2. Understanding the text: True or False?

From the information contained in the text, decide whether the statements are true or false.

(a) Tree damage is quite a new phenomenon.

(b) Only one pollutant is responsible for forest damage.

(c) Acid substances mostly come from ground-level ozone.

(d) Excessive foliage is unlikely to increase the risk of desiccation.

(e) Large amounts of nitrogen make the trees more resistant to severe winter weather.

(f) According to scientists’ opinion, the state of leaves and needles is an assessment of tree damage.

3 .Find in the text the following words and expressions and translate them into Russian

to be subjected to to come into direct contact

to be exposed to atmospheric deposition

tree damage to leach out

air pollutants the processes of decomposition

to be under extreme weather conditions airborne nitrogen

drought foliage

acid substances continuous assessment of

mycorrhizal development

4.Scanning

Read quickly and find a specific piece of information

(a) What are the forms of natural stress the trees are subjected to?

(b) What is the top factor of tree damage?

(c) What are three main causes of forest decline?

(d) What is the main substance that is responsible for faster tree growth?

(e) Why were the trees classified as damaged according the 2000 survey?

(f) Why do scientists disagree that to measure the degree of defoliation is not enough?

5. Grammar Reference

In the article you can see the underlined sentence fragments. Can you translate them into Russian?

The rule:

Regular Comparative and Superlative Forms

Adjectives of one syllable add –(e)r/-(e)st to form their comparative and superlative forms

tall –taller (than) – the tallest (of/in)

Adjectives of two syllables ending in –ly, -y,-w also add –er/-est

silly – sillier (than) – the silliest (of/in)

narrow – narrower (than) – the narrowest (of/in)

Adjectives of two or more syllables take more/most

modern – more modern (than) – the most modern (of/in)

Irregular forms

Later the latest (последний, самый новый)

Late (более поздний) last (последний по времени, прошлый)

The latter the last (последний по порядку)

(последний из перечисленных)

В значении расстояния

Farther the farthest

Far (более дальний) (самый дальний)

В переносном значении

Further the furthest

(дальнейший) (самый дальний)

Learn the structure

the + comparative…, the + comparative

The easier the exam, the higher your marks will be.

Чем легче экзамен, тем выше будут ваши оценки.

The more people who use buses, the better it is for the environment.

Чем больше люди пользуются автобусами, тем лучше это для окружающей среды.

Practice exercises

Open the brackets giving the correct forms of the comparative construction and translate the sentences into Russian

Example: (Much) you read, (well) you will know English. – The more you read, the better you will know English

1. (Interesting) the book is, (fast) you read it.

2. (Early) you come, (quick) we finish the work.

3. (Hot) the weather is, (bad) I feel.

4. (Soon) he takes the medicine, (well) he will feel.

5. (Little) she ate, (angry) she was.

6. (Late) you come, (little) you will sleep.

7. (Cold) the winter is, (hot) the summer will be.

8. (Much) you study, (clever) you will become.

9. (Near) you come up, (well) you will be.

10. (Long) the children saw the film, (frightened) they felt.