Текст книги "Практический курс английского языка 3 курс"

Автор книги: Владимир Аракин

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Transport is one of the main offenders in noise pollution, and control measures are aimed at reducing noise at source, through

requirements limiting the noise that aircraft and motor vehicles may make, and by protecting people from its effects.

In Britain radiation resulting from industrial and other processes represents only a small fraction of that to which the population is

exposed from the natural environment. Nevertheless, that fraction is subject to stringent control because of possible effects on health

or longer-term genetic effects.

Various methods are used to store radioactive wastes, depending primarily upon their physical form and radioactivity. Wastes of

sufficiently low radioactivity are dispersed safely direct to the environment. For those of higher radioactivity a comprehensive, inter-

national research programme is being carried out with government assistance and with the participation of the nuclear industry into

methods of treatment, storage, transport and disposal.

2. Answer the following questions:

1. What are the major environmental problems confronting Britain today? 2. What powers and duties for control authorities are set

out by the Control of Pollution Act 1 9 7 4 ? 3. What measures are taken to fight land pollution? 4. What are the main treatment

methods applied to reduce water pollution? 5. What facts prove that a certain progress has been made towards cleaner air? 6. What

operational measures have been introduced to reduce noise disturbance? 7. What operational measures have been introduced to

store radioactive wastes? 8. What do you think are the responsibilities of nature conservation authorities and voluntary organizations

in Britain? 9. Why do you think people should be concerned about protecting environment from pollution and from destruction of

natural resources?

3. Summarize the text in three paragraphs specifying the necessity of fighting environmental pollution on a wide scale.

4. Use the Topical Vocabulary in answering the following questions:

1. What are the major environmental issues confronting humanity today? 2. What is the global imperative for environment as you

see i t ? 3. Why are many people concerned about ecology today? Why do we say that every man should be environment-conscious

and environment-educated? 4. On what basis should the "man-na– ture" relationship function? 5. What are the steps undertaken by the

governments (authorities) of many countries to protect environment? 6. What do you know about the practical results of the

international cooperation in environmental protection? 7. How does the state control nature conservation and environmental protection

in our country? 8. What role should mass media play in environmental protection?

5. Give a short newspaper review on one of the major issues of environmental protection. Refer to the Topical Vocabulary. Remember that your

review should appeal to the interests and attitudes of the intended reader. It can be neutral, descriptive, emotional. Choose the facts to prove your

viewpoint. Reproduce your story in class.

M o d e l :

Wild Flowers and the Law

All the protection that the law can effectively give to our wild flowers is likely to be provided by the Wild Plants Protection Bill, which

is due for its second reading in the Lords shortly. If the Bill reaches the Statute Book, as is probable, it will become an offence to sell,

offer or expose for sale any wild plant that has been picked or uprooted, and for anyone other than an authorized person wil fully to

uproot any wild plant. Picking of wild flowers will not be prohibited unless they are sold, or are included in the Bill's schedule of rare

species. The Bill has rightly been widely welcomed because so many of Britain' wild plants are already in danger of disappearing, and

it is high time that the law recognized the need for their conservation. It would, however, be self-deception to suppose that the Bill by

itself can provide the protection that is needed. Measures of this kind, which are concerned with the actions of individuals, either

greedy or ignorant, in remote and lonely places, are extremely difficult to enforce. If our rare plants are to be saved, only the greatest

vigilance, in and outside the nature reserves, will save them.

6. You are asked to tell a group of foreign students (schoolchildren) about the nature conservation and environment protection in your country.

You should cover the subject in about fifty words. Use the Topical Vocabulary.

7. Work in pairs. Discuss any of the environmental problems of today. You may speak about nature conservation in regard to nature destruction, environmental protection in regard to pollution. One of the students is supposed to introduce a subject of mutual interest, the other

student disagrees with his partner's viewpoint on the subject under discussion. Use the Topical Vocabulary.

M o d e l :

A: I must admit I'm mostly interested in the nature-man relationship. I think it is the core item of the environmental protection policy.

We should be environment-conscious to foresee the ill-effects of unrestricted industrialization and urbanization. I see these problems

as a global imperative for environmental protection today. I am all for fighting pollution and against destruction of nature by man ...

B: I don't share your fears. You paint the situation black. I can hardly see any unfavourable connection between urbanization, on

the one hand, and pollution, on the other. Could you possibly explain what you mean by "the nature-man" relationship?

8. Speak about the after-effects of environmental pollution and nature destruction. Consider the following:

1. Destruction of wildlife. 2. Land pollution. 3. Water pollution. 4. Air pollution. 5. Noise disturbance. 6. Radioactivity. 7. Unrestricted

industrialization.

9. During the last 20 years environmental protection has become a vital necessity for people. What do you think has stimulated man's interest

in the problems of environment? Consider the following and expand on the points which you think especially significant:

1. The problems of environment include a wide range of burning issues: nature destruction and pollution, extermination of wildlife

on global scale, endangering human health with industrial wastes, etc.

2. There are the by-products of massive industrialization confronting all great industrial countries with the most serious problem of

environment mankind ever faced, that of pollution.

3. The "green belts" not only provide restful relaxation, they are regarded as important allies in the battle against air pollution.

4. Among the simple but far disappearing blessings is the smell of clean fresh air and the good taste of pure water.

5. How the problem of pollution has been and is being tackled has a great deal to do with politics and social initiative.

6. One of the great problems grappled with in the plans for economic and social development is how to harmonize industry and

community, plants and people.

7. Pollution has to do with the giant enterprises which advance industries and abuse natural resources.

10. Read the following dialogue. The expressions in bold type show the WAYS OF CHECKING UNDERSTANDING. Note them down. Be ready

to act out the dialogue in class:

– What I can't make out is why you're s o . . . so keen on our going to the country. Why on earth should we choose to live out

in a

village ... even if it is a popular village?

– Isn't that clear? After all these years in London I would have preferred the smell of clean fresh air and the good taste of pure

water ... and greenery ... and ... .

– Stop talking through your hat. You've never been a lover of fresh air. You said it choked you. Why is that. . . that now you insist

that your love of nature is boundless, you adore the countryside ... when in fact . . . . You know that I'd much prefer to be in the town

and ... .

– But I do like the country ... or to be more exact I ' d like to move to the country ... if o n l y . . . .

– If only what? You sound as if you've made it a point to tease me!

– If only ... w e l l . . . if only we lived somewhere that would make it all possible and worthwhile. Never mind. Any place out of town

is good enough, I suppose. There'll be fields and trees and whatnot nearby.

– You are so carried away with the idea. Well, your personal likes and dislikes are making you anything but practical.

– All right, all right. I ' d much prefer to travel back and forth to London every day than b e . . . How does it go? ... "Cabin'd,

cribb'd, confin'd" ...

– That's all very well to take that romantic attitude. You know . . . you think you can get out of everything ... Wriggle out of any ar-

gument ... by quoting Shakespeare. What about my preferences? You are being selfish, you know.

– Selfish? Do you really mean it? I admit I ' d like to be sort of free to do as I like. I've wanted to go to the village ever since I

married you. But you've always preferred to live in London and be boxed in by a thousand other houses, surrounded by a thousand

faceless neighbours. No ... l e t ' s g o for the village.

11. Discussing things often involves giving instructions to people. If you give instructions to someone you will probably need to check as you go

along that your listener understands, like this:

Alright so far? Are you with m e ? Is that clear? Do you see what I mean? That's right. Now ... Got that? Good! Now ... Fine! Now ...

Sorry, but I don't quite see why you have t o . . . Sorry, can you say that again, please? Sorry, but I'm not quite clear on ...

Use clichés of checking understanding in making conversations of your own.

12. Work in pairs. Read the statements and expand on them. You may be of the similar or different opinion on the subject. Your comment

should be followed by some appropriate speculation on the suggested point:

1. Everybody's talking about pollution. Pollution is what happens when things we eat, the place we live in and the air around us are

made dirty and unhealthy by machines and factories.

2. Men do not realize that a forest is more than a collection of trees. It is a complex community of plant and animal life. In a living

forest two opposing forces are constantly at work: growth and decay. The growth of new trees balances destruction by insects, plant

diseases, and occasional storms. But man's unrestricted cutting of timber disturbs this natural balance.

3. National forests and national grasslands are managed for many uses, including recreation and the continuing yield of such

resources as wood, water, wildlife, honey, nuts and Christmas trees.

4. Factories pay for the water they rise, but in our homes we only pay to have water. After that we can use as much as we want.

Apparently we lose every day enough water for the whole town. Finally what we have left in our rivers we make so dirty that we can't

use it.

5. Some scientists believe that, if airlines operate a large number of supersonic airplanes, their engines may inject so much water

vapour into the upper atmosphere that there will be many more clouds, more of the sun's heat will be prevented from reaching the

earth, and the earth's temperature will d r o p – this might change the climate of the whole world, with very serious results.

6. Europe is such an industrialized area that it sends about 20 million tonnes of sulphur into the air every year. There is an old

saying in English: "What goes up, must come down." This 20 million tonnes is picked up by the wind. Most of it is carried some dis-

tance, often to another country. Each nation in Europe produces hundreds of thousands of tonnes of poison each year, and then sends

it abroad.

13. Read the following text. Find in it arguments for protecting natural resources of your country. Think of the arguments that can be put

forward in favour of the opposite viewpoint than that reflected in the text. Copy the arguments out into two columns (I – «for», II – «against»): The True Story of Lake Baikal

It should be pointed out that the outcry about the threat of pollution faced by Baikal came from every section of society^ How to

protect Baikal was the subject for widespread debate. There was some difference of opinion between those who one-sidedly empha-

sized industrial production and those who insisted that the basic balanced approach had to be adhered to.

Baikal first faced such problems almost 200 years ago when its shores were settled and crop farming and cattle breeding devel -

oped, and timber was felled. The floating of loose timber, particularly, polluted its waters. The pollution problem grew, especially after

the war because of the accelerated development of industry and the rise of cities in Siberia.

Did the answer be in shutting down all existing enterprises and all production in Baikal's vicinity? Was it necessary that Baikal's

vast treasures of forest, its power resources, mineral deposits and fertile soil lie untapped to protect its purity? Scientists reject the

approach of the conservationist purists who contend that only by leaving nature untouched can environment be protected and pollution

controlled. After considerable scientific study and debate the conclusion was Baikal's beauty and purity could be maintained at the

same time that its rich resources were tapped. Baikal can provide both material wealth and beauty to the country.

The answer lies in the rational use of Baikal resources, in guaranteeing its protection from pollution and despoliation.

14. Answer the following questions:

1. Why do you think the subject of Lake Baikal was very much in the news? 2. What posed a danger to the lake and its riches? 3.

Do you agree with the conservationist purists that nature should be left untouched "in its virgin loveliness"? 4. What is meant by the

rational use of natural resources in general and in reference to Lake Baikal in particular?

15. Discuss the text and the problem under study in pairs. One of the students takes a basically balanced viewpoint that Lake Baikal should be

used rationally for industrial and recreational needs, the other student defends a purists' idea that to preserve natural wealth we should leave it

untapped. Be sure to provide sound arguments for whatever you say. Work out arguments «for» and «against».

16. Role-Playing.

What Must We Care About to Prevent Disaster?

S i t u a t i o n : A group of tourists is on a river voyage down the Volga. They enjoy excursions to numerous natural attractions and

places of interest. Now they are on their way to a new automobile plant that comprises the manufacture of commercial vehicles, and

parts and components. Once a beautiful countryside, now it's a developed industrial area. The conversation centres around the future

of the district. Then it takes a more general turn. The subject under discussion is environmental protection. There is some difference of

opinion between those who one-sidedly emphasize industrial production and those who insist that a rational balanced approach

should be adhered to.

C h a r a c t e r s :

1. Professor Pyotr Pavlov, aged 53, a specialist on afforestation, believes that by A.D. 2000 we will have destroyed natural

environment because of the sprawl of large cities, reduction of open spaces, extermination of wildlife. Thinks that unrestricted

urbanization will let the man down posing a danger to his health, choking him with pollutants. The very existence of human race as a

biological species is threatened. Urgent steps should be taken by mankind to rescue the Earth and its inhabitants from a foresee able

disaster.

2. Doctor Oleg Firsov, aged 44, a professional naturalist and a science-fiction writer. Tries to warn people against the threat pre-

sented to natural environment by the by-products of industrial development. Says that science and technology progress has reached

such a level of development that it endangers all living matter: plants, animals, people. A comprehensive survival programme should

be worked out by specialists engaged in various spheres of science and economy.

3. Helen Strogova, aged 32, a science-popular films producer. Likes animals, keeps pets at home. She blames people for ruining

animal habitats, inflicting pain and suffering on animals in scientific and medical experiments. In her TV series on animal life raises the

problems confronting animals resulting from the nature destruction. Reminds people that lots of species are known to us only by

hearsay, others are gradually vanishing. Believes that by the application of a rational conservation programme many problems can be

solved.

4. Anton Kravtsov, aged 45, a leading specialist in the field of aircraft engineering industry, thinks that people benefit from the

advanced technology: new materials have been invented, new industrial technologies have been introduced, and these are helping to

improve our daily lives. Seldom goes to the country for a breath of fresh air, doesn't see beauty in a landscape. Believes that the 2 1 s t

century belongs to absolute reason. People should take all the ill-effects of industrialization for granted.

5. Olga Smirnova, aged 28, a postgraduate, a devoted student of medicine. Though a lover of nature doesn't see any harm in

medical experiments in which there's a great amount of animal lives waste. She is convinced that animal experiments serve a direct

scientific purpose and are justified in terms of the gain to human life. She says that people campaigning against vivisection do not

seem to realize that the good state of health and freedom of disease is largely due to animal experiments.

6. Igor Timoshin, aged 37, a promising specialist in the field of oil refinery processes, an enthusiastic director of a giant industrial

enterprise. Believes that oil exploration should be encouraged with the objective of maximizing economic production for the future.

Says that though the natural mineral resources are not likely to enlarge a man should do his best to take the lion's share of what the

land possesses. His primary goal is oil production, and environmental protection comes secondary.

7. Marina Larionova, aged 60, a famous seascape painter, participates in the campaign against the unrestricted sea exploration.

Reminds of the very beginning of life on the Earth. Says that man owes much to the Ocean and should preserve its reserves. She

doesn't think that man-made substitutes benefit humanity very much. Besides economic gains there should be moral obligations that

any environment-conscious person should observe. It's very important to make people environment-educated at an early age to

reduce the damage inflicted to the environment.

Note: The group of students is divided into two teams, each of which performs the same role-playing game. While discussing the problems pertaining to

environmental protection they show different approaches to the issues under discussion, speak about things of mutual interest, disagree with some of the

participants or share the others' point of view. Comments from the class on each team's performance and the estimate of the different arguments are invited.

•

17. Group Discussion.

Give your views on the problems pertaining to natural environment.

Topic 1. What role does natural environment play in our life?

Tal k i n g p o i n t s :

1. Nature and the man's love of it.

2. Man as a constituent part of nature.

3. Pets and plants in our life.

Topic 2. Is it a vital necessity to protect natural environment from destruction and pollution

today?

Tal k i n g p o i n t s :

1. Ill-effects of unrestricted industrialization and the sprawl of large-built areas: a) foul air: b) polluted water; c) noise disturbance;

d) overpopulation; e) disfigured landscapes and land pollution.

2. Extermination of wildlife – upsetting of the biological balance: a) destruction of animal habitats; b) removal and destruction of

plants and trees; c) unprecedented killing of animals for economic, scientific and individual purposes.

Topic 3. What do you know about the measures taken to control environmental pollution and to fight destruction of wildlife?

Tal k i n g p o i n t s :

1. International cooperation in environmental protection.

2. Mass media in the fight against pollution and for nature conservation: a) newspaper comments and reviews; b) TV programmes:

c) science-popular films.

3. Ecology – the science of how the living things are related to their environment.

4. Voluntary organizations' and individuals' participation in the nature conservation movement.

SPEECH SOUND EXERCISES

Unit One [e – æ]

Do not open your mouth too wide when articulating the vowel [e], it is a half-open vowel. Open your mouth very wide when

pronouncing the vowel [æ]: it is an open vowel (helping to make it open by a spoon-shaped depression in the front part of the tongue).

1. Pronounce the pairs of words and the sentences with the vowels. Observe their length variants:

– lend – land

– helping – happen

– plenty – planned

– selling – salmon

necessary – ational

subject – program

– 1. Harris objected to a slap-up breakfast. 2. The fact is Jed expected the man to be a different personality. 3. Can you imagine

anything happening to the salmon? – Yes, I can.

[ei – ɛə ]

Remember that the nucleus of the diphthong [ei] is Vowel No. 3, which is mid-open and that of the diphthong [ɛə] is an open vowel.

Make the nuclei long and very distinct vowels. Make the glides much shorter and indistinct.

1. Pronounce the pairs of words and the sentences with the two diphthongs. Observe their length variants:

A. fade – fair

railways – rarely

shade – share

waisted – wearing

xaging – airing

a mazement – de daring

B. 1. Mary declared she had some gravy to spare. 2. It wasn't safe to go downstairs for the remains of the bacon and eggs. 3. On the

stairs Mary explained she liked the flavour of the gravy and asked Clare if she had any more to spare. 4. The adminis tration was

prepared to overcome all the difficulties and complications.

C h e c k e d V o w e l s

The vowels sound checked when a slight pause is made between the short stressed vowel and the consonant following it.

3. Read the words and the sentences. Make the vowels traditionally called short, checked in their shorter variant:

– bricks upper

effect

push

– admit pot latticed cooking

– yet gossip struck touched

– 1. I admit I touched his pocket. 2. It's a pity it isn't possible to cook the stuff. 3. It was impossible for him to admit he was indif ferent

to the suggestion to come to Russia much later.

– [

]

When pronouncing the consonants make an ' oscal'5 "(that is show your teeth as if you were going to brush them). Check the in-

terdental position of the tip of the tongue. Prevent the lower lip from touching the upper teeth.

4. Read the pairs of words and the sentences. Do not replace the consonants

by [f, v], [T, Д] or [s, z]:6

A. things – those

thanks – this

something – other

teeth – gather

throughout – these

overthrow– therefore

health – together

worth – with

'oscal': оскал (the term was introduced by A.L.Trakhteroff)

To prevent the consonants [s, z] from being replaced by [9, d] keep the tip of the tongue at the lower teeth, and not between the teeth,

when articulating [s, z]. Make an 'oscal' to check the right position of the tongue for [s, z].

B. 1. But supposing it was something else. 2. It's the biggest thing of this kind. 3. They gathered the odds and ends. 4. The more we

peeled the more peel there seemed to be left on. 5. Here was a dish with a new flavour with a taste like nothing else on earth.

6. Therefore our talk was threaded throughout by two motifs.

7. Is this the man with the vegetables? – This is the very man I gather.

A s p i r a t i o n 1

Remember that aspiration is the strongest before stressed vowels, especially before long ones; that the consonants should not be

aspirated when following [s], like in 'speak, stick, skirt'; that [b, d, g ] , their voiced counterparts, are never aspirated; they are weak

consonants.

5. Read the words and the sentences aspirating the consonants [p, t, k] where necessary:

A. Pity

top

coming

encounter,

potted

dictatorship

speaking

make

B. 1. "Oh, that won't do. You must scrape them." 2. Montmorency had evinced great interest in the proceedings. 3. I encountered a

personality entirely different from anything I had expected.

T h e P r e v o c a l i c [ h ]

Mind that the consonant [h] should be very weak (in fact it is breathing out a bit of air before the vowel following i t ) . Do not make it

too fricative, like the Russian consonant [X]. Remember that it can be dropped when unstressed and following a stressed verb like in 'I

^like (h)er. I ^saw (h)im.'

5

6

6. Read the words and the sentences:

A. held

habit

human

hands

hamper

uphill

hard

Harris

behind

B. 1. Here was a new dish unlike the old hackneyed things. 2. He will exploit the human heritage stupidly. 3. I hope Harris and Henry

are happy now that they don't lag behind and nothing hampers them.

T h e L i n k i n g [ r ]

When there is a pause between the two words, the linking [r] should not sound.

7. Read the sentences inserting the linking [r] in the intervocalic position at the junction of words:

1. That'll inspire^Alice.– I'm glad to hearjt. 2. The more^I know her, the more I admire^Ann. – By the way, wherejs she at the

moment? – Either in Asia | or in Africa. 3. It was clear to him that those who are engaged in the task could after all be creative.

Units Two, Three

[ i – i : ]

Mind that Vowel No. 1, [i:], is a diphthongoid: it begins with [i] and then glides to [i:] proper (closer and more front, approaching the

Russian [И]). To achieve that first make the opening between the jaws a bit broader keeping your lips neutral and then spreading them,

thus making the vowel closer.

1. Read the pairs of words and the sentences. Observe their length variants. Make the vowel [i] checked in its shorter length variant:

since – seen

visit – veal

milk – meal

quickly – speaking

exhibiting – immediately irresistible – inconvenience

В.1. His sister has measles. 2. She didn't seem to believe him. 3. He arrived at Riskin Street to see a sick boy who had

caused his mother the inconvenience by falling ill with measles. 4. I candidly mean that for me the name Ernest has always been

irresistible.

[o: -3:]

Mind that though both are mid vowels, [3:] is a m i x e d ( c e n t r a l i z e d ) vowel and [o:] is a b a c k vowel. If your [3:] has, by

mistake, the shade of [0:] add to it the colouring of the Russian [3].

10. Read the pairs of words and the sentences. Observe their length variants:

small – swirl

Walker – worker

talk – Turk

because – to curse

notorious – nervous

importance —earnest

1. 1. John Worthing is a character from the play "The Importance of Being Earnest". 2. He saw her and talked to her. She was a

small girl in a tweed skirt. 3. The doctor was determined to talk to that notorious person about the circumstances.

P a l a t a l i z a t i o n

Avoid the palatalization of the consonants 1 before f r o n t and m i x e d vowels.

The following ways can be of some use: a) first pronounce the same consonant in a word where it is followed by a b a c k vowel

and remember how it sounds; b) then try to preserve the non-pala– talized consonant in the original word where it is followed by a

f r o n t o r m i x e d vowel by making a temporary pause between the consonant and the vowel. When the tongue gets used to the

necessary quality of the consonant, pronounce it without a pause. For example: the word to be pronounced is 'peel'. First pronounce

'paw' (or 'put') and then 'p-eel, p-eel, peel'.

11. Read the words and the sentences:

A. first

meaning

anything

ideals

girl

medical

system

'magazine

we

destined

here

expensive

With the exception of those that should be a bit palatal because they are articulated with a front secondary focus. They are the clear [1], LT, 3); [tf, cfc].

B. 1. Charming day it has been, Miss Fairfax. 2. Pray don't talk to me about the weather, Mr. Worthing. 3. When people talk to me

about the weather, I feel certain they mean something else. 4. He could not help thinking how clear her skin was, with a tiny mole,

exactly the colour of her eyes.

[ η , n – η ]

Mind that [η] is a backlingual consonant: the very back of the tongue is raised and pressed against the soft palate. That's why do

not let the blade or the tip of the tongue touch the upper teeth or the teeth ridge, otherwise either the Russian [H] or the English [n] will

sound instead. To avoid the mistakes open your mouth very wide and keep the tip of the tongue at the lower teeth when [rj] is

articulated.

Though [η] is an o c c 1 u s i v e sonorant, the obstruction is n o t r e l e a s e d when it sounds. If it is released with a jerk, the soft

palate can rise blocking the passage through the nasal cavity and as a result of this the consonants [k] or [g] can sound after [η].

Remember that in the intervocalic position when -ng is followed by a vowel without any pause: a) in verbal forms and nouns

derived from verbs besides [g] the additional consonant [η] should sound. It somewhat differs in its articulation from the basic (main)

consonant [η]: first the uvular gets in contact with the back part of the tongue and then the obstruction is released with a jerk and some

plosion but the soft palate is kept lowered. So the varianf [rj] is a nasal, occlusive, plosive consonant (sonorant): pinging [xsi

u]],

singer [xsiηηə].

In the degrees of comparison of adjectives and adverbs besides [η] [g] should sound: ^longer [loηgə[], younger [j ۸ ηg

].

In the word final position and before a consonant -ng is pronounced [η] but in some words in which -ng is followed by a sonorant,

[g] sounds in addition: xEngland [^irjgbnd], hungry [h ۸ ηgə].

In the letter combinations nk, nc, nx the letter n is pronounced [rj]: uncle [۸ ηkl], ink [iηk], anxious [æηkʃəs].

4. Read the words, the phrases and the sentences:

A. among

stronger

B. skin – skiing

darling

angry children – chilling

stockings English

d o i n – doing