ВОРОНЕЖСКИЙ ГОСУДАРСТВЕННЫЙ УНИВЕРСИТЕТ
ФЕДЕРАЛЬНОЕ АГЕНТСТВО ПО ОБРАЗОВАНИЮ РФ
WORLD AROUND US
ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS
Учебное пособие по английскому языку по специальности:
Геоэкология 020802 (013400)
ОПД 020802
ВОРОНЕЖ 2006
Утверждено научно-методическим советом факультета романо-
германской филологии протокол №1 от 23 января 2006 г.
Составители: Высочина О. В.
Черникова С.Н.
Пособие подготовлено на кафедре английского языка факультета романо-
германской филологии Воронежского государственного университета
Рекомендуется для студентов первого курса факультета географии и
геоэкологии
Данное учебное пособие подготовлено на кафедре английского языка
факультета романо-германской филологии Воронежского государственно-
го университета. Оно предназначено для студентов первого курса дневного
отделения факультета географии и геоэкологии, обучающихся по специ-
альности геоэкология.
Цель пособия – развитие умения говорения на основе чтения текстов
по специальности. Данная цель достигается в процессе решения следую-
щих задач: совершенствование умений читать иноязычный спецтекст, ис-
пользуя различные стратегии чтения (просмотровое, поисковое, детальное);
развитие лексических навыков; развитие навыков диалогической речи и
профессионально-ориентированных умений монологической речи на мате-
риале текстов по профессиональной тематике.
Пособие состоит из восьми разделов. Семь разделов имеют одинако-
вую структуру, каждый из них состоит из следующих частей: предтексто-
вые упражнения; тексты по профессиональной тематике; упражнения, вы-
полняемые в процессе чтения; послетекстовые упражнения, направленные
на проверку понимания прочитанного; блок лексических упражнений, на-
правленных на овладение профессиональной терминологией; а также блок
упражнений на обсуждение информации, полученной из текста. Восьмой
раздел представляет собой ряд упражнений, направленных на повторение и
закрепление пройденного материала.
UNIT I POLLUTION: A LIFE AND DEATH ISSUE
Text
Question Time
Quiz: What do you know about pollution? Answer the following
questions choosing a, b, c or d. Then count your score and see the results of
the quiz.
1) Which of the following 4) Many detergents and laundry
chemicals are not contained in an powders contain phosphates - why
ordinary computer and monitor? are environmentalists trying to get
a) lead; these phased out?
b) mercury; a) they may create antibiotic
c) arsenic; resistance;
d) dioxins. b) they can over-stimulate plant
2) The use of chlorine to bleach growth;
paper has been criticised as being c) they can cause the salinisation
highly polluting - but what envi- of farm land;
ronmental drawback does "totally d) they are poisonous to bird and
chlorine-free" paper have? plant life
a) it uses different chemicals - 5) Leaded petrol is one of the
but they create similar levels world's major sources of urban air
of pollution; pollution. What does lead poison-
b) it takes twice as much water ing cause?
to make it; it can't be made a) brain damage;
using recycled paper; b) liver damage;
d) it can’t be made using recy- c) hearing loss;
cled paper; d) all of the above.
3) Gold jewellery remains popular 6) A pesticide once widely used
- but which of these harmful on US lawns and gardens is cur-
chemicals is not a pollutant rently being phased out - to which
commonly associated with mining type of chemical weapon is it
the precious metal? chemically similar?
a) mercury; a) blister agents such as mustard
b) benzene; gas;
c) sulphuric acid; b) nerve agents such as sarin;
d) cyanide. c) blood agents such as hydrogen
cyanide;
d) none - no pesticides are similar
to chemical weapons.
Count your score and see the results of the quiz.
You got 5-6 right!
Well done - you must be an eco-saint, a chemistry expert, or both.
You got 3-4 right!
Not bad - your tank's only half full, but at least it's unleaded.
You got 0-2 right!
Poor - but lets face it, not a lot of people know this stuff.
Time for Reading
Read the text and complete the table below.
Environmental Problem
# Date/ Place Causes Consequences
etc
Can you add some other facts besides mentioned in the text?
POLLUTION HOTSPOTS
(i) Pollution is a worldwide problem which does not respect national
boundaries and is likely to intensify as the spread of industrial development con-
tinues. BBC News looks at some of the places around the world which are hard-
est hit by pollution.
(ii) The Arctic has a severe problem with persistent organic pollutants
(POPs). POPs are chemical substances which accumulate in the food chain,
threatening both human and animal health as well as the environment. Accord-
ing to researchers, dangerous levels of POPs have been found in the Arctic's air,
snow, water and wildlife.
(iii) It is thought that POPs, like the pesticide
DDT, are carried on air currents from the mid-
latitudes of North America, Europe and Asia.
Once they reach the Arctic, the harsh climate
causes them to freeze into the snow and ice,
where they accumulate and concentrate up the
food chain. These pollutants can harm many
animals, especially those higher up the food chain. According to some research-
ers, they may be weakening the immune function of mammals like polar bears
as well as causing reproductive problems.
(iv) The Prestige oil tanker sank near northern Spain on 19 November
2002, polluting about 3,000 km of coastline. The spill is estimated to have killed
300,000 seabirds, making it one of Europe's worst wildlife disasters. The eco-
nomic cost of the accident to fishing and tourism has been put at about 5 billion
euros (£3.4 billion). The polluting effects of the Prestige oil spill could still be
an issue today. Although a clean-up operation has removed most of the oil on
coastal land, there are concerns about the large quantity which sank to the sea
bed. WWF says it may release contaminants which could enter the food chain,
including into commercially caught species such as sea bass, octopus, shrimps
and crabs.
(v) A huge dead zone of deoxygenated water spreads across the Gulf of
Mexico every summer because of severe nitrate pollution. This dead zone is
completely uninhabitable for most marine animals, and in the Gulf of Mexico it
can cover an area of about 15,000 sq km. The Gulf of Mexico's dead zone has
been an annual problem for the last 30 years, because farmers in the Mississippi
watershed are using large quantities of nitrate-based fertilisers. These cause an
algal bloom in the water, which guzzles oxygen, suffocating other forms of
marine life. At the moment little is being done to solve the problem, and
according to conservationists, some locals actually welcome the dead zone's
arrival because crabs and lobsters are easy prey as they flee the deoxygenated
water.
(vi) The world's worst nuclear accident occurred
in what is now the Ukraine on 26 April 1986. A
reactor exploded in Chernobyl's nuclear power
station, killing at least 30 people and forcing the
evacuation of 135,000 more. The radioactive
cloud spread north over Belarus, where 70% of
the radiation fell in the form of contaminated
rain, resulting in the long-term pollution of 32% of its territory. More than two
million people used to live in this area - about a fifth of the population of Bela-
rus. The disaster led to a dramatic rise in cancer, leukaemia and birth defects in
the surrounding area, especially Belarus.
(vii) The shrinking Aral Sea is a trouble spot in
Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, because of over-
irrigation and pollution. It has shrunk from a vol-
ume of about 1,000 cubic km 40 years ago to 110
cubic km today. The mineral content of the water
is now seven times higher than it was four dec-
ades ago. The water is being severely polluted by
pesticides and fertilisers, which local farmers use on their cotton crops. Where
the water has retreated completely there is a vision of environmental apocalypse
- vast stretches of desert laden with heavy doses of salt and burdened with a
toxic mix of chemical residues washed down over the decades from the farms
upstream. Not only has this devastated natural ecosystems in the area, it has also
affected the health of the local human population. Malnutrition and conditions
like anaemia and TB are increasing. The rate of cancer of the oesophagus is
higher near the Aral Sea than anywhere else in the world.
(viii) According to the WWF, there are high con-
centrations of accumulated dioxins in whale and
dolphin meat sold in Japan. Dioxins are common
pollutants - produced as the result of many indus-
trial processes. They are unintentional by-
products formed by chemical reactions and com-
bustion processes. Dioxins are extremely toxic.
They can trigger cognitive disorders, immune suppression, endometriosis and
other problems in both humans and animals. These chemicals are an issue in
several parts of the world, and they can be what are known as Persistent Organic
Pollutants (POPs) which become more concentrated up the food chain. They are
stored in animal fat, which can pose a health risk to humans who eat meat in
problem areas. The WWF claims that dioxin levels up to 172 times the tolerable
daily intake were found in marketed whale and dolphin meat in Japan.
(ix) The enormous gas leak from a chemical factory in the Indian city of
Bhopal in 1984 was one of the world's worst industrial accidents. Nearly 3,000
people died in the first few days and tens of thousands suffered terrible side-
effects. A dense cloud of lethal gas escaped from the pesticide plant on the out-
skirts of the city and rolled into the homes of the nearby shanty town. Then
winds moved it onwards into Bhopal, a city of 90,000 people. The atmosphere in
Bhopal was declared free of the gas after eight hours. But the physical and psy-
chological ramifications of that short space of time on 3 December 1984 will
continue for a long time to come.
(x) China's rapid economic growth and soaring energy demand has caused
it to suffer from some major pollution problems. At the moment about two-
thirds of the country's power comes from coal and coal products - the cheapest
and dirtiest forms of energy. According to the World Bank, air pollution costs
the Chinese economy $25bn a year in health expenditure and lost labour produc-
tivity - largely because of the use of coal. Official figures say 400,000 Chinese
citizens die a year from diseases related to air pollution, and, according to the
World Bank, 16 of the 20 most polluted cities in the world are in China.
(xi) According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, over 100,000
tonnes of old and unused toxic pesticides have been abandoned in sites around
Africa and the Middle East. These chemical leftovers - including the DDT,
which is banned in many countries - can harm the environment as well as human
health. The scope of the problem is dramatically illustrated in Ethiopia, where
some 3,400 tonnes of obsolete pesticides - some of which are over 20 years old -
are stored at 1,000 sites throughout the country. In the western Ethiopian village
over five tonnes of DDT have been found. The residents had long complained of
nausea, respiratory ailments and headaches.
Did You Get It?
I.Which paragraph contains information about
Aa vision of environmental apocalypse?
Ba place where old and unused toxic pesticides are stored?
Cconsequences of economic growth and energy demand?
Dlocals who make profits out of natural disaster?
II.Answer the following questions.
1) Why is pollution a worldwide problem?
2) How do POPs get to the Arctic?
3) Where do POPs accumulate?
4) What are the possible dangers of persistent organic pollutants?
5) The main damage of the Prestige oil spill was to the wildlife, wasn’t
it?
6) Why could the polluting effects of the Prestige oil spill still be an issue
today?
7) How big is the dead zone water in the Gulf of Mexico?
8) Who is to blame for the dead zone?
9) Why is little being done to solve the problem of the dead zone?
10) When and where did the world's worst nuclear accident occur?
11) How did the volume of the Aral Sea change over times?
12) What threat do dioxins pose to humans and to the environment?
13) What was one of the world's worst industrial accidents?
14) What is the main environmental problem in China?
15) What disorders do people living close to the sites of toxic pesticides
storage suffer from?
III.What is the significance of the following numbers and statistics?
a) 100,000 b) 30
c) 90,000 d) 172
e) 110 f) 1/5
IV.Say if the following statements true or false. Correct false state-
ments.
1) The Arctic has a severe problem with DDT.
2) Persistent organic pollutants threaten humans, animals and the envi-
ronment.
3) POPs are carried from the low-latitudes of North America, Europe and
Asia.
4) The economic benefit of the oil spill near Spain to fishing and tourism
is about 5bn euros.
5) The large quantity of oil sank to the sea bed.
6) At the moment a lot is being done to solve the problem of the dead
zone in the Gulf of Mexico.
7) The radioactive cloud spread over Ukraine.
8) The volume of the Aral Sea is about 1,000 cubic km.
9) The water in the Aral Sea is being severely polluted by pesticides and
fertilisers.
10) Dioxins are found in low concentrations in whale and dolphin meat
sold in Japan.
11) The atmosphere in Bhopal was declared free of the gas after few days.
12) Coal and coal products are the cheapest and dirtiest forms of energy.
13) 16 of the 20 most polluted cities in the world are in India.
14) Africa and the Middle East are used as places for storage of the old
and unused toxic pesticides.
Words, Words, Words...
I.Match up the words to make collocations and explain the meaning.
• pollution • chain
• dangerous • rain
• food • apocalypses
• oil • pesticides
• dead • cloud
• nuclear • accident
• radioactive • hotspots
• contaminated • demand
• environmental • leak
• gas • zone
• energy • level
• toxic • spill
II.Find in the text the following.
a) a noun meaning “an area where there is some form of trouble” (para
i);
b) an adjective meaning “lifeless” (para v);
c) a noun meaning “illness” (para xi);
d) a noun meaning “a place, location” (para xi);
e) a noun meaning “implication” (para ix);
f) a verb meaning “to contract” (para vii);
g) an adjective meaning “unsuitable for living” (para v);
h) a noun meaning “a small amount of something that remains after
most of it has disappeared” (para vii);
i) an adjective meaning “no longer needed” (para xi).
III.Match up the words (column A) with their definitions (column B)
A B
1) to pose a) to cause something to happen, to provoke;
2) side-effect b) parts of a city that are farthest away from its center;
3) to flee c) to move away from something or someone, to with-
draw;
4) outskirts d) a substance that pollutes the environment;
5) to trigger e) to present;
6) to retreat f) to escape, especially because of danger or fear;
7) contaminant g) some amount of substance that remains after you
have finished using it;
8) leftovers h) the unplanned things that happen in addition to the
main results.
IV.Put these words and phrases in the correct order to form sen-
tences.
a. of; is dramatically illustrated; the scope; the problem; in Ethiopia.
b. the city; escaped from; the pesticide plant; a dense cloud; of; lethal
gas; on the outskirts; of.
c. chemicals; dioxins; extremely; in several parts; are; toxic; which; an
issue are; of the world.
d. levels; researchers; and wildlife; dangerous; of POPs; have been
found; air, snow, water; ; in the Arctic's; according to.
V.Choose the correct word.
1) Greenpeace is going to release a (n) ..............on water pollution.
A edition B issue C publicity D report
2) The tropical.............of Africa need to be protected from destruction.
A regions B states C places D sites
3) To improve the...............of the water, use a water purification tablet.
A standard B amount C quantity D quality
4) Acid rain has caused a lot of............ to Europe’s trees.
A wreck B ruin C damage D disaster
5) The ............. levels in this city are the highest in Europe.
A contamination B pollution C dirty D infection
VI.Choose the correct word to fit into each sentence. Make necessary
changes.
1.to pollute, pollution
1) The water _________ here. You cannot swim.
2) This factory ________ the air.
3) Fish die because of water _______.
2.to protect, protection
1) You can _________ animals if you send money to the World Wildlife.
2) The _________ of animals is the aim of the World Wildlife.
VII.Put the remarks of the dialogue in the correct order. The first two
have been done for you.
Leila Markham is an environmentalist. She is being interviewed on the
radio by Tony Hunt, a journalist.
Tony: One of the most important issues faced by the people is the ques-
tion of pollution. So tell me, Leila, what exactly is pollution?
Leila: Well, I would say that pollution is the accumulation, to a level in-
tolerable to the ecosystem, of undesirable elements in any one of the diverse as-
pects of the physical environment. Pollution becomes especially important when
it significantly alters the natural environment or when it threatens normal growth
and reproduction or the normal functioning of all life forms, including human
beings.
Tony: In conclusion I would like to say that the problem of pollution con-
cerns all people living on the Earth. Ask not for whom the bell tolls - it tolls for
thee, and for me. Thank you, Leila, and good luck in your campaign.
Leila: Actually, the scientists distinguish between natural pollution and
man-made one. Natural pollution is for instance lime, iron, or sulphur in water
supplies, smoke from forest fires, or dust from the eruption of volcanoes.
Tony: Those are terrifying figures. It looks like developing countries are
suffering from the pollution more than developed countries.
Leila: Man-made pollution includes those wastes in the water, air, or
other aspects of the environment for which humans are responsible. I have got
some statistics which I would like to share with you.
Tony: Well, chemicals seem to be a frequent pollutant. When we think of
chemical contamination it is often images of events like Bhopal that come to
mind.
Leila: It is true. For example, developing countries are sometimes used
for dumping pesticides. But on the other hand, the developed countries are also
paying the price. For example, contaminated land is a problem in industrialised
countries, where former factories and power stations can leave waste like heavy
metals in the soil. Agriculture can pollute land with pesticides, nitrate-rich fertil-
isers. And when the contamination reaches rivers it damages life there, and can
even create dead zones off the coast, as in the Gulf of Mexico.
Tony: The pesticide DDT, for example, does great damage to wildlife and
can affect the human nervous system, but can also be effective against malaria.
Where do you think, Leila, the priority lies?
Leila: Oh, yes. That was a horrible disaster. But the problem is wide-
spread. One study says 7-20% of cancers are attributable to poor air and pollu-
tion in homes and workplaces. Some man-made chemicals are blamed for affect-
ing some animals. And the chemicals climb the food chain, from fish to mam-
mals - and to us. About 70,000 chemicals are on the market but at least 30,000
are thought never to have been tested for their possible risks to people. The snag
is that modern society demands many of them, and some are essential for sur-
vival.
Tony: I see. Are there any classifications of pollution?
Leila: I am convinced it is up to us, the public, to solve the problem. As
far as the problem of pollution is concerned “there is no such place as “away” -
and there is no such person as the “other”. You can start by taking your un-
wanted waste to a recycling center, instead of just throwing it away. A good way
to influence big companies is to boycott any products which are harmful to the
environment. This forces the companies to change their method of production.
Also, try to use unleaded petrol because the exhaust fumes given off are less
harmful to the environment. If you are traveling in the city, don’t use the car, but
take public transport instead.
Tony: And man-made?
Leila: According to the World Health Organization 3 million people are
killed worldwide by outdoor air pollution annually. Most are in poor countries.
Diseases carried in water are responsible for 80% of illnesses and deaths in de-
veloping countries, killing a child every eight seconds.
Tony: OK. And last, but not the least question. Who should pay for pollu-
tion?
Leila: The industrialised world has not yet cleaned up the mess it created,
but it is reaping the benefits of the pollution it has caused. It can hardly tell the
developing countries that they have no right to follow suit. Another complica-
tion in tackling pollution is that it does not respect political frontiers. Perhaps the
best example to illustrate this - is climate change. The countries of the world
share one atmosphere, and what one does can affect everyone.
Tony: That will be great.
Leila: Thanks for attention.
Tony: That is quite reasonable if it is obvious who is to blame and who
must pay the price. But it is not always straightforward to work out who is the
polluter, or whether the rest of us would be happy to pay the price of stopping
the pollution. Do you think that there are any solutions of the problem?
Leila: One of the principles that is to be applied here is simple - the pol-
luter pays.
VIII.Read the dialogue again and write down the key points of the con-
versation. Act the dialogue out.
Time to Talk
I.Tell about one of the environmental disasters mentioned in the text
above.
II.Work in pairs. Use the information from the text, the dialogue and
your background knowledge to prepare an interview “Pollution.
What are we doing to our Home?”
Check your answers to the quiz.
1-D 3-B 5-D
2-C 4-B 6-B
UNIT II ENDANGERED SPECIES
Text 1
Question Time
Quiz: Species and extinction.
Scientists warn that human activities may be bringing about the sixth
mass extinction of species in the world's history. Test your knowledge of the
web of life.
A. There are 13-14 million spe- a) Resistance to pesticides
cies in the world. How many b) High levels of vitamin
of those have been recorded A
and described? c) Resistance to plant
a) 1.75 million disease
b) 5 million F. The Sumatran tiger is at risk
c) 11 million of extinction. Which
B. What is the biggest threat to everyday product is behind
species? the threat?
a) Habitat loss a) Hamburgers - the
b) Hunting, fishing and tiger’s rainforest home
collecting is being cut down to
c) Alien invasive species make way for cattle.
C. How many plant species are b) Paper – logging
used in medicines companies are
worldwide? exploiting the forests
a) 1,000 – 2,000 for paper pulp.
b) 10,000 – 20,000 c) Toothpaste – workers
c) 100,000 – 200,000 collecting an ingredient
D. Which country has the from the sap of a
most endangered plants in certain tree are
the world? disturbing the tigers’
a) Indonesia breeding cycle.
b) Ecuador G. Dinosaurs were wiped out in
c) Brazil the mass extinction 65
E. Wild wheat varieties found million years ago - or were
in Turkey have a genetic they? Which modern day
property valued at $US50 group of animals do many
million a year. What is it? experts say are technically
dinosaurs?
a) Crocodiles
b) Frogs
c) Birds
Count your score and see the results:
You got 6-8 right!
Species-swot - you fall asleep mumbling about invertebrates.
You got 3-5 right!
Not bad - you've visited a few zoos in your time.
You got 0-2 right!
Embarrassing - you barely know you're a hominoid.
Time for Reading
Read the text and match the paragraph with the heading.
i.Exploitation and disturbances.
ii.Why preserve endangered plants and animals?
iii.Habitat loss.
iv.Species’ categories as defined by the Red List.
v.What are endangered species?
vi.How many species are in danger?
THE RARE ONES
(A) Rare, endangered, or threatened plants and animals are elements of our
natural heritage that are declining rapidly or are on the verge of vanishing. They
are plants and animals that exist in small numbers that may be lost forever if we
do not take quick action to stop their (i) decline. If we cherish these species, like
we do other rare and beautiful objects, these living organisms become treasures
of the highest magnitude.
(B) The scale of the extinction threat facing animals and plants is made
clear in the Red List from the World Conservation Union. The Red List divides
all species into the following categories:
Extinct - Last known individual has died
Critically Endangered - Extreme high risk of extinction
Endangered - Species at very high risk of extinction
Vulnerable - Species at high risk of extinction
Near Threatened - May soon move into above categories
Least Concern - Species is widespread and abundant
(C) Estimates for the total number of species on Earth vary widely; there
may be 10 million, there could be 100 million. What is certain is the limited
number of species catalogued by science - barely two million. According to the
latest Red List, 15,589 species - 7,266 animals and 8,323 plants and lichens are
Critically Endangered, Endangered or Vulnerable. In other words, an eighth of
all birds and a quarter of all mammals are in jeopardy, also a third of amphibians
and almost 50% of turtles and tortoises are on the brink, too.
(D) Preservation of plants and animals is important, not only because
many of these species are beautiful, or can provide economic benefits for us in
the future, but because they (ii) already provide us many valuable services.
These organisms clean air, regulate our weather and water conditions, provide
control for crop pests and diseases, and offer a vast genetic "library" from which
(iii) we can withdraw many useful items. Extinction of a species could poten-
tially mean the loss of a cure for cancer, a new antibiotic drug, or a disease-
resistant strain of wheat. There are many examples of a species' value to society.
A new species of corn was found in Mexico; it (iv) is resistant to several dis-
eases of corn. An insect was discovered that when frightened produces an excel-
lent insect-repelling chemical.
(E) Loss of habitat or the "native home" of a plant or animal is usually the
most important cause of endangerment. Nearly all plants and animals require
food, water, and shelter to survive, just as humans do. Humans are highly adapt-
able, however, and can produce or gather a wide variety of foods, store water,
and create their (v) own shelter from raw material or carry it on their backs in
the form of clothing or tents. Other organisms cannot. Some plants and animals
are highly specialized in their (vi) habitat requirements. Some animals are de-
pendent on more than one habitat type and need a variety of habitats near each
other to survive.
(F) Direct exploitation and disturbances caused by human activity can
lead to extinction of some species. People exploited animals for food and fur. As
a result, some animals were hunted to extinction, others (vii) such as the grizzly
bear, maintain remnant populations. The presence of man and his machines may
cause some animals to abandon an area, even if the habitat is not harmed. Dis-
turbance during the nesting period is especially harmful. Disturbance combined
with exploitation is even worse.
Did You Get It?
I.Match the beginning of a sentence in column A with an ending in
column B to produce a statement which is true according to the text.
a) Rare plants and animals may i.are those facing a high risk of
be lost forever extinction;
b) Loss of habitat or the "native ii.more than one habitat type and
home" of a plant or animal need a variety of habitats near
each other to survive;
c) Direct exploitation and distur- iii.a species' value to society;
bances caused by human activ-
ity
d) Endangered plants and animals iv.divides all species into differ-
ent categories;
e) Some animals are dependent v.can lead to extinction of some
on species;
f) Vulnerable species vi.if we do not take quick action
to stop their decline;
g) There are many examples of vii.are elements of our natural
heritage that are declining rap-
idly or are on the verge of van-
ishing;
h) The Red List published by the viii.is usually the most important
World Conservation Union cause of endangerment.
II.What is the significance of the following numbers and statistics
found in the text
a) 2 million e) 1/8
b) 15,589 f) ¼
c) 7,266 g) 1/3
d) 8,323 h) 50
III.Say what statements are true and what ones are false. Comment on
the true statements and correct the false ones.
1) The scale of the extinction threat facing animals and plants is ex-
plained in the Red List published by the United Nations.
2) Least Concern species are those widespread and abundant.
3) Scientists know the exact number of species that exist on the Earth.
4) According to the latest Red List, it is the animals that are mostly
Critically Endangered, Endangered or Vulnerable.
5) A half of amphibians are on the brink.
6) Preservation of plants and animals is important because they already
provide us many valuable services.
7) A new species of wheat resistant to several diseases of wheat was
found in Mexico.
8) Humans are more adaptable than animals and plants.
9) All animals are dependent on one habitat type one.
10) People exploited animals for food and fur.
11) Some animals can abandon their habitat area because of the human
activity.
12) Disturbance combined with exploitation makes the situation worse.
IV.Complete the sentences below according to the information in the
text.
a) Rare, endangered, or threatened plants and animals are those
__________.
b) The Red List divides all species into _____________.
c) The number of species catalogued by science is ________.
d) In other words, _____________ are in jeopardy.
e) Preservation of plants and animals is important because they
__________.
f) The valuable services provided by these organisms are ___________.
g) Extinction of a species could potentially mean __________.
h) Nearly all plants and animals require ______________.
i) Some plants and animals are highly specialized in __________.
j) Direct exploitation and disturbances can lead to ___________.
k) Disturbance during __________.
V.Put the following words and phrases in the correct order to form
sentences.
a) in their (vi) habitat requirements, some plants and animals, are highly
specialized;
b) and, exploited, people, animals, for food, fur;
c) all, divides, into, categories, the Red List, species, several;
d) important, of, preservation, and, plants, animals, is.
VI.Text Organization.
What do the following words stand for?
their (i) paragraph A their (v) paragraph E
they (ii) paragraph D their (vi) paragraph E
which (iii) paragraph D others (vii) paragraph F
it (iv) paragraph D
Words, Words, Words...
I.Which animal ...?
Example: wags its tail and fetches sticks
a dog
1) has fur and whiskers and catches mice;
2) has a beak and feathers and builds nests;
3) has horns and is dangerous;
4) is supposed to be the King of the Jungles;
5) has a reputation for being stubborn;
6) has gills and fins;
7) can imitate human voices;
8) is the emblem of peace;
9) sometimes poisons, and sometimes squeezes to death its victims;
10) is the largest in the world;
11) lives in a stable and wears a saddle;
12) eats honey and is a popular soft toy for children
II.Match each animal with the sound it makes.
1. monkey a) roar 10. sheep j) bleat
2. lion b) cluck 11. elephant k) bray
3. dog c) meow, purr 12. pig l) hiss
4. cat d) chatter 13. donkey m) trumpet
5. horse e) crow 14. frog n) grunt, squeal
6. hen f) bark, growl 15. snake o) squeak
7. cock g) moo 16. duck p) howl
8. bee h) neigh 17. wolf q) quack
9. cow i) buzz 18. mouse r) croak
III.Match up the words to make collocations and explain their mean-
ing.
• natural • material
• endangered • endangered
• genetic • period
• habitat • heritage
• nesting • concern
• least • population
• remnant • loss
• critically • species
• raw • library
IV.Match up the words and word combinations with their definitions.
a) dependent on 1) keeping insects away;
b) a cure 2) to be on the edge, close to something;
c) insect-repelling 3) an animal that is able to live on land and in
water;
d) nesting period 4) a large reptile that has a thick shell around its
body and lives in the sea most of the time;
e) to be on the 5) not alive any more, dead;
brink
f) an amphibian 6) needing the help or support of something or
someone;
g) a tortoise 7) to terrify;
h) a turtle 8) time when birds build nests and settle there
to lay eggs;
i) a lichen 9) being not affected or harmed by diseases;
j) extinct 10) a remedy;
k) disease-resistant 11) a cluster of tiny plants that looks like moss
and grows on rocks, trees, walls, etc.;
l) to frighten 12) a slow-moving animal that has a hard shell
around its back.
V.Find in the text the following:
a) a verb meaning “to care for tenderly” (para A),
b) a noun meaning “ importance” (para A),
c) a noun meaning “danger; the risk of loss, defeat, harm, etc.” (para C),
d) a noun meaning “medicine” (para D),
e) an adjective meaning “able to change so as to be suitable for new
needs, different conditions, etc.” (para E),
f) a verb meaning “to leave completely and forever” (para F),
g) a verb meaning “to take away or take back” (para D),
h) an adjective meaning “very large and wide” (para D) ,
i) a verb meaning “to continue to live or to exist” (para F),
j) an adjective meaning “more than one, plentiful” (para B).
VI.Put the words in brackets into the correct form to fill the gaps in
the sentences.
a. Many scientists across the globe believe the threat facing global bio-
diversity is _______. (escalate)
b. _________ and habitat loss are pressures working against many spe-
cies. (exploit)
c. Human-induced climate change is _______ to be an increasingly sig-
nificant problem. (think)
d. There are many examples of species being ______ back from the
brink including the southern white rhino and black-footed ferret.
(bring)
e. According to estimates, amphibians are the most _______of all ver-
tebrate groups. (threat)
f. In total, 21% of amphibians are Critically Endangered or Endan-
gered, whereas the proportions for mammals and birds are only 10%
and 5% _______. (respective)
g. While most threats to biodiversity are human ______, human actions
alone can prevent many species from becoming extinct. (drive)
VII.a) Use the words from the box to complete the gaps in the texts.
A)
The project, which seeks to _(i)___ lion populations in Zimbabwe, is led
by the Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, University of Oxford, working with
the Zimbabwe wildlife department. Professor David Macdonald, director of
WildCRU, told BBC News Online: "People think lions are __(ii)___, but a
survey to which we contributed came up with a very different picture. There
may be as few as 20,000 lions left across Africa - a terrifyingly small number,
and a __(iii)____ one. The lions are killed by farmers, and by __(iv)____, and
it's mainly males who die. The situation is __(v)____ by the fact that lions live
in extremely complex societies. If you kill one male, the lion who replaces him
will usually kill his __(vi)___. And we found males serving three, four or five
__(vii)___ of females, not just one. So the take is completely unsustainable
because the consequences of one kill just cascade. We've managed to get the
__(viii)___ halved. Another project is trying to save the guanaco, an animal of
the high Andes which is thought to be the ancestor of the llama. Other species to
benefit include __(ix)___ in Malaysia, __(x)____ penguins, and fruit bats in
Madagascar.”
• prides • trophy hunters • plausible • South African
• protect • cubs • hunting quota • complicated
• common • orang-utans
B)
The Sumatran orang-utan and the Bornean orang-utan are the only great
__(i)___ to live outside Africa. These solitary apes require a huge amount of
__(ii)__ to survive. The fruits that they live on are ___(iii)___. The lowland for-
est __(iv)___ they inhabit are disappearing to make way for agriculture and oil
palm plantations by logging and fire. Less than 2% of the orang-utan's original
habitat remains. Sadly, even the national parks that should be safe __(v)___ are
now reportedly being __(vi)____ illegally. Consequently populations have de-
clined by more than 90% in the past century. There are thought to be less than
30,000 individuals, a decline of 30-50% in the last decade. Unless they are con-
served in well-managed and __(vii)____ areas, in forests connected by corridors,
they may well be facing extinction in the wild. Conservation organisations are
trying to help orang-utans by preserving sufficient habitat, but also by fighting
the commercial and economic needs that result in forest __(viii)____. In addi-
tion, action is needed to stamp out a widespread trade in orang-utans as
__(ix)____.
• well-protected • habitats • few and far between
• pets • havens • logged
• destruction • space • apes
Time to Talk
I.Using on-line resources make a presentation (10-12 sentences) of
some endangered species. Mention what is being done by people to
stop the extinction of a species.
II.Opinion Survey.
In your group organize a survey "What measure is the best way to protect
endangered species? Complete the table below and summarize the results of the
survey. Share the results with the teacher and the group mates. What measures
are the most popular/the least popular in your group?
Possible Answers Great idea, Pretty Only a fair Bad idea, I
I’d use it good idea idea wouldn’t
Measures use
a) Captive breeding
programmes in zoos
and aquariums
b) Creating wildlife
reserves
c) Fund-raising for
organizations
dedicated to saving
wildlife
d) Banning pesticides
and encouraging
traditional methods
of farming
e) Encouraging tour-
ism in countries
with endangered
wildlife habitats
f) Political campaigns
III.Question for further thought...
Can you think of a time when the human race becomes endangered?
Check your answers to the quiz.
A-a; B-a;
C-b; C-b;
D-b; E-c;
F-b; G-c;
Text 2
Species are being wiped out so fast that scientists say humanity may be
triggering the sixth mass extinction in history. How much does it matter and
what should we do? Should we protect all species or just the ones that are use-
ful? Can we demand that the world's poor to stop exploiting the ecosystems they
survive on?
Question Time
I.Discuss the following questions in pairs.
1) What animals you know of are in danger of extinction? Why are they
in danger?
2) Do you think that animals in danger of extinction should be saved?
Why, or why not?
Time for Reading
Look at opinions from different sides of the debate concerning the
protection of species. Read the text and say who the following statements
belong to.
a. Sustainable hunting has often turned out be a highly effective conser-
vation measure.
b. We have to prioritise how much we spend, and how to spend it to pre-
serve the most.
c. Creepy crawlies are the unsung heroes of the natural world, and we
know next to nothing about them.
d. It is downright silly to say we should preserve the world's biodiversity
in toto.
e. We are mucking about with our life support system - that doesn't strike
me as sensible.
VIEWPOINTS: SAVING SPECIES
1) Mark Smith, Species Officer, WWF.
“Animals do not exist for our benefit. They exist because they
evolved to do a certain job within nature. But if a species does
not benefit people directly, they often don't see a reason to
conserve it. We at the WWF are looking at it from an ecologi-
cal point of view: All species are doing a job, even if we don't
know what that job is. Removing a species from the ecosystem
is like removing a rivet from an aeroplane without knowing its
(i) function. Nobody would want to fly in that aeroplane - but that is what we are
doing to our environment. We (ii) are causing species to go extinct without
knowing what they do. As far as we know, this is the only planet we can live on.
We are stuck here (iii) and we are mucking about with our life support system.
That doesn't strike me as sensible.”
2) Ian Parker, author and game hunter.
“As many life forms are harmful to human well-being, it is
silly to say we should preserve the world's biodiversity in toto.
We want to exterminate Aids viruses, bacteria that cause tuber-
culosis, malaria that kill millions of children annually, and
countless other harmful pathogens. Our welfare relates directly
to eliminating harmful forms of life and we are unavoidably committed to modi-
fying our environments to suit our particular needs. Common sense calls for ac-
cepting that in many cases, this means exterminating some of its elements. The
challenge conservationists face is to keep them (iv) as few as possible, and
avoiding dogmatic claims that all must be preserved.”
3) Helen Saxe, Environmental Assessment Institute.
“If we want to conserve every species on Earth starting with
bacteria and virus and ending with the African elephant, we are
saying that humans should not inhabit this Planet. Civilisation
comes with a price. And few of us would do without the com-
fort of modern life. When we choose to preserve nature - and
we should - we have to prioritise how much we will spend, and how to spend it
to preserve the most biodiversity. This takes knowing the greatest threats
(agriculture, forest clearing, toxic pollution, climate change, etc), and putting
our money where it works. As we see it at the Environmental Assessment
Institute, it is all about prioritisation.”
4) Dr David Hutton, Chair of the Sustainable Use Specialist
Group, IUCN.
“One way to make conservation gains is to capitalise on the
importance of wild species in human livelihoods - and para-
doxically the sustainable harvesting of plants and hunting of
animals has often turned out be a highly effective conservation
measure. When we think of biodiversity we tend to think of the
obvious elements - all the species of animals and plants that we can see and
identify around us. Should we conserve lions? Most people would say yes, but
people in Africa are happy to see the back of them (v) if it means their children
can walk to school in safety. Conservation is a difficult business, involving
tough decisions and trade-offs. Ultimately it (vi) hinges on the goodwill of the
people who live with the “biodiversity” being conserved.”
5) Professor John Lawton, Natural Environment Research
Council.
“Beyond mammals, birds and plants, we remain remarkably
ignorant of how many species there are on the planet - let alone
how many are disappearing. Even for those plants and animals
that we do know about, we understand little about their (vii)