UNIT 8. Climate change and energy
COMPREHENSION READING
Task 1.Read the following words and word combinations paying attention to the correct pronunciation, write them down and learn by heart.
Sustainable – рациональный
To strive – стараться, прилагать усилия, бороться
To compromise – подрывать, подвергать риску
A threat – угроза
A climate modeler – специалист по моделированию климата
Unpredictable – непредсказуемый
To strike (struck, struck) – наносить удар
A drought – засуха
A flooding – наводнение
To blame – винить
Culprit – виновник, преступник
Legally binding – юридически обязательный
Current – современный
To stress – подчеркивать, делать акцент
Tough – трудный, сложный для выполнения
To implement – применять
Challenging – трудный
Task 2. Read and translate the text, define its main idea.
Energy and climate change are both global issues. Both are often discussed in the context of sustainable development: development which balances economic, environmental and social considerations and strives to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.
Climate change is one of the most serious threats facing the world’s environment, economy and society. Global temperatures rose by 0.6°C during the last century and climate modelers forecast a rise of about 3°C during this century. The rate at which the climate is changing will affect the world in extreme and unpredictable ways. Some areas will be struck by drought while others will be threatened by rising seas and flooding. Greenhouse gas emissions created by humans are blamed for these changes. The major culprit is carbon dioxide, which is released when fossil fuels are burned.
As a result of the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, developed countries have agreed that they will cut their overall emissions by 5.2 per cent below 1990 levels by the period 2008-12. This target is legally binding. The UK’s target is to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 12.5 per cent below 1990 levels by 2010 and has set its own target to cut carbon dioxide emissions by 20 per cent in the same period. Current projections show that the UK is expected to cut emissions by 15 per cent by 2010. In June 2000, the Royal Commission on Environmental Protection published its report “Energy – the changing climate” which stressed that much tougher targets would be needed: a 60 per cent reduction of carbon dioxide emissions by 2050 is needed to be in line with globally agreed targets. Implementing renewable energy technologies, along with energy efficiency programs, will help meet these challenging targets.
Task 3.Give the full answers to the following questions according to the text.
1) What is the reason of global temperature rising? 2) What projects are targeted on reducing of greenhouse gas emissions?
Task 4. Decide whether the given statements are true or false. You may use any of the following phrases:
That is true/that’s not true
I agree with this statement/I can’t agree with it
The information is correct /the information is false
There is no mistake in this statement /there is a mistake in this statement
1) Sustainable development is the one which balances social, economic and environmental considerations. 2) We may face the global temperature rise of about 0,6 ͦ C in the nearest future. 3) Quick climate change may cause drought in some areas and flooding in the others. 4) The change of climate is caused by greenhouse gases. 5) The Kyoto Protocol obliges developing countries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.
Task 5.Imagine that you are a Prime Minister. What would you do to improve ecological situation in our region? Try to say at least 10 sentences and let your group mates ask you some questions.
VOCABULARY EXERCISES
Task 1. Find in the text corresponding equivalents to the following words.
Предсказывать рост, крайне непредсказуемо, главный виновник, сократить выбросы, юридически обязательный, текущие прогнозы, подъем уровня моря, Королевская комиссия по защите окружающей среды.
Task 2. Match each of the given words with its definition and translate.
| Climate | a long period of dry weather when there is not enough water for plants and animals to live. |
| Affect | to make something happen. |
| Effect | to cause physical damage to something. |
| Projection | a situation in which an area of land becomes covered with water, for example because of heavy rain. |
| Drought | the typical weather conditions in a particular area. |
| Flooding | a calculation of the way that something will change and develop in the future, especially of how fast it will grow or become smaller. |
Task 3. Make pares of synonyms taking one word form A and another one from B.
A: flooding, lack of rain, strive, call smb. a culprit, compromise, to build, to create, frequently.
B: blame, excess of water, to make, drought, often, take pains, expose to the risk, to construct.
GRAMMAR EXERCISES
Task 1. In the text find Complex sentences with attributive and objective subordinate clauses and translate them.
Task 2. Choose the right variant.
1) It’s the best way of ___ sustainable future for the next generations.
A to provide B provide C provided D providing
2) Workers ___ in manufacturing of photovoltaic modules must be protected.
A to involve B involve C involved D involving
3) No air or water pollution ___ by wind turbines.
A is produced B are produced C to be produced D produced
4) Provided there were specific regulations, new pollution control devices ___.
A will catch on B would catch on C will have caught on D would be caught on
5) If plant material is not eaten it is generally ___broken down by micro-organisms or burned
A either B or C neither D and
6) Spending on energy efficiency is economically efficient ___ socially beneficial.
A but B as well as C although D than
Task 3. Make four types of questions to each of the given sentences and ask your group mates to answer them.
1) Traces of pesticides have been detected also in breast milk. 2) The most likely source of these bacteria is sea water polluted with sewage. 3) In this zone experiments may be conducted on alternative systems of land use.
Task 4.Translate the following nominative-attributive groups, try to explain their meaning in English: climate change, climate modelers, greenhouse gas emissions, carbon dioxide, fossil fuel, renewable energy technologies, energy efficiency programs.
TASKS FOR INDIVIDUAL WORK
Task 1. Make correct sentences and translate them.
1) Sustainable, strives, meet, needs, to, development, present, the. 2) Today, is, change, our, climate, the, serious, society, facing, called, most, threat. 3) Some, suffer, or, flooding, areas, from, drought, will. 4) Burning, gases, releases, of, greenhouse, fuel, fossil. 5) Implementing, will, cut, emissions, help, carbon, renewables, dioxide.
Task 2. Translate the following sentences into English.
1) Скорость, с которой происходит изменение климата, может повлиять на состояние нашей планеты непредсказуемым образом. 2) Главным виновником климатических изменений считается углекислый газ, образующийся при сжигании ископаемого топлива. 3) Из-за повышения уровня содержания парниковых газов некоторые области могут пострадать от засухи, а другим угрожает наводнение. 4) В результате принятия Киотского протокола в 1997 году развитые страны согласились сократить выброс парниковых газов на 5,2%. 5) Если биомасса сжигается, неизбежно образуются загрязняющие воздух вещества. 6) Если бы дровяные печи не были достаточно эффективны, мы бы не использовали их в настоящее время. 7) Гораздо меньше выбросов будет производиться, если будут использоваться более современные технологии. 8) Если бы земельные ресурсы расходовались нерационально, вскоре у фермеров было бы недостаточно плодородных полей для выращивания культур. 9) Вред, который радиация может нанести нашему здоровью, делает ее очень опасной. 10) Было почти невозможно предвидеть число жертв, оставленных ураганом.
Task 3. Prepare the summary of the text.
Task 4.Make a presentation on modern power plants that use wind, solar or geothermal energy, biomass or hydropower. Discover their advantages and disadvantages, consider their impact on the environment. Suggest some ideas about their future development and improvements.
Test exercises