Пособие по обучению практике устной и письменной речи (начальный этап) на английском языке Под ред. О. В. Серкиной
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Myth 1: Wars, disease, and natural disasters will control population surplus. Myth 2: Technology and oceans will feed the world. Myth 3: Man is only using a fraction of the land. b) Read the facts below and see how they destroy the myths above. Myth 1: Fact: In five years of terrible war, population of North and South Vietnam grew by more than 3 million. Fact: A giant tidal wave killed more than 500,000 in East Pakistan in 1970, but this number was replaced in just 35 days. Fact: Improved healthcare and modern medicines have lengthened western man’s life-span by two decades since 1900. Myth 2: Fact: Green revolution is shot in the arm, but population growth is neutralizing food production giants. Fact: Oceans are 90% biological deserts, with other 10% in danger of being over-exploited. Myth 3: Fact: Much of the land is too hot, too cold, too wet or too dry for agriculture and human habitation. 5.11. Work with a partner and answer the questions about being eco-friendly.
5.12. Look at the pictures. Which of these environmental problems would effect you most if they occurred in the area you live? What action could you take as an individual to deal with the problems?     5.13. a) Work with a partner. Read the text about global warming and changing climate. Think about possible consequences of these processes and discuss them in details with your partner. The Greenhouse EffectAccording to the National Academy of Sciences, the Earth’s surface temperature has risen by about 1 degree Fahrenheit in the past century, with accelerated warming during the past two decades. There is new and stronger evidence that most of the warming over the last 50 years is attributable to human activities. Human activities have altered the chemical composition of the atmosphere through the buildup of greenhouse gases - primarily carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. The heat-trapping property of these gases is undisputed although uncertainties exist about exactly how the earth’s climate responds to them. Our Changing AtmosphereEnergy from the sun drives the earth’s weather and climate, and heats the earth’s surface; in turn, the earth radiates energy back into space. Atmospheric greenhouse gases (water vapor, carbon dioxide, and other gases) trap some of the outgoing energy, retaining heat somewhat like the glass panels of a greenhouse. Without this natural “greenhouse effect”, temperatures would be much lower than they are now and life as known today would not be possible. Instead, thanks to greenhouse gases, the earth’s average temperature is a more hospitable 60°F (15° C). However, problems may arise when the atmospheric concentration of greenhouse gases increases. Changing ClimateGlobal mean surface temperatures have increased by 0.5-1.0° F since the late 19th century. The 20th century’s 10 warmest years all occurred in the last 15 years of the century. Of these, 1998 was the warmest year on record. The snow cover in the Northern Hemisphere and floating ice in the Arctic Ocean have decreased. Globally, the sea level has risen by 4-8 inches (10-20 cm) over the past century. Worldwide precipitation over land has increased by about one per cent. Increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases are likely to accelerate the rate of climate change. Scientists expect that the average global surface temperature could rise by 1-4.5 F (0.6-2.5° C) in the next fifty years, and by 2.2-10° F (1.4-5.8° C) in the next century, with significant regional variation. Evaporation will increase as the climate warms, which will increase average global precipitation. Soil moisture is likely to decline in many regions, and intense rainstorms are likely to become more frequent. Calculations of climate change for specific areas are much less reliable than global ones, and it is unclear whether regional climate will become more variable. |