Depletion of the Ozone Layer

The protective layer of the Earth , the ozone layer, which protects the Earth from the sun’s destructive UV (ultraviolet) rays, is being damaged by CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons). They are released by the daily use of industrial and household products: refrigerators, air conditioners, foam insulation, cleaning chernicals, food packaging. In the ozone Iayer they attack the ozotre molecules making a “hole”. This “hole” allows more UV rays to penetrate to the Earth. It increases the risk of skin cancer, weakens the immune system of people. Besides, UV rays influence the oceans, the growth of plankton,. an essential part of the marine-llle food chain in the negative way,,reduce economically important crops (rice, cotton, soy beans). The life cycle is going to be undermined by the ozone.

Measures to Be Taken

We have'only a few years to attempt to turn things around. We must review our wasteful, careless ways, we must consume less, recycle more, conserve wildlife and nature, act according to the dictum “think locally, think globally, act locally”. To my mind, we are obliged to remove factories and plants from cities, use modern technologies, redesign and modify purifying system for cleaning and trapping harmful substances, protect and increase the greenery and broaden ecological education. These are the main practical measures' which must be taken in order to improve the ecological situation. Some progress has been already made in this direction. 159 countries-members of the UNO have set up environmental protection agencies They hold conferences discussing ecological problems, set up environmental research centres and take practical urgent measures to avoid ecological catastrophe. There are numerous public organisations such as Greenpeace that are doing much to preserve environment. The 5th of June is proclaimed the World Environmental Day by the UNO and is celebrated every year.

Vocabulary

Acid кислота

Acre акр

Alarming тревожный, пугающий

Average средний

Depletion истощение

Flood затоплять

Impact влияние, воздействие

Mist изморось, туман

Molecule молекула

Nitrogen азот

Plankton планктон

Pollute загрязнять

React вступать в реакцию

Recycle перерабатывать

Substance вещество

Отметьте предложения, являющимися эквивалентами русских.

1) Сотни тысяч лет человечество процветало в окружающей его среде.

2) Одна из самых тревожных форм загрязнения воздуха – это кислотные дожди.

3) Защитный слой Земли, озоновый, защищающий Землю от разрушительных ультрафиолетовых лучей, разрушается хлорфторуглеродами.

Вставьте пропущенные слова.

1) But now in the last decade of the 20^th century we are at a….

2) It results from the release into the atmosphere of….and …..that….with water droplets and return to earth in the form of acid rain, ….or snow.

3) The life cycle is going to be…..by the ozone.

4) The tropical rain forest is a natural…..,…..and…….for our planet.

5) Sea levels would rise by several metres, ……coastal areas and ruining vast…of …..farmland.

6) We must review our…., …..ways, we must….consume less, recycle more,…windlife and natyre, act to the ….”think locally, think globally, act locally”.

Закончите предложения, используя предложенные варианты

1)Environmental changes are the consequences of the

a) development of sport.

b) development of civilization

c) protection of the environment

2) Acid rains are killing

a) forests in Canada, the USA, central and northern Europe.

b) towns in Africa.

c) animals all over the world.

3)In the ozone layer CFCs attack

a) spaceships and satellites,making holes.

b) birds, killing them.