II. Translate text 1 into Russian. Text 1 Man and his environment

The problem of man and interaction with the environment has now become one of the difficult problems for many sciences not because it is fashionable but because of its great significance for the whole of mankind. We see at present the signs of ecological imbalance, which may cause a crisis if due measures are not taken.

The air we breathe, the earth we live on and its rivers and seas are becoming polluted with ever more dangerous materials – by-products of man's activities. Man depends for his life on what the biosphere provides: water, oxygen, food, etc. But the biosphere is strongly affected by all sorts of human activities. For example, man creates new compounds, new substances, and pure chemical elements, which are unknown to biosphere. They do not belong to the natural cycle of matter. They weaken the capacity of natural cycle of matter. They are not changing biologically, so we change the environment in which we live. The Soviet great scientist Vladimir Vernadsky was the first in the world to realize the necessity for quite a new approach to the biosphere as early as the mid-forties.

The increasing noise level is a special problem nowadays. We need silence as much as we need fresh air and unpolluted water. Noise does not only do physical damage to the hearer but also can weaken his energy and break down his nerves.

Transport is a major source of environmental pollution. Every car consumes many tons of air. Its exhaust gases contain poisonous carbon dioxide, which makes difficult the emission of the earth's heat into space. Many cities now are too noisy to live in. Los Angeles in the USA and Osaka in Japan are known to be the air pollution champions among major industrial cities.

Pollutants are not only harmful to health but to buildings as well. Our cities are dying physically. In most city centers some of the oldest and finest buildings are falling in pieces. On the one hand, the foundations are being shaken by all the heavy traffic and, on the other hand, the bricks are being eaten away by fumes from the traffic. It is a slow process but it is going on even though you can't see it.

One more aspect of the problem is water pollution. Sea- and river-going ships often pollute sea and river water with various oil products. At a rough estimate, no less than five million tons of oil are discharged into seas and oceans each year and one ton of oil can spread over about twelve square kilometers of the water surface as a fine film which prevents air to get into the water and makes the water unfit for drinking. We must stop the contamination of our waterways, which comes from cities and towns.

III. Answer the questions to text 1. (Ответьте на вопросы к тексту 1.)

1. Why has the problem of man and environment become one of the difficult problems for many sciences?

2. What may cause a crisis if due measures are not taken?

3. What are air, earth, rivers and seas becoming polluted with?

4. What does man depend for his life on?

5. What weakens the capacity of natural processes for self-regulation?

6. Who realized the necessity for quite a new approach to the biosphere?

7. Transport is a major source of environmental pollution, isn’t it?

8. Do exhaust gases make difficult the emission of the earth’s heat into space?

9. Pollutants are harmful to health and buildings, aren’t they?

10. Are the bricks being eaten away by fumes from the traffic?

11. How many tons of oil are discharged into seas and oceans each year?