ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY. Материал к уроку.
план-конспект урока по английскому языку (7 класс) на тему

ENVIRONMENT AND ECOLOGY

Ecology is the science of how living things are related to their environment. Many people all over the world are concerned about the ecology today. The word “ecology” came from the Greek which means “home”. This idea of “home” includes the whole planet of ours. We must protect our planet from littering, air pollution, water pollution, destruction of natural resources.

Since ancient times Nature has served Man, being the source of his life. For thousands of years people lived in harmony with environment and it seemed to them that natural riches were unlimited. But with the development of civilization man’s interference  in nature began to increase.

Large cities with thousands of smoky industrial enterprises appear all over the world today. The by-products of their activity pollute the air we breath, the water we drink, the land we grow grand and vegetables. Every year world industry pollutes the atmosphere  with about 1000 million tons of dust and other harmful substances. Many cities suffer from smog. Vast forests are cut and burn in fire. Their disappearance upsets the oxygen balance. As a result some rare species of animals, birds, fish and plants disappear forever, a number of rivers and lakes dry up.

The pollution of air and the world’s ocean, destruction of ozone layer is the result of man’s careless interaction with nature, a sign of ecological crises.

Environmental protection is a universal concern. That is why serious measures to create a system of ecological security should be taken.

Some progress has been already made in this direction. As many as 159 countries – members of the UNO – have set up environmental protection agencies Numerous conferences have been held by these agencies to discuss problems of ecologically poor regions. The international organization Greenpeace is also doing much to preserve the environment.

But these are only the initial steps and they must be carried forward to protect nature, to save life on the planet not only for the sake of the present but also for the future generations.

VOCABULARY NOTES ON THE TEXT

1. nature – природа;
2. source – источник;
3. environment – окружающая среда;
4. interference – вмешательство;
5. interaction – взаимодействие;
6. to increase – возрастать;
7. by-product – побочный продукт;
8. pollute – загрезнять;
9. breath – дышать;
10. careless – небрежный;
11. harmful – вредный;
12. substance – вещество;
13. to upset – нарушать;
14. oxygen – кислород;
15. to prevent – предотвращать;
16. rare – редкий;
17. protection – защита, охрана;
18. to take measures – принимать меры;
19. to take care (of) – заботиться.

Dialogue

A: What are some scientists’ predictions about environment problems?

B: Scientists predict that by the year 2025 the population will rise 8.5 billion, and by the year 2050 it will double. Most people find these figures alarming. They are afraid that we will run out of land, energy  and minerals.

A: Are all scientists pessimistic?

B: No, not all of them. Optimists are sure that new generation will find a way out. Exploration and new technology open new reserves of minerals like coal and oil. Some scientists think that these reserves will go on for ever.

A: Do you agree with these scientists?

B: I think that such confidence is deceiving. If we go on using our natural resources as quickly as nowadays we will use up all the resources of copper, natural gas and oil very soon.

A: Is this the only problem of environment?

B: No, it isn’t. The problem of what we waste includes not only all the resources but our attitude to forests and species of animals and plants we destroy carelessly. Thus, we are facing a pollution crises.

A: What do people pollute?

B: We pollute the air we breath. Everybody sees smoke coming out of tall factory chimneys. Everybody can smell the gas from the back of a bus. In big cities thousands of automobiles and factories may add tons of poison to the atmosphere every day.

A: What is another problem?

B: Another problem is our sewage systems. The sewage from many houses of a big city pollutes rivers and lakes and may even make them die. The seas are in danger as they are also polluted. Even the ocean is falling ill. Fish and sea animals may disappear.

A: Is there anything we can do?

B: There is much that we can do. Factories can clean their smoke. Cars and planes can be done so that they do not pollute the air. The dirty water from the factories and sewage can be made clean again.

A: And what about the litter?

B: We must learn not to litter.

A: Must we? Is it possible?

B: Yes, it is. Old glass and plastic jars and bottles can become new glass and plastic. Old iron can help us to make new cars and refrigerators. Old newspapers

can become new paper. We can recycle most of things we do not want or cannot use any more.

A: what ought we to do to save the Earth?

B: For a long time people didn’t think of the future of the Earth. Children and grown-ups just must learn to take care of it.

VOCABULARY NOTES ON THE TEXT

prediction – прогноз, предсказание;

generation – поколение;

coal – уголь;

oil – нефть;

for ever – навсегда;

to deceive – обманывать;

poison – яд;

litter – мусор;

jar – банка;

iron – железо;

grown-ups – взрослые.

Ex.5. Answer the questions:

1.Is nature the source of people’s life? 2. For thousands of years people lived in harmony with nature, didn’t they? 3. Has man’s interference in nature increased with the development of civilization? What has it led to? 4. Why did some species of animals, birds, plants disappear from the Earth? 5. What is the result of man’s careless interaction with nature? 6. Has anything been done to solve ecological problems? 7. Is international cooperation necessary to create a system of ecological security? Why do you think so?

Ex.6. Read, translate and retell the text.

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 world we live in.

In this world around us,  there are two things that do not belong to any on 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, the water becomes dirty. Many birds and 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 polluted, 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 or healthier world, we must learn to protect the water, the air and the earth from pollution.