Baikal lessons. Your environments. Уроки Байкала. Твои окружающие среды. Методическое пособие для изучающих экологию на английском языке

YOUR ENVIRONMENTS. ТВОИ ОКРУЖАЮЩИЕ СРЕДЫ

A Resource Manual

for

TEACHING AND LEARNING ECOLOGY IN ENGLISH

A Compilation by: Tatiana Mouratova

TATIANA MOURATOVA ECOLOGICAL FOUNDATION

1.«Investigating Your Environment» (Teaching Materials for Environmental Education)

Developed by :

USDA Forest Service Pacific Northwest Region Public Affairs Natural Resource Education

2.«Earth Notes For Educators, grade K-6», issue number 1.

EPA Number: EPA22K-1001

Source: NCEPI NTIS Number: N/A 1991

3.The Program of the Conference"Alliance to Save Russian Taiga Forest»

USA Washington, Seattle

November,1995

4.«All around you»

Piter Ltd, Saint-Petersburg, 1996

5.«English for Students»

GLOSSA, Moscow, 1995

6. «Volna»

Ecological Education, Irkutsk, 1996—1999

7.«Atlas of Earthcare»

Gaia Books Limited, London, 1996

8.«Guide to Environmental Issues»

United States Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, 1995

8.«Siberian BAM Railway Guide»

Trailblazer Publications 1995

9. «EPA JOURNAL». «Looking Ahead at Environmental Education»

Spring 1995 EPA 175-N-95-003

10.«EPA JOURNAL». «Clean Water Agenda»

Summer 1994 EPA 175-N-94-002

11. UNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL, SCIENTIFIC AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATION CONVENTION CONCERNING THE PROTECTION OF THE WORLD CULTURAL AND NATURAL HERITAGE WORLD HERITAGE COMMITTEE. Twentieth session Merida, Mexico 2—7 December 1996.

12.«English for schoolchildren»

«Drofa» Moscow 1999

13. «English» N. Sikorskaya

Moscow 1992

14. «English for Managers» L. Salnikova

Moscow 1992

15. A Comprehensive Program of Land Use Policies for the Russian Portion of the Lake Baikal Region.

THE LAKE BAIKAL REGION IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY: A MODEL OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OR CONTINUED DEGRADATION?

A cooperative project prepared at the request of the:

Buryat Republic

Chita Oblast

Irkutsk Oblast

by the:

Center for Citizen Initiatives – USA

Center for Socio-Ecological Issues of the Baikal Region

Davis Associates

Russian Academy of Sciences

March 1993

16. BAIKAL AS A WORLD NATURAL HERITAGE SITE: RESULTS AND PROSPECTS OF INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

Edited by Nicolai L. Dobretsov

Publishing House SB RAS Novosibirsk 1999

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Economists have long thought of the environment as an unlimited source of resources. They have thought that the atmosphere, forests, rivers and seas are capable of absorbing all the rubbish the economy throws into them. In fact, the economy and the environment are closely related. The environment supplies the economy with all its resources, such as water, timber, minerals and oil. The environment has to absorb all its waste products.

Nevertheless, some economists have always argued that pollution damages the resources. For example, pumping waste gases from a power station does not get rid of them. The waste gases cause acid rain; this leads to forest damage an therefore reduces the resources of forestry industry.

There are many consequences of damaging the environment. One of them is acid rain. Another one is water shortage resulting from abuse of arable lands in agriculture. The third one is destroying the ozone layer of the Earth through pollution from factories and plants. The fourth problem is damage to water and soils. The fifth one is damage to wildlife: numerous species of animals and plants can disappear. Lastly, the most serious danger arising from damaging the environment is the result of the above-mentioned consequences. This is the danger for the life and health of the man.

The territories of the former Soviet Union are suffering many environmental problems. Many of these problems have been caused by economic activities. Apart from the effect of Chernobyl disaster, the worst problem is probably in the area around the Aral Sea. Cotton growing in the region has used huge quantities of water, and the sea’s level has fallen by 14 yards. This destroyed fishing industry and led to a damage in soils, crops and wildlife. Many forests in the north of European Russia and the Far East are under threat. A system of dams on the Volga has caused damage to fish.

If we are unable to learn to use the environment carefully and protect it from damage caused by man’s activities, very soon we’ll have no world to live in.

Topical Vocabulary.

an unlimited source of resources – неисчерпаемый источник ресурсов

to absorb smth. – поглощать

to be closely related – быть тесно связанным

to supply the economy with resources – обеспечивать экономику

ресурсами

to damage the resources – нанести вред ресурсам

to pump waste gases – выбрасывать отработанные газы

to cause acid rain – вызвать кислотный дождь

to lead to forest damage – привести к повреждениям

to reduce the resources of – сократить ресурсы чего-либо

water shortage – нехватка воды

to result from – быть результатом чего-либо

abuse of arable lands – неправильное использование земель

destroying the ozone layer – разрушение озонового слоя

damage to water and soils – вред водам и почвам

damage to wildlife – вред дикой природе

species of animals and plants – виды животных и растений

to arise from – возникать вследствие чего-либо

to suffer an environmental problem – сталкиваться с проблемой

окружающей среды

the effect of the Chernobyl disaster – последствия Чернобыльской

катастрофы

cotton growing – хлопководство

to be under threat – быть под угрозой

a system of dams – система плотин

to use the environment carefully – осторожно использовать

окружающую среду

to protect smth. from damage – защитить что-либо от повреждений

Answer the questions:

1.What have many economists thought of the environment?

2.Why do some economists think that pollution damages the resources?

3.What are the consequences of damaging the environment?

4.What environmental problems suffer the territories of the former Soviet Union?

5.What could happen if we don’t learn to use the environment carefully?

Translate into English:

1.Окружающая среда – это не неиссякаемый источник ресурсов.

2.Окружающая среда не может поглощать все отходы, которые экономика выбрасывает.

3.Окружающая среда обеспечивает экономику ресурсами.

4. Загрязнение окружающей среды вызывает кислотный дождь.

5.Загрязнение окружающей среды сокращает ресурсы промышленности.

6.Чрезмерное использование земель ведет к нехватке водных ресурсов.

7.Выбросы отходов в воздух разрушают озоновый слой земли.

8.Выбросы отходов наносят вред земле, почве и дикой природе.

9.Среди проблем окружающей среды на территории бывшего СССР последствия Чернобыльской катастрофы, проблема Аральского моря и другие.

10.Мы должны научиться бережно использовать окружающую среду.

Ecology– The study of the relationships between all living organisms and the environment, especially the totality or pattern of interactions; a view that includes all plant and animal species and their unique contributions to a particular habitat.

Ecosystem – The interacting synergism of all living organisms in a particular environment; every plant, insect, aquatic animal, bird, or land species that forms a complex web of interdependency. An action taken at any level in the food chain, use of a pesticide for example, has a potential domino effect on every other occupant of that system.

Climate Change – this term is commonly used interchangeably with «global warming» and «greenhouse effect», but is more descriptive term. Climate change refers to the buildup of man-made gases in the atmosphere that trap the sun’s heat, causing changes in weather patterns on a global scale. The effects include changes in rainfall patterns, sea level rise, potential droughts, habitat loss, and heat stress. The greenhouse gases of most concern are carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxides. If these gases in our atmosphere double, the earth could warm up 1.5 to 4.5 degrees by the year 2050, with changes in global precipitation having the greatest consequences.

Pesticide – A chemical used to kill animal or plant pests.

Smog – Air pollution caused by the mixture of smoke

1. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

The poisoning of the world’s land, air, and water is the fastest-spreading disease of civilisation. It probably produces fewer headlines than wars, earthquakes and floods, but it is potentially one of history’s dangers to human life on earth. If present trends continue for the next several decades, our planet will become uninhabitable.

Overpopulation, pollution and energy consumption have created such planet-wide problems as massive deforestation, ozone depletion, acid rains and the global warming that is believed to be caused by the greenhouse effect. The seas are in danger. They are filled with poison: industrial and nuclear waste, chemical fertilisers and pesticides. The Mediterranean is already nearly dead; the North Sea is following. The Aral Sea is on the brink of extinction. If nothing is done about it, one day nothing will be able to live in the seas. Every ten minutes one kind of animal, plant or insect dies out for ever. If nothing is done about it, one million species that are alive today will have become extinct twenty years from now. Air pollution is a very serious problem. In Cairo just breathing the air is life threatening-equivalent to smoking two packs of cigarettes a day. The same holds true for Mexico City and 600 cities of the former Soviet Union.

Industrial enterprises emit tons of harmful substances. These emissions have disastrous consequences for our planet. They are the main reason for the greenhouse effect and acid rains. An even greater environmental threat are nuclear power stations. We all know how tragic the consequences of the Chernobyl disaster are. People are beginning to realise that environmental problems are somebody else’s. They join and support various international organisations and green parties. If governments wake up to what is happening-perhaps we’ll be able to avoid the disaster that threatens the natural world and all of us with it.

Questions:

1.What is the fastest-spreading disease of civilisation?

2.What planet-wide problems have overpopulation, pollution and energy consumption created?

3.What will happen to our planet if present trends continue?

4.What is happening to the seas and rivers?

5.The Aral Sea is on the brink of extinction. Do you think it’s possible to save it?

6. A lot of animals are dying out. But people wear fur coats, crocodile handbags, leather shoes, etc. Are you for or against hunting?

7.Is air pollution a serious problem? Why?

8.What were the tragic consequences of the Chernobyl disaster?

9.Are nuclear power stations dangerous?

10.What is the main cause of the greenhouse effect and acid rains?

11.What do people of different countries do to save our planet?

12.Have you heard of Greenpeace?

The greenhouse effect

A greenhouse?

A greenhouse is a building made of glass, where you can grow flowers and other plants that need a lot of warmth.

How it works

The sun shines in through the glass and warms the greenhouse, and the roof and walls keep the heat from getting out.

Our greenhouse

The Earth is surrounded by a blanket of invisible gases (with names like carbon dioxide) that act just like a greenhouse/ The sun shines in, and the blanket of gases traps the heat like a roof, keeping it close to the planet. That’s good – we can’t live without warmth.

What’s going on

Factories, electric power plants, and cars are making a lot of new gases. Even trees, when they are cut down, give off the gases! These new gases are trapping more and more of the sun’s heat. This is called the greenhouse effect, or global warming.

What can happen

If the earth’s temperature gets hotter by just a few degrees, it could change the weather all over the planet in big ways. Places that are warm would become too hot to live in, and places that are cold would become warm. The places that grow most of our food could get to hot to grow crops anymore.

Even every kid can help stop the greenhouse effect by using less energy, protecting and planting trees, and by recycling so factories don’t need to work as hard making things. This book is full of tips on how to do it!

The ozone hole

The ozone layer

Up in the sky, above the air we breathe, there’s a layer of gas called ozone. It helps us by blocking out rays from the sun that can harm our skin, and by letting the rays that are good for us come through. We’re lucky to have the ozone to protect us!

What’s happening

Now the ozone layer is being damaged by gases that people have made. The gases are called CFCs, and halons. They are used in refrigerators, fire extinguishers, air conditioners, plastic foam, and some other things.

How it happens

The CPCs float up to the top of the atmosphere/ where the layer of ozone is, and «eat up» the ozone just like little Pac-Men.

Our mission

Scientists are very concerned about the ozone layer, because a lot of it has gone away in just a few years. So it’s very important that we learn to do something about it.

We can all help to stop the ozone layer from disappearing! For more ideas on how to do that, keep reading!

2. ACID RAINS

Every year more and more plants and animals disappear never to be seen again. Strangely, it is the most thoughtless animal that is causing most of problems – man. Nature is very carefully balanced and if this balance is disturbed, animals can disappear alarmingly fast. Every day, thousands of species of animals draw closer to extinction. There are countless number of species which may become extinct before they are even discovered.

In many lakes the fish are dying. Fishermen are worried because every year there are fewer fish and some lakes have no fish at all. Scientists are beginning to get worried too. What is killing the fish? The problem is acid rain. Acid rain is a kind of air pollution. It is caused by factories that burn coal or oil or gas. These factories send smoke high into the air. The wind often carries the smoke far from the factories. Some of the harmful substances in the smoke may come down with the rain hundreds of miles away. The rain in many places isn’t natural and clean any more. It’s full of acid chemicals. When it falls in lakes, it changes them too. The lakes become more acidic. Acid water is like vinegar or lemon juice. It hurts when it gets in your eyes. It also kills the plants and animals that usually live in lake water. That is why the fish are dying in lakes. But dead fish may be just the beginning of the problem. Scientists are finding other effects of acid rain. In some large areas trees are dying. Not just one tree here and there, but whole forests. At first scientists couldn’t understand why. There were no bugs or disease in this trees. The weather was not dry. But now they think that the rain was the cause. Acid rain is making the earth more acidic in these areas. Some kinds of trees cannot live in the soil that is very acidic. Now scientists are also beginning to study the effects of acid rain on larger animals. For example, they believe that some deer in Poland are less healthy because of acid rain. If deer are hurt by the rain, what about people? This is the question many people are beginning to ask. No one knows the answer yet. But it is an important question for us all.

Acid – A corrosive solution with a pH less than7. Vinegar is a common weak acid; battery acid is much stronger.

Acid Rain – You first need to understand Acid Deposition: a complex chemical and atmospheric phenomenon that occurs when emissions of sulphur and nitrogen compounds and other substances are transformed by chemical processes in the atmosphere, often far from the original sources, and then deposited on earth in either wet or dry form. The wet forms (precipitation) are popularly called «acid rain» and fall as rain, snow, or fog. The dry forms are acidic gases or particulates.

Questions:

1.This passage is about

(A) fishing

(B) acid rain

(C) air pollution

(D) destructive human activity

2.Every year thousands of species of animals

(A) are hunted for their meat and skins

(B) migrate to other places

(C) starve to death

(D) die out

3.Acid rain is caused by

(A) natural gas

(B) the ozone layer depletion

(C) acidic lake water

(D) emissions of industrial enterprises.

4.Which of the following is true?

(A) Dead fish in lakes is only problem caused acid rains.

(B) Scientists are sure that acid rains are not harmful for mankind.

(C) If we don’t make an attempt to stop acid rains we may never see some animals again.

(D) There’s no reason to worry about several trees that died of some unknown disease.

5.What was not mentioned in the text?

(A) Acid rain is capable of dissolving some rocks and stones.

(B) Fish are unable to live in the water containing acidic chemicals.

(C) Coal, oil or gas form dangerous combinations after being burnt.

(D) Scientists reckon that if some larger animals can be affected by acid rains, people may be in great danger.

6. Factory smoke

(A) stays over the factories.

(B) is usually clean now.

(C) turns into air.

(D) can travel hundreds of miles.

7. Scientists think acid rain

(A) is killing people

(B) helps kill bugs.

(C) fertilises the soil

(D) is killing trees.

8.The word bug in this context means

(A) an infectious disease

(B) a small insect

(C) a dangerous bird

(D) a small animal

Look for 10 words from the text «Acid Rains»

Insert the letters

– a_idic

– s_ientist

– c_emicals

– chan_e

– c_use

– e_fect

– we_ther

– im_ortant

– d_seas

– de_r

Translate into English

– Во многих озерах рыба погибает.

– Озера становятся более кислотными.

– Кислотные дожди – это разновидность загрязнения

воздуха.

– Кислотная вода подобна уксусу или лимонному соку.

– Некоторые разновидности деревьев не могут жить в почве, которая очень кислая.

– На некоторых больших площадях деревья погибают.

Up in the sky

When we look up, we see the clouds and the blue sky. But there are other things in the sky that we don’t see. Some of these are harmful to the Earth.

What happens

When power plants burn coal to make electricity, and when cars burn gasoline, invisible gases are released into the air. Some of these gases can mix water and make it acidic, like lemon juice or vinegar.

What can happen

Sometimes the gases get into rain clouds, where they get mixed in with rain or snow. Then the acid falls back to earth with the rain or snow. This is called acid rain.

Bad news

Acid rain is extremely harmful to plants, rivers and lakes, and the creatures that live in them. In some places it is killing forests. And it pollutes the water that animals and people need to drink.

Our mission

It’s very important for us to stop making acid rain. One good way to do that is to drive our cars less. Another good way is to save energy. The less energy we use, the less coal those power plants will have to burn.

You and your family can save energy in lots of ways. Saving energy means saving the Earth. To find out more about what you.

3. POLLUTION

Man has been trying to make his life easier for many centuries. In doing so, he invented machines and instruments. They have been working – and polluting the world we live in.

In this world around us, there are two things that do not belong to any one country: air and ocean water. In both the air and the water, there is much pollution. People are concerned about the air and the water used by everyone, and they are also concerned about the future of the Earth.

One of the most important pollution problems is in the oceans. Many ships sail in the ocean water – fishing ships, some ships carrying people, some carrying oil. If a ship loses some of the oil in the water, or trash from the ships is put into the ocean, the water becomes dirty. Many fish are dying in the sea, others are getting contaminated. Fishermen catch contaminated fish which may be sold in markets and people may get sick from eating them. Fish may also move to another part of the ocean. Lakes and rivers are getting, too. Some beaches are considered dangerous for swimming.

The second important problem is air pollution.

Cars and factories pollute the air we use. It also destroys the ozone layer which protects the Earth from the dangerous light of the Sun.

Another problem is that our forests are dying from acid rain.

This, in turn, affects the balance of nature.

If we want our children to live in the same world we live in, or in a better and healthier world, we must learn to protect the water, the air and the earth from pollution.

Topical Vocabulary

to invent machines and instruments – изобретать машины и

инструменты

to pollute – загрязнять

to be concerned about – беспокоиться о чем-либо

to put trash into – сбрасывать мусор

the polluted water – загрязненная вода

to get contaminated – быть отравленным

air pollution – загрязнение воздуха