Прочитайте. Придумайте по 2 вопроса к каждому пункту
Lesson 5,
Ex.2
A. It may be a global issue,
but when scientists across the world are asked what the effects of climate
change will look like, they quickly point to our country. Of all the wealthy
countries, we’re probably in greatest danger.
Due to past carbon emissions the temperatures have
risen, but what we do between now and 2050 is crucial for the climate change
later this century and beyond. While government assessments predict over 250,000
homes may be at risk from rising sea levels, Greenpeace says climate change
will affect us beyond our front doors. Despite knowing the problems faced by
one of our best-loved tourist attractions, we’re still not doing enough to
protect the Great Barrier Reef. Though chemicals are damaging the reef, climate
change and global warming are the greatest dangers to it. A temperature rise
between 2 and 3 degrees Celsius would result in 97% of the Great Barrier Reef
being destroyed. Reducing greenhouse gases emissions must be of high priority,
even if the full consequences of this are not yet understood.
We’re the biggest coal exporter in the world. We might like to think that
our own global carbon emissions are small (2% of the global emissions), but
they’re much, much greater than that due to our coal exports to the countries
of our region like Japan, South Korea, China and even to the Netherlands. If we
had developed alternative, renewable energy sources, we’d have fewer problems
now. We should be replacing fossil fuels with renewable power. We can become
world leaders in solar, wind, marine and geothermal energies.
B. With so many land-based species endangered, ‘the
extinction crisis’ is agreed upon as a serious environmental challenge. We have
already seen a fairly disturbing loss of our biodiversity. A number of introduced
species have been added to the country’s native flora and fauna. The
biodiversity of this large Pacific archipelago is one of the most unusual on
Earth. The arrival of humans has presented a challenge for the native species,
causing extinction of several. Over 50% of the local bird species are extinct,
along with a species of bat and several frogs and a freshwater fish. This place
is second only to Hawaii in terms of proportions of species lost. The animals
are also in danger because of deforestation and – as a result – destruction of
animal habitats.
C. In 2010 there was an oil spill which is considered
the worst in the country’s history. It is estimated that over 205 million
gallons (gallon = 3,79 l) of oil were released into the Gulf. If the spill had
been stopped earlier, the damage wouldn’t have been so great. Many species
could be lost as a result. The beaches of Florida were contaminated. The
harmful chemicals caused health problems in people – especially those with
heart and lung problems. The real impact on the seafood industry will have
long-term consequences. BP (British Petroleum) has been suffering long-term
damage as they have been known as the oil company with the most environmentally
friendly image. D. It is
estimated that more than 1 million tonnes of textiles only are thrown away
every year in this country alone. The country consumes natural resources as a
terrible rate and contributes unnecessarily to climate change. Each year the
population generates approximately 280 million tonnes of waste, which causes
environmental damage and costs businesses and consumers a lot of money. The
government and the people are doing a lot to reduce the waste some of which is
reused or recycled. According to RecycleNow, the country’s recycling policy
saves more than 18 million tonnes of carbon dioxide a year – equivalent to
taking 5 million cars off the road! If more waste was reduced, greenhouse
emissions from landfills (places where rubbish is buried) could be reduced too.
Moreover, landfills are a danger to local ground water supplies. Every time it
rains, water drains through the rubbish, and picks up chemicals and hazardous
materials. The water collects at the bottom of the landfill, often in large
amounts and can become very toxic.
E. Polar bears
may only be around for another 100 years because global warming is destroying
their habitat. As the Earth gets hotter, sea ice melts, and this sea ice is a
huge part of the polar bears' lives. They use it as a platform to stand on when
they catch seals to eat, and also walk on sea ice to get to their homes - dens.
Already some polar bears, in places like Hudson Bay, are beginning to struggle
because of the effects of global warming.
The sea
ice is melting at a speed of 9% a year, and when it's all gone the polar bears
will have to find new ways of living before they become extinct. Other bears
have learnt to change their habits, but polar bears need the fat from seals to
get through the winter. Arctic animals like polar bears could be completely
killed off because they are also eating poisonous chemicals made by humans.
Scientists have found dangerous chemicals we make have reached the food chain
of animals in the Arctic circle. Poisons from plastics and electrical goods can
take years to break down and disappear. But they are carried along in water for
hundreds of kilometres. Eventually they get into food and water eaten by
smaller animals and fish. Inuit Eskimo communities are eating the food too,
which could seriously damage them. Most countries have now banned the use of
these chemicals in their plastics. But some - like Russia and the US - still
use some dangerous chemicals.
F. On 26
April 1986 one of four reactors exploded after an experiment at the nuclear
power plant northwest of the Ukrainian city of Chernobyl. As a result, a fire
burnt for nine days and at least 100 times more radiation than the atom bombs
dropped on Nagasaki and Hiroshima was released into the air. 25 years later, we
still don’t know the real effects of the disaster. From 2006 to 2009 a group of
scientists from different countries counted and examined wildlife including
insects, amphibians, reptiles, birds and mammals. The scientists say
radioactive contamination in the Chernobyl exclusion zone has a serious impact
on biodiversity in Ukraine and the neighbouring Belarus. According to their
research, the number of mammals has decreased. Scientists in Ukraine criticized
these conclusions. They say that because of the low level of human influence
the biodiversity has increased. Many scientists recommend that the governments
should turn this place into a wildlife haven – a natural laboratory where they
can study the long-term consequences of this kind of accident. One of the
scientists said, ”If people were more careful in general, the accident would
never have happened. Let’s try and be more careful at least now and not jump to
conclusions.”
