Active vocabulary of the text.

evident	['evid(ə)nt]	очевидный
vital	['vait(ə)l]	насущный
to spread	[spred]	разносить, распространять
pollution	[pɔ'luʃ(ə)n]	загрязнение
by-products	['bai prɔdʌkts]	побочный продукт
enterprise	['entəpraɪz]	предприятие
nuclear waste	['njuklɪə weɪst]	ядерные отходы
chemical fertilizer	['kemik(ə)l fɜtɪlaɪzə]	химическое удобрение
pesticide	['pestisaɪd]	пестицид, средство для борьбы с вредителями
to contaminate	[kɔn'tæmɪneɪt]	загрязнять
interference	[ɪntə'fɪər(ə)n(t)s]	вмешательство
acid rain	['æsid reɪn]	кислотный дождь
consequences	['kɔnsikwənsɪz]	последствия

Today I’d like to speak about the most evident and vital problem of our century. Long ago people lived in harmony with nature. So for thousands of years natural riches seemed to be unlimited. The poisoning of the world’s land, air and water is the fastest-spreading disease of civilization nowadays. It seems to me that it is the greatest danger to human life on earth.

One of the most important pollution problems is air pollution. The by-products of smoky industrial enterprises pollute air, water and land. They also destroy the ozone layer which protects the Earth from the dangerous light of the Sun. Many cities suffer from smog. Tons of poison are added to the atmosphere each day. In Cairo just breathing the air is very dangerous. It is equivalent to smoking two packs of cigarettes a day. The same situation is in Mexico City and some cities of our country.

To my mind the second important problem is connected with water. The seas are in danger. They are filled with poison: industrial and nuclear waste, chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Many birds and fish die because of the polluted water. Many fish are getting contaminated. Pond inhabitants are also suffering from human interference. Fertilizers bring to the growth of plankton and numerous remains of the died water lilies species. As a result of it the pond becomes stagnant and develops a characteristic evil smell.

Other problems are that forests and animals are under the threat. Our forests are dying from acid rains. This, in turn, affects the balance of nature. The regular winter protection of roads with salt results in sodium and potassium increase in the soil content. Due to such changes trees lose vitality, some may even die. Medicinal plants growing on roadsides are spoiled by wastes from road traffic. By the way numerous species of animals and plants can disappear.

An even greater environmental threat is nuclear power stations. We all know about the tragic consequences of the Chernobyl disaster.

As far as I know some progress has been already made to solve ecological problems. An international research centre has been set up on lake Baikal. The international organization Greenpeace is also doing much to protect the environment. All these steps are carried out to save life on the planet. They are not only for the sake of the present but also for the future generations. The earth is our home. What sort of home it depends on how we treat it.

Summary:You should be aware of all the environmental problems, realise their dangers and do your best to protect our planet!

Exercise 10:Answer the following questions:

1. Why did natural riches seem to be unlimited thousands years ago?

2. What is the fastest-spreading disease of civilization?

3. What are the main pollution problems?

4. Do the by-products of industrial enterprises or acid rains pollute air, water and land?

5. Is it dangerous to breath in Cairo?

6. What are seas filled with?

7. What affects the balance of nature?

8. Why are our forests dying?

9. What steps have been made in order to save life on the planet?

10. What are environmental protection agencies aimed at?