Вариант 2

Задание 1

Прочитайте и письменно переведите текст на русский язык.

Man and Environment

Mankind is now experiencing what is probably the worst crisis in its history. Implacably and with growing speed, nature is moving towards a total ecological breakdown, with the atmosphere, soil and water becoming as polluted, as they can be.

There have been such "activities" in "conquering nature" that the world's economic activity has begun to exert an immeasurably greater influence on the biosphere than the natural processes in it.

While there may be virtually "blank spots" left on the map of the Earth, "dark spots" - zones of ecological disaster - are emerging with frightening speed. From the height of our present-day knowledge we have no right, of course, to condemn people who lived in ancient times, the Middle Ages, or even in modern times. And yet, mankind has ruined 2000 million hectares of arable land throughout its history. This is 50 percent more than is now in use. The spread of deserts, mining and construction takes away up to 7 million hectares every year. Deserts and semi-deserts already account for more than a third of the Earth's surface. Every minute the onslaught of sands conquers 44 hectares of fertile soil, which covers only 10 per cent of the land surface altogether Forests are disappearing at a speed of 20 hectares a minute, while rain forests, one of our main sources of oxygen, are shrinking at an annual rate of 1%. The volume of oxygen in the atmosphere is decreasing by 10.000 million tons a year; if that continues there will be the shortage of it by the middle of the 21 century. .

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources, 76 species of animals and several hundred species of plants have disappeared in the last 60 years alone. And dozens of species of mammals and birds are presently on the brink of extinction. This is not only leading to the loss of an extremely valuable genetic stick but is also undermining the fragile mechanism of the equilibrium in nature which makes life itself on Earth possible

Every year the world economy discharges over 200 million tons of carbon monoxide into the atmosphere, along with more than 50 million tons of various hydrocarbons, approximately 150 million tons of sulphur dioxide, which returns to us in the form of "acid rains", 120 million tons of ash, etc. Added to this must be thermal, radioactive, noise and other types of pollution.

The negative consequences of the rapidly increasing "electronic smog" have not yet practically been studied. This smog is emitted by radiostations, television towers, and thousands of millions electric appliances, from electric lightbulbs to the monitors of personal computers.

All told, man's activity is comparable with natural forces and even exceeds them in many respects, carbon dioxide is accumulated in the atmosphere through the burning of fuel at a faster rate than it is absorbed by land and ocean plants. The world economy discharges as much dust and ashes as the lava and cinder from erupting volcanoes.

However at present the question is whether man is reasonable or, to be more accurate, wise enough, to direct processes in the biosphere for its, and consequently, his own benefit, for all of us are an inalienable part of the biosphere and its progress or degradation cannot but affect ourselves.

(From "On the Road to the Noosphere", M., 1989, NPA Publishing House, p. 5-6)

Задание 2.

Составьте реферирование текста Задания 1. Используйте Приложение 1 (Фразы для аннотирования статьи на английском языке)

Задание 3.

Прочитайте текст. Составьте свою биографию.

My name is Mary Stuart. I was born and raised in the heart of Siberia. My native town is Irkutsk. I was born on the 5^th of September in 1980. So, now I am 32 years old.

My parents are lawyers. And they wanted to see me in this profession as well. My mother’s name is Tatiana. She is 57. My father’s name is George. He is 59. I am an only child in the family.

I studied in a local linguistic school. I was an excellent pupil. And I loved my teachers very much. They made learning fun. May be because of the example of my teachers I decided to become one of them.  But I got older, and goals changed and I didn’t pursue that path. After finishing school I entered the linguistic university. There I studied well and many times I was sent abroad to improve my skills in foreign languages.

So, I became an interpreter and a writer. I worked in a local English paper. I had to write notes about the development of the languages, the latest news in this field, everything what is interesting about English. The part I loved most about my job was communication.  Every day I met different people. They helped me know more about other life, learnt something.

I was still active in travelling abroad. In one of this journey I met my future husband. So, we got married in 2004. I became a daycare provider. Now we have a son. He is 4 years old. My husband is a doctor. He works much. I enjoyed being home with my son. But at one time I wanted to have an opportunity to work and use my knowledge again. My husband has got a better place in another city – in Moscow. So, we have to move. I was happy. Now we live on the outskirts of the city. I have found a job in the University. So, I have fulfilled the dream of my childhood.