Government measures to control environmental pollution are long established and are complimentary to the planning system to conserve the country's heritage.
The Control of Pollution Act 1974, which applies to England, Scotland and Wales, sets out a wide range of powers and duties for local authorities, including control over wastes, air and water pollution and noise. It contains important provisions on the release of information on environmental conditions to thepublic.
The Act also increases the penalties for a large number of pollution offences. The
provisions relating to noise and air pollution are fully in force, as are a substantial
number of those relating to waste on land. Similar legislation applies in Northern
Ireland.
1. What are the government measures to control environmental pollution in Great Britain?
2. Are there any similar measures taken in our country?
Ex.6.Прочитайте текст и озаглавьте его:
In the past wars left their scars only where they were waged and did not affect the atmosphere or the World Ocean. The impact of nuclear weapons is global and will affect land, air and sea environment. Nuclear explosions on the ground will cause irreversible changes inthe chemical composition of the upper atmosphere. Life on the Earth is impossible without ozone. This gas, concentrated chiefly in the stratosphere (at an altitude of 10—50 kilometers), creates an "ozone shield" which protects life on the planet from the deadly impact of harsh ultraviolet radiation from the Sun.
Observations of anomalous phenomena in the atmosphere and data on weather and climatic changes in the period between 1958 and 1962, when the most powerful atmospheric nuclear tests were held, indicate that nuclear conflict would bring about an ecological disaster and the death of civilization on the Earth.
Text B
POLLUTION
Scientific and technological progress has resulted in man’s intervention in nature. And man’s activity has created the threat to the environment. Many scientists consider that our world is going through a global ecological crisis which will lead to a gradual destruction of the human race. Factors ignored today may turn out to be very dangerous for the environment. All these problems are studied by ecology.
Modern ecology is based on Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Geography, Technology and other sciences.
At present we often hear about air pollution. Air pollution is a major problem of the environment. The air we breathe is becoming polluted by the products of man’s activities. At present the air contains 140 harmful substances: dust, smoke, soot, carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide, nitric oxide, etc. Industry and transport are major sources of environmental pollution. The air of big cities is polluted greatly.
Plants and factories on our planet emit more than 250 million tons of toxic waste. The main air pollutants in cities are automobiles. Every car consumes many tons of air. It exhausts gases containing poisonous carbon dioxide. This gas prevents the emission of the Earth’s heat into space, which results in the so called “greenhouse effect” and global warming.
Water is considered to be the most essential material of civilization. Man cannot live and industry cannot operate without water. Rivers, seas and lakes are becoming highly polluted. This pollution comes from many sources: industrial wastes, thermal wastes from power stations, domestic wastes. Ships often pollute sea and river water with oil products. Pesticides from agricultural waste water and dangerous bacteria in municipal waste water discharges are also responsible for water pollution. Water pollution is harmful not only to people, but to fish, animals and birds as well.
Soil pollution is another current problem. The destruction of forests, rising salinity in the soil and erosion of farmlands affects soil fertility. Fruit and vegetables polluted with chemicals may affect people’s health.
Technological progress has resulted in increasing noise levels. High levels of noise at factories reduce work efficiency and may be dangerous for the workers’ health. Special laboratories have been set up to measure and control noise.
The end of the 20th century has brought man a number of natural and manmade disasters. Among them one can mention collisions and explosions of tankers in the sea, explosions and leakage of chemicals at industrial enterprises and accidents at nuclear power plants. Oil pollution of the sea has become a serious problem as well as the radioactive fallout. Chemical and radioactive pollution affects flora and fauna. People are developing dangerous illnesses.
Protection of natural environment is becoming increasingly important. A good deal of work in observing and estimating man’s impact on the biosphere is carried out by a number of international organizations. They develop programs of monitoring global changes in the earth atmosphere and in the state of the World Ocean. There are many control stations for checking the quality of air, land, fresh water and sea water. All large factories have purification systems.
Scientists all over the world develop ecologically pure and no-waste technologies. Powerful electric filters are used to purify air and water.
As to the automobiles, they will use environmentally friendly fuel-cells and electric cars have already appeared on the roads. All these measures will help to protect the environment.
There are over 150 “super cities” in the world with population from 1 to 15 million and more. Tokyo, New York, London, Mexico, Moscow are just a few of the “super cities”. Their number and size is growing rapidly and their population is increasingly affected by the polluted environment. Smog hanging over large cities is a major threat to human health. The environmental problems of “super cities” is a cause for concern of world scientists.
Vocabulary
intervention - вмешательство
threat - угроза
destruction - разрушение
pollution - загрязнение
soot - сажа
to consume - потреблять
emission - выпуск
waste - выброс
salinity - кислотность
fertility - плодородие
collision - столкновение
leakage - утечка
estimating - оценка
impact - влияние
purification - очищение
concern - беспокойство
Ex.1. Ответьте на вопросы:
1. What sciences is modern ecology based on?
2. What does the future of our planet depend on?
3. Is our world going through a global ecological crisis?
4. Has man’s activity created a threat to the environment?
5. What problems does ecology study?
6. What harmful substances does the air contain?
7. What is “the greenhouse effect”?
8. What are the main sources of soil pollution?
9. What affects soil fertility?
10. Why do people not want to live near airports?
11. What measures are taken to reduce noise?
12. What has the end of the 20th century brought with it?
13. What does chemical and radioactive pollution affect?
14. What factors affect man’s health?
15. What disasters does the polluted environment bring?
16. Which ecological disaster do you consider the most dangerous?
17. What kind of work do international organizations carry out?
18. What do the scientists all over the world develop?
19. How many “super-cities” are there in the world? Name some of them.
Ex.2. Выберите правильный ответ:
1. Man’s activity has created the … to the environment.
a) goal b) state c) threat d) benefit
2. Water is considered to be the most … material of civilization.
a) essential b) harmful c) indefinite d) fluid
3. The pollution comes from many …: industrial wastes, thermal wastes, domestic wastes.
a) countries b) sources c) questions d) reasons
4. Carbon dioxide … the emission of the earth’s heat into space which results in the so-called “greenhouse effect” and global warming.
a) helps b) produces c) escapes d) prevents
5. High levels of noise at factories … work efficiency and may be … for the workers’ health.
a) estimate, good b) increase, destructive c) reduce, dangerous d) rise, helpful
6. The main air pollutants in big cities are ….
a) automobiles b) smoking people c) factories d) animals
7. At present the air contains around 140 … substances: dust, smoke, soot, carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide, nitric oxide, etc.
a) beautiful b) bad c) harmful d) strong
8. … often pollute sea and river water with oil products.
a) cars b) ships c) boats d) sailing vessels
9. Scientists all over the world develop ecologically pure and … technologies.
a) direct b) no-pollute c) comfortable d) no-waste
10. The major threat to human health is … hanging over “super-cities’.
a) smog b) fog c) frog d) cloud
Ex.3. Составьте предложения, используя данные слова и словосочетания:
1.Sciences; is based on; physics, chemistry, biology, geography; as; ecology; such; modern; and others.
2.Pollution; not only; water; is harmful; to fish, animals, birds; as well; to people; but.
3.Essential; water; civilization; is; material; the most; of; considered to be.
4.Have; factories; all; purification; large; systems.