few people were concerned about the impact of human activities on animals and plants in the wild. In the 1800s, as settlers spread throughout North America, their activities led to extreme changes in the landscape and in the amount of wildlife. As people began to worry about such changes they tried to come up with ways to conserve the environment. One of the first efforts to protect certain species of animals was the 1916 Migratory Bird Treaty between the United States and Great Britain.

Today several organizations around the world work to save threatened species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) was founded in 1948. It publishes a list of endangered species worldwide. An international program known as CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) protects endangered species by controlling the international trade of animals and plants.

In the United States the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) of the Department of the Interior is responsible for the conservation and protection of fish and wildlife and their habitats. The FWS enforces the Endangered Species Act of 1973. This law made it illegal for anyone in the United States to injure, kill, capture, or transport endangered species. The law also controls the trade of skins, feathers, shells, and live animals and plants.

Private organizations provide more aid for endangered species. Many organizations educate the public through magazines, lectures, Web sites, and television programs. In addition, many groups work to get laws passed to protect threatened species and their natural homes. Some groups take more direct action. The World Wildlife Fund helps countries to establish reserves for threatened wildlife. The Nature Conservancy buys and preserves land where endangered species live.

In some nature reserves and zoos, experts oversee breeding programs for animals that are not safe in the wild. Animals reproduce in safety and are then introduced back into their natural habitats.

Glossary:

until fairly recent times – еще достаточно недавно

Migratory Bird Treaty – соглашение о перелетных птицах

The International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) – Международный союз охраны природы и природных ресурсов, МСОП

CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora) –

Договор о международной торговле вымирающими видами флоры и фауны

the Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) – служба по охране рыбоводства и природы

The World Wildlife Fund – всемирный фонд по охране природы

The Nature Conservancy – комитет по охране природы

breeding program – программа по разведению животных

Ex.1. Find in the text synonyms for the words:

influence, specialist, some, extinct, help, to teach, nature, out of law, to keep safe

Ex.2. Find equivalents:

activity conservation illegal public way effort natural environment impact change control habitat protect landscape come up trade to conserve direct

контролировать путь, способ выступать, упоминать незаконный естественный, природный окружающая среда место обитания усилие сохранение торговля защищать деятельность сохранять пейзаж, ландшафт перемена, изменение общественный прямой влияние