poison

something that kills people or animal if it is swallowed

polluting

making water, air, atmosphere dirty and dangerous for people and animals to live in

greenhouse effect

it is a problem of a rise in temperature in the earth’s atmosphere

environment

air, water and land, in which people, animals and plants live

safe

not hurt, not in danger, not dangerous

waste

material which was used and is no longer wanted

a dump

a place where rubbish is left

a weapon

something that is used to kill or hurt people in a fight or a war

a population

a number of people who live in a place, country, etc.

ecology

natural balance between plants, animals, people and their environment

shortage

a situation where there is not enough of something

to survive

to stay alive 

   Прочитайте статью об аварии на Чернобыльской АЭС  и выполните задания А1 – А7, выбрав в таблице цифру 1,2,3 или 4, соответствующую ответу, который вам кажется наиболее верным.

     On April 26 1986, one of history’s worst nuclear accidents occurred at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power plant in the Ukraine (the former Soviet Union). At 1:23 AM, technicians at the Chernobyl plant allowed the power in the fourth reactor ( reactor -4) to fall to low levels as part of a controlled experiment, which went terribly wrong. The reactor overheated and caused a meltdown of the core. This resulted in an explosive force of steam, which blew off the lid of the reactor. Large amounts of radioactive material were released into the atmosphere. The reactor-4 explosions released more radioactivity than the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II. Most of the discharged material was deposited close by as dust and debris, but wind carried the lighter radioactive material over the Ukraine, Belarus, Russia and parts of Europe.

      The operators’ over-confident decision-making, a flaw in the design of the reactor, and inadequate safety systems are believed to be the major factors that caused the Chernobyl disaster.

     Many people were affected by this catastrophe. The accident caused 31 immediate deaths that were mainly the result of exposure to radiation. The main casualties were among those who fought the fires caused by the explosion. Once the fires were extinguished, a liquidating crew of around 200,000 people was initially employed to clean up the site. Later the number swelled to 600,000. This crew was exposed to high doses of radiation, which might affect their health in the long run.

      Many children in the surrounding areas developed thyroid cancer due to the radiation emitted. Many Ukrainians, Russians and Belarussians were evacuated and later given new homes in a different area.

     Today reactor-4 is buried in a cement tomb which was quickly built in order to allow the other reactors at the power station to continue working. However, this shelter is not strong and will not last and there are plants to replace it. Many people have suffered in some way as a result of the Chernobyl disaster and millions of dollars are still being spent today to contain reactor-4 and assure that no further radiation leakage occurs.

А1

The Chernobyl disaster is thought to be …

1. as serious as the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings.

2. a minor accident with no future consequences.

3. one of many similar accidents.

4. Europe’s greatest catastrophe.

A2

When the Chernobyl-4 reactor overheated …

1. technicians turned it down.

2. it melted the core.

3. the power plants was filled with steam.

4. it sealed the lid of the reactor shut.

A3

One of the causes of the accidents was …

1. the raising of the power in reactor-4 to high levels.

2. a design fault.

3. the installation of proper safety back-up systems.

4. the technicians lack of confidence.

A4

The reactor-4 explosion resulted in the …

1. spread of the heavier radioactive material by the wind.

2. immediate death of 200,000 people.

3. release of dust and debris into the atmosphere.

4. release of reactor-4’s cover.

A5

Most of the people who died as a result of the explosion were

1. firefighters.

2. members of the clean up crew.

3. operators of the reactor.

4. children.

A6

The members of the clean-up crew …

1. developed thyroid cancer.

2. put out the fires.

3. were subject to high levels of radiation.

4. were unharmed by the radiation.

A7

Reactor-4

1. is still leaking radiation.

2. is enclosed in cement.

3. will be replaced in the future.

4. cost millions of dollars.

A1

A2

A3

A4

A5

A6

A7

Варианты ответов

1

2

3

4

   Прослушайте текст “Why Don’t We Stop Him?” и выполните задания. В заданиях В1 – В6 обведите номер ответа, который вам кажется наиболее верным.  Вы услышите запись дважды.

     The Women’s Club had a meeting every Friday. And every Friday they invited someone to come and talk to them about important things. After that they had tea and asked questions.

    One Friday, a gentleman came and talked to the club about different problems of ecology. He spoke about air and water pollution, acid rains and the greenhouse effect and then he mentioned the growth of population and shortage of food. “There is not enough food in the world for everybody,’ he said. “More than half thee people in the world are hungry.”

     After that he spoke about cars and buses – their positive and negative effects. He said that cars bring help quickly and this is very important for the police and fire brigades and ambulances. Cars and buses do important work – they transport goods, take people to and from work. But they are very dangerous, noisy, expensive and unhealthy. And there are often traffic jams. They do a lot of harm to the city atmosphere and ruin the beauty of the countryside because many new roads are built everywhere. Though the cars are very convenient and comfortable and they are much faster than trains and boats, people don’t have much exercise. Everybody knows that it is much healthier to walk or to ride a bicycle. But fewer people every year do that.  Most of us prefer to go by car. “And there are more and more cars produced each year!” the gentleman said. “Just imagine a car producer is making a car every minute day and night somewhere in the world. How can we solve the problem?” he waited for a few seconds before he continued, but before he began to speak

 again, one of the club members, a young woman had a ready answer. “Well, why don’t we find that man and stop him?”

B1

The Women’s club had a meeting

1. every month on Friday

2. twice a week

3. every Monday

4. two times a month

B2

One of the ecological problems was not mentioned in the gentleman’s talk

1. air and water pollution

2. shortage of natural resources

3. acid rains and the greenhouse effect

4. the growth of population

B3

All of these  aspects are positive effects of cars

1. cars bring help quickly  which is important for the police, fire brigades and ambulances

2. cars  help to keep people’s health

3. cars  transport goods

4. cars  take people to and from work

B4

According to the young gentleman, the cars are dangerous for the people in towns and cities because

1. they are expensive

2. they ruin the beauty of the countryside

3. there are often traffic jams

4. they do a lot of harm to the city atmosphere

B5

Why don’t people need to  use cars often

1. everybody knows that it is much healthier to walk or to ride a bicycle

2. trains and buses are much faster

3. trains and buses are more convenient and comfortable

4. there are less and less cars produced each year

B6

How can we solve a problem of rising in a number of cars (according to the text)

1. to make them more expensive

2. not to built new roads

3. to find a car producer and stop him

4. to stop making cars at night

B1

B2

B3

B4

B5

B6

Варианты ответов

1

2

3

4

A1

A2

A3

A4

A5

A6

A7

Варианты ответов

1

+

2

+

+

+

3

+

4

+

+

B1

B2

B3

B4

B5

B6

Варианты ответов

1

+

+

2

+

+

3

+

4

+

B1

The Women’s club had a meeting

1. every month on Friday

2. twice a week

3. every Monday

4. two times a month

B2

One of the ecological problems was not mentioned in the gentleman’s talk

1. air and water pollution

2. shortage of natural resources

3. acid rains and the greenhouse effect

4. the growth of population

B3

All of these  aspects are positive effects of cars

1. cars bring help quickly  which is important for the police, fire brigades and ambulances

2. cars  help to keep people’s health

3. cars  transport goods

4. cars  take people to and from work

B4

According to the young gentleman, the cars are dangerous for the people in towns and cities because

1. they are expensive

2. they ruin the beauty of the countryside

3. there are often traffic jams

4. they do a lot of harm to the city atmosphere

B5

Why don’t people need to  use cars often

1. everybody knows that it is much healthier to walk or to ride a bicycle

2. trains and buses are much faster

3. trains and buses are more convenient and comfortable

4. there are less and less cars produced each year

B6

How can we solve a problem of a rise in a number of cars (according to the text)

1. to make them more expensive

2. not to built new roads

3. to find a car producer and stop him

4. to stop making cars at night