Unit 2. The Evolution of Ecology

Lead-in:

"Ecology, the unifying science

in integrating knowledge

of life on our planet, has become

the essential science

in learning how to preserve it."

Ecology is the study of the relationships between living organisms, including humans, and their physical environment; it seeks to understand the vital connections between plants and animals and the world around them. Ecology also provides information about the benefits of ecosystems and how we can use Earth's resources in ways that leave the environment healthy for future generations.

Ecologists study these relationships among organisms and habitats of many different sizes, ranging from the study of microscopic bacteria growing in a fish tank, to the complex interactions between the thousands of plant, animal, and other communities found in a desert.

Pronunciation:

Task 1

Practice the reading of the following words and translate them into Russian.

dynamic [ daɪˈnæmɪk ] rigorous[ ˈrɪɡərəs ] synergy [ ˈsɪnədʒi ] virtually [ ˈvɜːtʃuəli ] heterodox [ ˈhetərədɒks ] resist [ rɪˈzɪst ] stretch [ stretʃ ]

elucidate[ ɪˈluːsɪdeɪt ] sustain[ səˈsteɪn ] holistic [ həˈlɪstɪk ] advocate [ ˈædvəkeɪt ] dimension[ ˌdaɪˈmenʃən ] biodiversity [ ˌbaɪəʊdaɪˈvɜːsɪti ] crucial [ ˈkruːʃl ]

Task 2

Make sure you can read these international words correctly and translate them into Russian.

ecology, historical, discipline, system, coral reefs, characteristic, geology, German, physician, natural, synergy, molecular biology, pollution, climate, industry, theory, dynamics, evolutionary,

Task 3

Give the missing forms for the words from the text that are in the table below.

Noun	Adjective		Adjective	Verb
history	-----		influential	-----
tradition	-----		decisive	-----
-----	active		-----	economize
system	-----		-----	manage
-----	theoretical		applicable	-----
-----	environmental		-----	optimize
-----	distinct		valuable	-----
humanity	-----		-----	drink

Pre-reading:

Task 4

Before reading the text, answer the following questions.

1. Which term characterizes the human impact on the environment?

2. What is an ecosystem?

3. What does an ecologist do?

4. What is recycling?

5. What is pollution?

6. How does pollution affect rivers, oceans, and our ecosystem?

7. What are people doing to stop or control pollution?

Reading A