Vocabulary practice

I. Sections: The environment, Wildlife, Environmental protection

1. Match the words and phrases in List A with those in List B. Learn these lexical units.

List A

List B

forces of nature to pollute / damage / harm the environment harmful / damaging to the environment to protect the environment to reduce the impact of sth on the environment to improve the environment to maintain an ecosystem to preserve the balance of nature to upset the balance of nature environmental effects environmental disaster environmental protection environmental awareness environmental policy environmentally / ecologically friendly environmentally harmful / damaging irreparable environmental harm / damage to pollute sth beyond recall

a. экологическое бедствие b. экологически вредный c. непоправимый вред / ущерб окружающей среде d. наносить непоправимый вред / ущерб e. политика в области защиты окружающей среды f. экологически чистый / безвредный g. силы природы h. вредный для окружающей среды i. уменьшать воздействие чего-л. на окружающую среду j. последствия для окружающей среды k. сохранять экосистему l. нарушать равновесие в природе m. сохранять равновесие в природе n. улучшать состояние окружающей среды o. охранять окружающую среду p. загрязнять / разрушать окружающую среду q. осведомленность о состоянии окружающей среды r. охрана окружающей среды

2. Match the words and phrases in List A with those in List B. Learn these lexical units.

List A

List B

to be / pose a threat to wildlife wilderness dense vegetation species to be threatened with extinction clean-up campaign protected species to be on the verge of extinction water purifier sewage treatment facility nature sanctuary clean / green technology the Green Party a species becomes extinct endangered / threatened species to put / place an animal on the endangered species list protection of a habitat wildlife conservation

a. вид вымирает / исчезает b. заносить животное в Красную книгу c. вымирающий / исчезающий биологический вид d. Партия зеленых e. экологически чистая технология f. представлять угрозу для живой природы g. пышная / густая растительность h. находиться под угрозой вымирания i. сохранение живой природы j. охрана естественной среды обитания k. охраняемый биологический вид l. установка для очистки сточных вод m. водоочиститель n. кампания по улучшению состояния окружающей среды o. находиться на грани вымирания p. биологический вид q. дикая природа; дикая местность r. заповедник живой природы

3. Give synonyms for the following words and phrases.

to pollute / damage / harm the environment, to protect (the environment), to reduce (the impact of sth on the environment), to improve (the environment), to preserve (the balance of nature), to upset (the balance of nature), (environmental) effects, (environmental) disaster, (environmental) protection, environmentally / ecologically friendly, irreparable (environmental harm / damage), (to pollute sth) beyond recall, to be / pose a threat (to wildlife), dense (vegetation), to be threatened with extinction, (to be on) the verge (of extinction), sewage treatment facility, wildlife / nature sanctuary, (a species) becomes extinct, protection (of a habitat)

4. Suggest words and expressions that correspond to the following definitions.

1. animals and plants that live or grow in natural conditions

2. so bad that it is impossible to change or bring the situation back to a previous condition

3. all the animals and plants in a particular area, and the way in which they are related to each other and to their environment

4. animals or plants which may soon no longer exist because there are very few now alive

5. the air, water, and land on Earth in which people, animals, and plants live and which can be harmed by man's activities

6. an area of land where people do not live or grow crops and where there are no buildings, especially because it is difficult to live there as a result of extremely cold or hot weather or bad earth

7. someone who is interested in or studies the environment and who tries to protect it from being damaged by human activities

8. a group of animals or plants whose members are similar and can breed together to produce young animals or plants

9. to start living a more simple life in which you do not use modern machines and eat fewer artificial or processed products

10. all animals and plants considered as a group in which a plant is eaten by an insect or animal, which is then eaten by another animal and so on

11. not harmful to the environment

5. Suggest words and expressions that correspond to the following definitions.

1. a political party whose main aim is to protect the environment

2. a situation in which a particular kind of animal or plant stops existing

3. an area of land in which animals and plants, especially rare ones, are officially protected

4. to use very little of something such as energy, water, land, or other natural resources so that it is not wasted

5. designed to protect the environment or limit damage to the environment

6. to make something clean by removing dirty or harmful substances from it

7. the process of putting a special substance on or into something or use a chemical process in order to clean it, to protect it, or to give it special properties

8. the act of keeping natural things such as a rare animal or an old building safe from harm or destruction, by means of special laws when someone or something is protected

9. to remove pollution or waste from a place or an industrial process

10. the natural surroundings in which an animal normally lives or plant usually grows

6. Explain the meaning of the words and phrases listed below.

to go back to nature, freak of nature, food chain, balance of nature, environmental suicide, environmental implications, environmental impact, environmental awareness, environmental (advocacy) group, environmentally friendly, to pollute sth beyond recovery, wilderness, endangered species, extinct species, natural habitat, habitable, to be doomed to extinction, endangered species list, to drive a species into extinction

7. Explain the difference between the meanings of the following of words.

the environment – ecology, environmentalist – ecologist, endangered species – extinct species, inhabitable – uninhabitable, protection – conservation, purification – treatment

8. Match the words in List A with those in List B to form phrases.

List A	List B
to cause damage to reduce to upset environmentally irreversible environmental lush a species threatened natural to push a species to list a plant nature sewage wilderness national green	a. habitat b. park c. area d. policy e. to the environment f. treatment facility g. the ecological balance h. conservation i. harm to the environment j. vegetation k. species l. dies out m. awareness n. sound o. the pollution of the environment p. as a protected species q. to extinction

9. Fill the gaps in the sentences with prepositions or adverbial particles if necessary.

1. When people talk of going ….. ….. nature, do they really know what they are asking for?

2. The radiation leak has had a disastrous effect ….. the environment

3. Many modern farming methods are highly damaging ….. the environment.

4. Environmentalists are struggling to lessen the impact of human activity ….. the natural world.

5. A new type of plant could help clean ….. the environment.

6. Global ecological efforts can easily be ….. odds ….. local ecologies.

7. We are only one generation away from causing irreparable damage ….. the Earth's biosphere.

8. The railway track will have to be cleared ….. vegetation if it is to be used again.

9. This practice poses a threat ….. several species.

10. What is clear is that species are dying ….. at an unprecedented rate.

11. Suburban gardens can provide habitats ….. many forms of wildlife.

12. The condor was ….. grave danger ….. extinction.

13. Large numbers of rare and beautiful Alpine plants are threatened ….. extinction.

14. If it were as bad as its critics contend, our society would be teetering ….. the edge of extinction.

15. The species is doomed ….. extinction.

16. Many plant and animal species will probably be driven ….. extinction

17. The equipment needed to clean ….. the spill might not have arrived yet.

18. The atmosphere provides protection ….. the ultra violet light produced by the Sun.

10. Choose the word or phrase (from the list) that best completes each of the sentences below. Change the grammatical form of the word or phrase if necessary.

to threaten, threat, disaster, awareness, impact, harmful, to enhance, damage, to upset, to do, to make, to pollute, consequence, environmental, ecosystem, forces of nature, to protect, to break, to be engaged in, species

1. Man ….. a constant struggle with nature.

2. Fishermen are always at the mercy of the ….. .

3. Changing weather patterns could be a ….. to the environment.

4. All of this stresses the need to ensure that future development must ….. rather than damage the environment.

5. Our reliance on cars is so ….. to the environment.

6. The guidelines introduce into local planning the concept of ….. the environment through sustainable development.

7. It moved people to a new level of environmental ….. and activism.

8. The popular debate about ….. issues has debased the meaning of the word ecology.

9. The rainforest is a self-supporting ….. .

10. These creatures ….. the delicate ecological balance in the lake.

11. It is likely that very severe environmental damage ….. if parts of this reserve were activated.

12. Its main task would be to ensure that the environmental ….. of military activities were kept to a minimum.

13. While addressing this economic question, how can we use natural gas to mitigate the environmental ….. of increased coal burning?

14. The most chilling exhibit space is a room that holds ….. that are extinct or endangered.

11. Choose the word or phrase (from the list) that best completes each of the sentences below. Change the grammatical form of the word or phrase if necessary.

conservation area, extinct, to die out, to survive, environment, to threaten, irreversible, to improve, vegetation, to become extinct, environmentally friendly, wilderness, endangered, wildlife, habitat, environmental, to harm, clean

1. The subcommittee questioned industry representatives on the role companies could play in ….. the environment.

2. Ethical and ….. considerations are an important part of this innovative programme.

3. They represent products which have been singled out and improved to make them more ….. .

4. The damage to the environment is likely to be ….. .

5. The broken tanker has leaked thousands of tonnes of crude oil and threatens to destroy the ….. paradise of the Shetlands.

6. A deep path cut through the lush and noisy ….. .

7. Large areas of the jungle now ….. with destruction.

8. Conservationists are worried that some species could ….. altogether.

9. The legislation that exists to protect ….. species is often inadequate and lacks proper enforcement.

10. It is 250 years since the wolf ….. in Britain.

11. Few countries have as rich a diversity of ….. as South Africa.

12. That is what all pollution control is about – people paying to live in a cleaner ….. .

12. Choose the word or phrase (from the list) that best completes each of the sentences below. Change the grammatical form of the word or phrase if necessary.

endangered species, to face, treatment, to drive, to treat, nature reserve, threatened, protected species, to clean up, preservation, to purify, conservation, clean-up, sewage works, survival, extinction

1. Their numbers became so depleted in this country that in 1969 they were placed on the ….. list.

2. Out of 329 parrot species, 30 now face ….. .

3. With a change in plant composition, many of the native animal species ….. to extinction.

4. The programme makes no mention of highly expensive tasks of ….. toxic waste dumps and military sites.

5. The rooms are fitted with systems that ….. the air and water.

6. It was many years before the city began ….. its sewage.

7. This law provides protection for ….. animals and plants.

8. The role and importance of attitudes to energy ….. are investigated in relation to comfort requirements.

9. Residents have called for a ….. campaign to keep their streets free from rubbish.

10. The water companies will have to improve the performance of their ….. or risk other claims.

11. Marine biologists are calling for Cardigan Bay to be created a marine ….. to protect the dolphins.

13. Translate these sentences. Give synonymous translations if possible.

1. Человек находится в постоянной борьбе с природой.

2. Люди в значительной степени находятся в зависимости от сил природы.

3. Какое влияние оказывает кислотный дождь на окружающую среду?

4. Деятельность человека наносит непоправимый ущерб окружающей среде.

5. Безответственность людей – одна из главных причин загрязнения окружающей среды.

6. Необходимо принять ряд законов, направленных на защиту окружающей среды.

7. Экологи делают все возможное для уменьшения отрицательного влияния промышленной деятельности человека на окружающую среду.

8. Они уверены, что применение высоких технологий поможет улучшить состояние окружающей среды.

9. Она читает курс лекций об экологии морского побережья.

10. Бурный экономический рост может оказать разрушительное воздействие на хрупкую, хорошо сбалансированную экологическую систему данного района.

11. В настоящее время человечество должно принять все необходимые меры для сохранения равновесия в природе.

12. Крупные плотины нарушают экологический баланс целых регионов.

13. Разрушение окружающей среды идет беспрецедентно быстрыми темпами.

14. Быстрый рост народонаселения может иметь непредсказуемые последствия для окружающей среды.

15. Глобальная экологическая катастрофа неизбежна.

16. Необходимо повысить уровень понимания проблем окружающей среды.

17. Этические и экологические соображения составляют неотъемлемую часть этой инновационной программы.

18. Некоторые группы защитников окружающей среды предложили объявить бойкот туристическому бизнесу на острове.

19. Правительство страны требует, чтобы компании производили только экологически чистые товары.

20. Все эти материалы являются экологически опасными.

21. На конференции будут обсуждаться вопросы сохранения живой природы.

14. Translate these sentences. Give synonymous translations if possible.

1. Впереди мы увидели остров, покрытый пышной растительностью.

2. Использование этих технологий представляет серьезную угрозу многим видам животных и растений.

3. Когда вымерли динозавры?

4. Ящерица считается исчезающим видом животного.

5. Все эти растения занесены в Красную книгу.

6. В этом районе встречаются останки вымерших видов животных.

7. Эти леса являются естественной средой обитания для некоторых редких видов животных.

8. Необходимо принять срочные меры для того, чтобы предотвратить разрушение среды обитания этих вымирающих видов животных.

9. Человеческая деятельность в этом регионе может привести к исчезновению одного редкого вида растений.

10. Этот вид животных находится на грани вымирания.

11. Правительство обращает особое внимание на охрану и улучшение состояния окружающей среды.

12. Это устройство хорошо очищает воду.

13. Городские власти начали производить очистку сточных вод перед сбросом их в море.

14. Относится ли панда к охраняемым видам животных?

15. Нам надо обеспечить охрану и сохранение биологического разнообразия в природе.

16. В городе началась кампания по улучшению состояния окружающей среды.

17. Строящаяся станция очистки сточных вод должна соответствовать всем современным стандартам.

18. Вся эта территория представляет собой заповедник живой природы.

19. Парламент принял закон, который призван защитить эту нетронутую человеком местность / этот природный заповедник.

20. По их мнению, электромобиль является экологически чистым средством передвижения.