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Vocabulary.

Environmental pollution is a term that refers to all the ways by which people pollute their surroundings. People dirty the air with gases and smoke, poison the water with chemicals and other substances, and damage the soil with too many fertilizers and pesticides. People also pollute their surroundings in various other ways. For example, they ruin natural beauty by scattering junk and litter on the land and in the water. They operate machines and motor vehicles that fit the air with disturbing noise. Nearly everyone causes environmental pollution in some way.

Environmental pollution is one of the most serious problems facing humanity today. Air, water and soil – all harmed by pollution – are necessary to the survival of all living things. Badly polluted air can cause illness, and even death. Polluted water kills fish and other marine life. Pollution of soil reduces the amount of land that is available for growing food. Soil pollution damages the thin layer of fertile soil that covers much of the earth’s land is essential for growing food. Natural processes took thousands of years to form the soil that supports crops. But, through poor treatment, people can destroy soil in a few years.

In nature, cycle similar to those that keep water clean work to keep soil fertile. Plant and animal wastes, including dead organisms, accumulate in the soil. Bacteria and fungi decay feed growing plants, and when the plants die the cycle begins again.

People use fertilizers and pesticides to grow more and better crops. Fertilizers add extra nutrients to the soil and increase the amounts of a crop that can be grown on an area of land. But the use of large amounts of fertilizer may decrease the ability of bacteria to decay wastes and produce nutrients naturally. Pesticides destroy weeds and insects that harm crops. But pesticides may also harm bacteria and other helpful organisms in the soil.

Everyone wants to reduce pollution. But the pollution problem is as complicated as it is serious. It is complicated because much pollution is caused by things that benefit people. For example, exhaust from automobiles causes a large percentage of all air pollution. But the automobile provides transportation for millions of people. Factories discharge much of the material that pollutes air and water, but factories provide jobs for people and produce goods that people want. Too much fertilizer or pesticide can ruin soil, bur fertilizers and pesticides are important aids to the growing of crops.

Thus, to end or greatly reduce pollution immediately people would have to stop using many things that benefit them. Most people do not want to do that, of course. But pollution can be gradually reduced in several ways. Scientists and engineers can work to find ways to lessen the amount of pollution that such things as automobiles and factories cause. Governments can pass and enforce laws that require business and individuals to stop, or cut down on certain polluting activities. And – perhaps most importantly – individuals and groups of people can work to persuade their representatives in government, and persuade business to take action toward reducing pollution.

1. Read and learn the words of the vocabulary by heart

2. Read the text, translate it into Russian

3. Answer the questions.

1) How do people pollute their surroundings?

2) Why is environmental pollution one of the serious problems today?

3) How can people destroy soil?

4) What are the ways for reducing pollution?

4. Retell the text.