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CHINA PLAN TO PROTECT ENVIRONMENT

China plans to spend 1.4 trillion yuan ($175bn) over the next five years on protecting its environment.

 

The sum - equivalent to 1.5% of China's __1__ economic output - will be used to improve water ___2__, and cut air and land pollution and soil ___3___.

 

China has some of the world's most ___4___ cities and waterways. Beijing has often overlooked protecting the environment in the rush to develop its economy - but now it is paying the price, a BBC correspondent says.

 

A chemical spill in a river near the city of Harbin last year drew international ___5___, as water ___6___ to almost four million people had to be suspended for nearly a week.

 

Under the plan, sewage treatment plants will be built in 10 river ___7___ to ___8___ the harmful impact of waste water from cities. Money will also be spent on cutting ___9___ of sulphur dioxide and ___10___ in large cities.

 

The state-owned Xinhua news agency said money would be used to curb soil pollution, which has contaminated agricultural produce. The agency quoted Zhou Shengxian, director of the State Environmental Protection Administration, as saying that every year 12 million metric tonnes of ___11___ were polluted by heavy ___12___ that had found their way into the soil.

 

Task 4. For questions 1-12, think of the word which best fits each space. Use the words given below. You may use each word only once.

 

a. erosion b. attention c. annual

d. valleys e. quality f. reduce

g. dust h. levels i. polluted

j. grain k. metals l. supplies

Task 5.Answer the following questions.

 

1. What sum is China going to spend on protecting its environment?

2. How exactly is China going to protect the environment??

3. Why has Beijing often overlooked protecting its environment?

4. What event drew international attention last year?

5. What is the situation with soil pollution and agriculture in China?

 

Task 6. Work in small groups. Design a poster including ways in which we can reduce, reuse, and recycle waste. Your poster should be creative, colorful, and present at least two facts about pollution and two ways in which we can reduce, recycle, or reuse waste.

 

ADDITIONAL TASK.

 

Task 1a. Choose the correct words from a – d below and write them in the article.

 

Britain's Meteorological Office has (1) ______ that 2007 could be the world's hottest since records began in 1850. It based its forecast on several (2) ______ indicators including the (3) ______ of climate change and global warming. A factor adding to this year’s heat is the El Nino effect, a phenomenon in which major (4) ______ in ocean temperatures increase those on land. El Nino occurs roughly every four years in the southern hemisphere and is expected to be active again in 2007. The (5) ______ of these climatic conditions colliding this year is a rise in the average temperature across the world of 0.54 degrees. This seemingly represents a small variation, but is one which will certainly bring (6) ______ weather conditions to many parts of the world.



 

The world’s leading climate scientists (7) ______ agree that human activity is accelerating global warming. It is a fact that the world's ten warmest years have all occurred in the last twelve years. A United Nations (8) ______ on climate change predicted that global temperatures could rise by as much as 5.8 degrees this century. This could have catastrophic consequences for (9) ______ areas of the globe. The panel warned that if there were not significant cuts in greenhouse gas (10) ______ soon, especially from fossil fuels, there would be greater risks of more extreme weather. This includes more droughts, hurricanes, bushfires, (11) ______ polar ice and coastal flooding. It now seems it is more urgent than ever for coal and gas guzzling economies to (12) ______ consumption and seek more efficient energies.

 

1. (a) predicting (b) prediction (c) predicted (d) predict

2. (a) lock (b) chain (c) key (d) security

3. (a) rate (b) rating (c) ration (d) pro rata

4. (a) flatulence (b) fluctuations (c) flabbergast (d) flux

5. (a) offshoot (b) uproar (c) upside (d) upshot

6. (a) advocacy (b) advent (c) adverts ( d) adverse

7. (a) unanimously (b) unanimity (c) unaware (d) unassisted

8. (a) frame (b) deck (c) panelist (d) panel

9. (a) vista (b) vast (c) vastness (d) vacuum

10. (a) emissions (b) commissions (c) emitters (d) emissaries

11. (a) shredding (b) shirking (c) shrinking (d) shrunk

12. (a) kerb (b) curb (c) club (d) clam


LESSON 4

GREEN TECHNOLOGY

 

Task 1. How do you understand the words ‘green technology’?

 

Task 2. Explain the meaning of the following words and word combinations. Consult the dictionary where necessary.

 

1. recycling

2. organic ice-cream

3. reusable

4. to maximise

5. waste

6. drought resistant plants

7. eco-friendly

 

Task 3. Read the text.

 

GREEN DAY

 

The BBC Leicester Open Centre turned 'green' when it held an environmental conservation day to show people how to care for the environment in simple, fun and practical ways.

 

It was Environment Day at the BBC Leicester Open Centre on Tuesday 01 August. There was environmentally friendly advice, workshops and even free organic ice-cream! Stuart Brown, a Waste Management Technician, was available to tell people about Leicestershire County Council's recycling initiatives. They are trying to reduce the amount of waste people generate and maximise recycling.

 

Their schemes include providing free reusable nappies, reusable bags and subsidised composting bins to make it easier for people to do their bit. But how about reusing some of your rubbish instead? With a bit of imagination you could turn it into something new, like a basket or even rope. Clare Bull, a Recycling Community artist, ran a rope-making workshop to show what you can do with all those leftover plastic carrier bags.

 

Clare's work began with an interest in the aesthetics of using rubbish in artwork. However she soon realised that she was more interested in showing other people the environmental impact of their waste, rather than making art for art's sake.

 

Eco-house volunteer, Claire Burwell, was also in the Open Centre to give ideas on how to make your home more eco-friendly. The Eco-house encourages people to take away one idea from their visit to use in their own home, such as switching off taps when brushing teeth.

 

Severn Trent's Water Conservation Manager, Doug Clarke, ran an advice drop-in for people interested in saving water for financial as well as environmental reasons. According to Doug, people in the East Midlands are fortunate because the reservoirs are still full. But if we don't use water wisely, they will soon empty. He says "everybody can play their part, saving a little bit adds up to saving a lot".

 

Ady Dayman, from the Down to Earth gardening team, was at hand with information on drought resistant plants and tips on how to look after your garden in hot weather. He suggested using Mediterranean plants and water butts to get through the summer months.

Task 4. Find information in the text where it is said about:

 

– recycling rubbish

– saving water

Task 5. In your opinion, are these measures effective? To what extent? Can they be applied in our country and all over the world?

Task 6. Think of some more ways to reduce harmful effects on the environment. Write a composition expressing your ideas of saving the environment.

Task 7. Watch the video “Green Technology” and answer the questions.

 

  1. What Eco solutions are presented in the program? Are they effective?
  2. What are the reasons why we should recycle? What are the benefits of recycling?

LESSON 5


Date: 2016-03-03; view: 895


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