UNIT 7. Energy technologies and their impact on the environment
COMPREHENSION READING
Task 1.Read the following words and word combinations paying attention to the correct pronunciation, write them down and learn by heart.
Diverse – различный, многообразныйTo deplete – уменьшать, истощать, исчерпыватьTo impose – сообщатьMankind’s survival – выживание человечестваSound – здоровый, надежный, правильный, безупречныйEnvironmentally friendly – экологически безвредныйA drawback – недостатокA trend – тенденцияTo oversee – следить, наблюдатьTo prevent – предотвратитьTo tune – настроить, подстроить, приспособитьAn existence – существованиеTask 2. Read and translate the text, define its main idea.
So, no single solution can meet our society's future energy needs. The solution instead will come from the family of diverse energy technologies that do not deplete our natural resources or destroy our environment. That’s the final decision that the nature imposes. Today mankind’s survival directly depends upon how quickly we can renew the polluting fuel and energy complex we have now with sound and environmentally friendly technologies.
Certainly, alternative sources of energy have their own drawbacks, just like everything in the world, but, in fact, they seem minor in comparison with the hazards posed by conventional sources. Moreover, if talking about the dangers posed by new energy technologies, there is a trend of localization. Really, these have almost no negative global effect, such as air pollution.
Moreover, even the minor effects posed by geothermal plants or solar cells can be overseen and prevented if the appropriate measures are taken. So, when using alternatives, we operate a universal tool that can be tuned to suit every purpose. They reduce the terrible impact the human being has had on the environment for the years of his existence, thus drawing nature and technology closer than ever before for the last 2 centuries.
Task 3.Give the full answers to the following questions according to the text.
1) What solution can meet our future energy needs? 2) Compare conventional and alternative energy sources. What are their advantages and disadvantages?
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) The mankind’s survival depends on how soon we switch to environmentally friendly technologies. 2) Conventional sources of energy are better than alternative ones. 3) Modern energy technologies have almost no negative global effect. 4) Appropriate measures can help prevent minor problems caused by geothermal plants or solar cells. 5) Non-renewable energy sources reduce the terrible impact on the environment.
Task 5.Discuss the topic “Ecofriendly technologies around us”. Do you use “green” products? Suggest your ideas concerning the ways to make our life “greener”.
VOCABULARY EXERCISES
Task 1. Find in the text corresponding equivalents to the following words.
Конечное решение, надежная технология, по сравнению с чем-л., экологически безвредный, малозначительное воздействие, существование человека, соответствующие меры, напрямую зависеть.
Task 2. Match each of the given words with its definition and translate.
| Natural resources | a large area of land that has never been developed or farmed. |
| Environment | valuable substances such as wood and oil that exist in a country's land and sea. |
| Air pollution | designed not to harm the natural environment. |
| Environmentally friendly | Toxic solid carbon produced by incomplete combustion of carbon-based fuels. |
| Soot | the introduction into the atmosphere of chemicals, particulates, or biological materials that cause discomfort, disease, or death to humans, damage other living organisms such as food crops, or damage the natural environment. |
| Wilderness area | the natural world, including the land, water, air, plants, and animals, especially considered as something that is affected by human activity. |
Task 3. Make pares of synonyms taking one word form A and another one from B.
A: diverse, to deplete, a mankind, environmentally friendly, a drawback, hazard, to tune, a concern.
B: an anxiety, various, a danger, benign, to reduce, a humanity, a disadvantage, to adjust.
GRAMMAR EXERCISES
Task 1. In the text find Complex sentences, define the type of subordinate clauses and translate them.
Task 2. Choose the right variant.
1) Sustainable future must ___ for the next generations.
A to be provided B provided C be provided D have provided
2) Wastes ___ into the atmosphere, water and soil.
A to be released B released C is released D are released
3) What would happen if we continue ___ fossil fuels at present rate?
A to be consumed B consuming C consume D to be consuming
4) Relatively inert silicon is sure ___ a major material used in solar cells.
A to be B be C to have been D ---
5) Scientists looked for the optimal way of ___ energy.
A obtaining B obtain C obtained D to obtain
6) The ___ pressure can cause serious fault of the engine.
A increase B increases C increasing D to increase
Task 3. Make four types of questions to each of the given sentences and ask your group mates to answer them.
1) A lot of money is granted as a support for the countries concerned to cope with the arising difficulties. 2) The level of pollution of farmland often exceeds acceptable standards. 3) Estimates should be made to know exactly how many plant species are in danger of extinction.
Task 4.Translate the following nominative-attributive groups, try to explain their meaning in English: future energy needs, diverse energy technologies, fuel and energy complex, air pollution, water pollution, noise pollution, thermal pollution, land pollution.
TASKS FOR INDIVIDUAL WORK
Task 1. Make correct sentences and translate them.
1) These, neither, nor, natural, technologies, our, destroy, deplete, our, resources, environment. 2) Negative, of, can, effects, be, and, geothermal, plants, overseen, power, prevented. 3) Using, than, alternatives, ever, draw, before, and, nature, closer, technologies. 4) Environmentally, are, for, friendly, survival, technologies, very, the, important, mankind’s. 5) Everything, the, has, drawbacks, in, both, world, and, advantages.
Task 2. Translate the following sentences into English.
1) Решить некоторые экологические проблемы помогут технологии, которые не истощают природные ресурсы и не разрушают окружающую среду. 2) Незначительный ущерб, наносимый геотермальными и солнечными электростанциями, можно предвидеть и предотвратить, приняв соответствующие меры. 3) Выживание человечества во многом зависит от того, как скоро мы начнем использовать более рациональные и экологически безвредные технологии. 4) Альтернативные источники энергии снижают негативное воздействие, которое оказывало человечество на окружающую среду в течение двух последних столетий. 5) Для постройки электростанций около Нортфилда (США) были вырыты три мили туннелей. 6) Почти 90% электроэнергии, генерируемой в настоящее время, является переменным током. 7) Считается, что ГЭС создают серьезные проблемы окружающей среды. 8) Оказывается, стоячая вода за дамбой создает благоприятные условия для насекомых, переносящих болезни. 9) Крупнейший потенциальный источник ядерной энергии – это термоядерный синтез, при котором ядра маленьких атомов соединяются и формируют более крупные ядра.10) Прогнозируя истощение запасов ископаемого топлива, эксперты основывались на статистике.
Task 3. Prepare the summary of the text.