The future has just begun
LEAD-IN
15 Global Challenges
1. How can sustainable
development be achieved for all
while addressing global climate
change?
2. How can everyone
have sufficient clean water
without conflict?
3. How can population
growth and resources be
brought into balance?
4. How can genuine
democracy
emerge
from
authoritarian regimes?
5. How can policymaking
be made more sensitive to
global long-term perspectives?
6. How can the global convergence of information and communications
technologies work for everyone?
7. How can ethical market economies be encouraged to help reduce the gap
between rich and poor?
8. How can the threat of new and reemerging diseases and immune microorganisms be reduced?
9. How can the capacity to decide be improved as the nature of work and
institutions change?
10. How can shared values and new security strategies reduce ethnic
conflicts, terrorism, and the use of weapons of mass destruction?
11. How can the changing status of women help improve the human
condition?
12. How can transnational organized crime networks be stopped from
becoming more powerful and sophisticated global enterprises?
13. How can growing energy demands be met safely and efficiently?
14. How can scientific and technological breakthroughs be accelerated to
improve the human condition?
15. How can ethical considerations become more routinely incorporated into
global decisions?
USE OF ENGLISH
Read the text below and think of the word that best fits each space
Predicting the world we live in
Which nineteenth-century writer predicted the world we know most
accurately? 'Jules Verne' would be areasonable guess, but is not the (0)
correctanswer. The man who foresaw most of the technologicaladvances we take
for (1)………. was a French writer, Albert Robida, (2) ……….novel
'TheTwentieth Century' appeared in 1882. Robida did not know nearly as
(3)………. science as Verne but he possessed an intuitive sense of what
technology would be capable of in a hundred years' time even thoughhe did not
understand (4) ……….the advances would be achieved.
His successful predictions make a formidable list. He not (5) ……….
foresaw radio and television butair travel and fast-food restaurants. He was also
far-sighted enough not to share his contemporaries' blindfaith (6)……….progress,
realising that technological advance might cause problems as well as(7)
……….life more comfortable.
In some ways, however, Robida failed to foresee (8)……….our world would
be like and in each casethe error was due to his personal prejudices. When cars
came (9) ………. fashion later in his life, hedisliked them so much (10)………. of
their noise and fumes that he refused to revise his predictionsto include them. (11)
……….did he envisage the development of computers and the extent of
theirinfluence (12) ……….every aspect of our lives today.
But his most serious errors were sociological. He was typical (13)
……….his age and social class in thinkingthat women were less intelligent than
men and the working class would always be mainly employed (14)
……….servants. Though he foresaw many of the technological developments that
have (15) ……….into being inour time, he could not imagine the sexual and social
revolutions of the twentieth century.
READING 1: Read the text and answer the questions that follow
The challenges we face are considerable: immigration and employment,
shrinking population, healthy food and clean water, safe energy and extinction of
species, to name a few.
Decisions taken today may impact the future of life on this planet for
decades or even centuries. Yet, the current economic systems are driven by shortterm profit-making and representative democracies hardly reflect the interests of
non-voting and succeeding generations. That is why it is critically important today
to think and act so that responsibility for our common future becomes priority.
To meet the key global challenges for human security in the 21st centurywe
also need to findsolutions on renewable energy, bio sequestration, energy
sufficiency and energy security, green collar jobs, sustainable and livable cities,
transport, agriculture and food, regional economies, and civil participation and
democracy.
It is now accepted that the global economic picture in 2050 will look very
different from today. The established G7 economies are already seeing a shift of
their traditional economic power to the emerging countries, the so-called E7 of
China, India, Brazil, Russia, Indonesia, Mexico and Turkey.In addition to
economic change, we are going through a period of huge social transformation, as
we move into a future of labour shortages, skills gaps and a world in which the
educational and economic empowerment of women will become even more
significant.
How can we address and accommodate these changes? What are the
actions which will help us face the challenge of the future? What efforts need to
be made by governments, companies and NGOs?
Topic 1
CLIMATE CHANGE
http://climate.nasa.gov/
There is now little doubt that climate change has become a reality. Glaciers
are melting all over the world. Weather patterns are becoming more erratic. The
IPPC forecasts increases of global mean temperatures of up to 5.8
degreesCelsius*this century and sea level rises of up to one meter. Half the world's
people live within 50 km of seashores and their lives will be severely affected by
flooding. Up to a million species of plants and animals could be extinct due to
climate change.
*Celsius and Fahrenheit cause confusion because they are so different. 25 o
Celsius is lovely, while 25o Fahrenheit is dreadful. 100o Fahrenheit is hot, while
100o Celsius would kill you instantly.
To convert from Celsius to Fahrenheit, you multiply by 9/5 and add 32.
To convert from Fahrenheit to Celsius you subtract 32 then multiply by 5/9.
Some of the figures are worth remembering:
 Water freezes at 32 degrees Fahrenheit
 Water boils at 212 degrees Fahrenheit
 The commonly accepted average core body temperature is 37.0 C (98.6 F).
 In Russia, the commonly quoted value is 36.6 C (97.9 F)
 1 km is 0.6 mile (100kph=60mph)
 1 mile is 1.6 km (50mph=80kph)
 1 meter is 3.3 feet
 1 foot is 30.48 cm
 1 kilo is 2.2 pounds
 1 pound is 453 grams
REDING 1: Read the texts and do the assignments that follow (vocabulary units
may also appear in the lead-in)
Climate Change Research
Stefan Bronnimann
Institute of Geography, University of Bern, Switzerland
…The questions of whether and how climate changes and whether and how
man influences climate have been debated by scientists at least since Theophrastus
in the 4th century B.C. His works were translated into Latin in the Renaissance
period and were influential to the thinking of scientists at that time. Two important
lines of debate in the discussion on climatic change up into the 19th century
concerned the impact of land-use changes on climate and progressive climate
changes. In the early and mid-18th century, climate change was a subject treated
by the philosophers of the enlightenment period such as Montesquieu and Hume.
More scientific approaches to climate change research started in the second half of
the 18th century, in line with efforts in agricultural, forestry and medical research
and further advanced by scientific travelling and exchange and the availability of
meteorological instruments.
A milestone in the history of climate change research and its public
awareness was the theory of ice ages which had important implications for climate
research in general. It required mechanisms able to explain a large change in mean
temperature. This challenge was a trigger for many climate change theories, some
of which have influenced the discussion until today. The theory of the CO2
greenhouse effect originated, at least partly, in the debate on the causes of ice ages.
Some scientists speculated that lower concentrations of atmospheric carbon
dioxide could have caused ice ages.
The processes considered in the 19th century to cause shorter-term climate
changes were mainly solar influences and anthropogenicactivity, but volcanic
forcing and themeltingof icesheetsandglaciers were also discussed. Among the
anthropogenic influences on climate, the oldest topic is the effect of land-use
changes. The debate on this topic became more and more popular during the 19th
century when in many European countries deforestation and desertification became
politically relevant. Effects of anthropogenic fossil fuel combustionon weather and
climate have been considered since the 19th century. By the end of the 19th
century, the debates about climate change and anthropogenic influence on climate
was not confinedto the scientific community, but also included political institutions
and was carried out in public.
The Discovery of Global Warming
Spencer R.WeartThe Johns Hopkins University, the Eugene Lang College and
Princeton University
February 2011
Since 2001, greatly improved computer models and an abundance of data of
many kinds strengthened the conclusion that human emissions are very likely to
cause serious climate change. Most scientists and ever larger number of
individuals, corporate entities, and government agencies at every level decided that
something had to be done. They found that effective steps could be taken right now
that are not only cheap and effective, but will actually pay for themselves. For
example, coal-fired power plants could be taxed in proportion to their emissions.
This could be compensated by an equal decrease in other taxes, leaving
government revenue unchanged. (A market-based "cap and trade" system of selling
permits to emit pollution can be designed to have an equivalent effect.)
The most effective way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and at the same
time advance prosperity is to develop better technologies and practices. But a
technology does not magically grow by itself. According to economic demand,
research may stagnate or dash forward to solve problems with amazing speed. It
can also be accelerated by direct government support.
Global warming is not a technical problem; it's a political problem.To say
that strict limits on emissions are socially or politically impossible is to forget that
people have made far greater changes once they set their minds to. Citizens can
reconsider their personal practices, and put pressure on businesses and
governments at every level.
It is now very nearly certain that global warming is upon us. It is prudent to
expect that weather patterns will continue to change and the seas will continue to
rise, in an ever worsening pattern, through our lifetimes and on into our
grandchildren's. The question has graduated from the scientific community:
climate change is a major social, economic and political issue. Nearly everyone in
the world will need to adjust. Citizens will need reliable information, the flexibility
to change their personal lives, and efficient and appropriate help from all levels of
government. So it is an important job, in some ways our top priority, to improve
the communication of knowledge, and to strengthen democratic control in
governance everywhere. The spirit of fact-gathering, rational discussion, toleration
of dissent, and negotiation of an evolving consensus, which has characterized the
climate science community, can serve well as a model.
Find in the text words corresponding to the following definitions or synonymous
with the following words:










a significant stage or event in the development of something(n)
things that are likely to happen as a result of sth. (n)
an event that is the cause of a particular action, process, or situation(n)
a very large quantity of something,plentifulness(n)
to stop changing or progressing, become inactive or dull(adj)
sensible and careful (adj)
adapt or become used to a new situation(v)
trustworthy (adj)
ability to be easily modified to respond to altered circumstances(n)
suitable or proper in the circumstances(adj)
 the holding or expression of opinions at variance with those commonly or
officially held(n)
Find in the text terms relating to the topic of climate change that correspond to
the following definitions:
 the capture and storage of the atmospheric greenhouse gas carbon dioxide by
biological processes
 conserving an ecological balance by avoiding depletion of natural resources
 the average temperature
 the average weather for a particular region and time period
 a warming effect felt on Earth’s surface, produced by greenhouse gases
 a heavy colorless gas that is absorbed from the air by plants and does not
support combustion
 human activities which affect the climate
 a very large body of ice moving slowly down a slope or valley
 the change of forested lands to non-forest uses
 the progressive destruction or degradation of vegetative cover, especially in
arid or semi-arid regions
 a fuel that is formed in the Earth from plant or animal remains
 the release of a substance into the atmosphere
 gaseous constituents of the atmosphere, both natural and anthropogenic, that
absorb and re-emit radiation from the sun
 the introduction into the environment of a substance which has harmful or
poisonous effects
USE OF ENGLISH: Complete the text with the words from the box and do the
assignments that follow
Acid, biodiversity, contaminated, deforestation, ecosystems, species, emissions,
environmental, erosion, exhaust, drought, fertilizers, greenhouse, waste,
pollution
The advances made by humans have made us the dominant (1) ………. on
our planet. However, several eminent scientists are concerned that we have become
too successful, that our way of life is putting an unprecedentedstrain on the Earth's
(2)…………… and threatening our future as a species. We are confronting (3)
………. problems that are more taxingthan ever before, some of them seemingly
insoluble. Many of the Earth's crises are chronicand inexorablylinked. (4) ……….
is an obvious example of this affecting our air, water and soil.
The air is polluted by (5)
…………… produced by cars and
industry. Through (6) ……………
rain and (7) ………. gases these
same (8) …………… fumes can
have a devastating impact on our
climate. Climate change is arguably
the
greatest
environmental
challenge facing our planet with
increased storms, floods, (9)
…………… and species losses
predicted. This will inevitably have
a negative impact on (10)
……………
and
thus
our
ecosystem.
The soil is (11) …………… by factories and power stations which can leave
heavy metals in the soil. Other human activities such as the overdevelopment of
land and the clearing of trees also take their toll on the quality of our soil; (12)
…………… has been shown to cause soil (13) …………… Certain farming
practices can also pollute the land though the use of chemical pesticides and (14)
…………… This contamination in turn affects our rivers and waterways and
damages life there. The chemicals enter our food chain, moving from fish to
mammals to us. Our crops are also grown on land that is far from pristine. Affected
species include the polar bear, so not even the Arctic is immune.
Reducing (15) …………… and clearing up pollution costs money. Yet it is
our quest for wealth that generates so much of the refuse. There is an urgent need
to find a way of life that is less damaging to the Earth. This is not easy, but it is
vital, because pollution is pervasive and often life-threatening.
Consider how you would answer these questions.
1 What do you think is the greatest environmental threat we face today?
2 What can the government do to help protect the environment?
3 What can we do as individuals?
Find words in the text synonymous with the following:
 unspoiled
 .......................... unparalleled
 ................................ extremely harmful
 ............................ insurmountable
 unaffected
 .............. omnipresent
 unavoidably (x2)
 .............. persistent
 challenging
Use a dictionary to check the different forms of the words in the box as
well as the prepositions used with them. Then complete the answers to the
questions using the correct form of the word in brackets. You will need to add
prepositions to the words that are underlined.
Contaminate, danger, dispose, erode, pollute, recycle, risk, sustain,threat
I think our environment is (1) ……….many different things. We have
allowed too much (2) ……….to enter our ecosystem and we are (3) ……….
poisoning ourselves as a result. I think soil (4) ……….(erode) and water (5)
……….are two of the most urgent problems that we need to deal with.
Clearly our current lifestyle is not (6) ……….. The government should
educate people about these problems and encourage us to change our habits. They
need to show everyone that we are putting the very future of our planet (7) ……….
We can make sure we don't throw (8) ………. items into our normal waste
(9) ………. bins. We can also help protect our planet by not using phosphate-based
detergents; this will help to keep (10) ………. out of our food chain.
Multiple Choice Lexical Cloze
The Future
The environmental (1)……….for the future is mixed. In spite of economic
and political changes, interest in and (2)……….about the environment remains
high. Problems of acid deposition, chlorofluorocarbons and ozone depletion still
seek solutions and concerted action. Until acid depositions (3)………., loss of
aquatic life in northern lakes and streams will continue and forest growth may be
affected. Water pollution will remain a growing problem as increasing human
population puts additional stress on the environment. To reduce environmental
degradation and for humanity to save its habitat, societies must recognise that
resources are (4).......... Environmentalists believe that, as populations and their
demands increase, the idea of continuous growth must (5)……….way to a more
rational use of the environment, but that this can only be brought (6)……….by a
dramatic change in the attitude of the human species.
1.
A
line
A
outset
A
outcome
A
outlook
2.
B
concern
B
attention
B
responsibility
B
consideration
3.
C
wane
C
diminish
C
depreciate
C
curtail
4.
D
finite
D
restricted
D
confined
D
bounded
5.
E
make
E
force
E
give
E
clear
6.
F
on
F
about
F
off
F
in
READING 2: Read the text and word its message
Patient Earth
Thomas E. Lovejoy January 19, 2007
Even though we should know better, it is natural to regard what we grew up
with as the normal state of affairs. Indeed, every generation has a different view of
"the good old days." This is particularly troublesome with respect to the
environment and nature. Without some perspective of what might be "normal," it is
hard to understand the impact we have had on our planet and what to do about it.
At the time I turned my hand to environment and conservation, the number
of endangered species worldwide was modest. To be sure there were the first signs
of more pervasive problems heralded in Rachel Carson's "Silent Spring," but they
seemed amenable to straightforward and simple fixes. Hole in the ozone layer?
Find a substitute for chlorofluorocarbons. Acid rain and acid lakes? Reduce sulfur
emissions and do it economically by creating a market for sulfur trading. An
endangered rainforest? Create a protected area.
To be truly effective in most endeavors, including environmental work, it is
important to lift one's gaze from the particular to assess periodically the overall
state of the exercise. That can determine whether and how to alter strategy as new
environmental problems emerge and understanding deepens.
Current indicators can only tell us about the moment, whereas we need to be
cognizant of shifting environmental horizons — what could well become future
baselines unless action is taken. Doing so, one can only conclude that the
environmental profession has changed from one in which simple and often local
interventions would work, to one in which we have become planet doctors. In the
oceans and on land it is impossible to find a place unaffected by human activities.
We live in a chemical soup of our own making. Even in the Arctic and Antarctica,
animals accumulate toxic compounds in their tissues. Rainforests and virtually all
other natural habitats are in retreat. The number of endangered birds, mammals and
plants is soaring from multiple causes.
Perhaps as many as one quarter of all amphibian species are endangered
through a strange combination of factors, including a fatal fungal disease. With no
tadpoles, some streams have turned bright green from unconstrained algal growth.
The great global cycles of carbon and nitrogen are badly distorted, producing,
among other things, climate change and acidifying oceans from greenhouse gases
plus multiple dead zones in estuaries and coastal waters. The rising temperatures
are already stressing coral reefs. In some parts of Siberia, the thawed permafrost
bubbles with methane like a Yellowstone hot spring.
While there is enough on the planet's environmental horizon to make us all
want to throw up our hands, as planet doctors we know diagnosis is just prelude to
treatment.
There is a tremendous amount that can be done to right the imbalance
without wrecking the global economy. Indeed the recent Stern report on climate
change, whatever its flaws, clearly demonstrates that the implications of a
deteriorating environment are more serious for the economy than the cost of
addressing it. Action is required in all segments of society: Government needs to
put the right incentives in place to encourage, for example, the right kinds of
biofuels and other alternate energy sources. Individual human aspiration needs to
be provided choices that are environment-friendly.
Clearly, there is an enormous role for the private sector. Happily, there are
many signs that some companies view this as an opportunity. The aluminum
company Alcoa, in one of the most energy-intensive industries, is seeking to make
its Brazilian operations carbon-neutral and sustainable in other ways as well.
Generators made by Caterpillar run on methane from landfills. Time magazine has
analyzed the carbon in its product life cycle from tree harvest to disposal.
This is not the first time in our history that humanity has faced a huge and
unprecedented challenge. Environmental degradation is largely avoidable. It only
requires us to take the planetary diagnosis as seriously as our own individual
annual checkups, and rise to the challenge with all of our innate creativity.
Think about your daily routine. Make a list of five ways in which you
could help the environment by making changes to that routine
In groups draft a plan to make your region more environmentally friendly
and attractive for residents and tourists.
Think about:
rubbish removal / improved recycling
pedestrianisation / cycle path
better and cheaper public transport
treeplanting and more green areas
READING 3
Read the following texts about environmental destruction and efforts to
prevent it. Answer questions that follow with a word or short phrase.
The Carbon Storage Trust aims to counteract the Greenhouse Effect by
planting forests all over the world to absorb carbon dioxide. Companies whose
products are responsible for carbon emissions can redress the balance by taking
part in the scheme and as an inducement to them to participate, consumers will be
encouraged to give preference to those that carry a Climate Care label. The forestry
projects will be carefully monitored to ensure that they are beneficial to local
people. They will generally be sited on poor land since planting trees on cultivated
land would almost always result in their being cut down again in the future to meet
the demand for food. A further aim of such projects is to promote biodiversity by
saving species from extinction.
What does 'redress the balance' mean?
The Carbon Storage Trust was set up to try to slow down the devastation.
While environmental groups view the aims of the Carbon Storage Trust
favourably, they have so far given only guarded support to its projects. They are
concerned that companies may regard them as an easy way out, salving their
consciences, instead of being forced to face up to reality and accept that carbon
dioxide emissions must not only be balanced, but reduced. In the eyes of
environmentalists, if no further action is taken, the sole achievement of the projects
will be to have put off the evil day, not to have prevented it. They believe there
must be international co-operation both to develop afforestation and
simultaneously to set targets for reducing carbon dioxide emissions that would be
fair to all countries.
What does 'them' refer to?
What would companies be doing if they were 'salving their consciences'?
TRANSLATE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES INTO ENGLISH USING
YOUR TOPICAL VOCABULARY UNITS
1. Авторы исследования уверены, что сегодня Земля страдает от
истощения природных ресурсов и сильного воздействия человека на
окружающую среду.
2. В последние век-полтора содержание некоторых парниковых газов в
атмосфере выросло очень сильно.
3. Изменение климата приведет прежде всего к таянию льдов в
Гренландии и западной Антарктиде, а также к увеличению доли
углекислого газа в атмосфере.
4. Обезлесение приводит к снижению биоразнообразия, качества жизни, а
также к усилению парникового эффекта
5. Как засухи, так и наводнениястали следствием роста средней
температуры в некоторых регионах.
6. С января 2005 года в странах Евросоюза вступила в действие
внутренняя система торговли квотамина выбросы углерода.
7. Одним из приоритетов нашей компании является применение
безвредных для окружающей средытехнологий производства.
8. Новый доклад экологов свидетельствует: под угрозой полного
исчезновения находятся примерно четверть млекопитающих.
Topic 2
POPULATIONISSUES
READING 1: SKIMMING
Cities of the Future
Today's "Mega-cities" are Overcrowded and Environmentally Stressed
August 31, 2005
We take big cities for granted today, but they are a relatively recent
phenomenon. Most of human history concerns rural people making a living from
the land. But the world is rapidly urbanizing, and it's not at all clear that our planet
has the resources to cope with this relentless trend. And, unfortunately, most of the
growth is occurring in urban centers ill-equipped for the pace of change.
The world's first cities grew up in what is now Iraq, on the plains of
Mesopotamia near the banks of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers. The first city in
the world to have more than one million people was Rome at the height of its
Empire in 5 A.D. At that time, world population was only 170 million. But Rome
was something new in the world. It had developed its own sophisticated sanitation
and traffic management systems, as well as aqueducts, multi-story low-income
housing and even suburbs, but after it fell in 410 A.D. it would be 17 centuries
before any metropolitan area had that many people.
The first large city in the modern era was Beijing, which surpassed one
million population around 1800, followed soon after by New York and London.
But at that time city life was the exception; only three percent of the world's
population lived in urban areas in 1800.
The rise of manufacturing spurred relocation to urban centers from the 19th
through the early 20th century. The cities had the jobs, and new arrivals from the
countryside provided the factories with cheap, plentiful labor. But the cities were
also unhealthy places to live because of crowded conditions, poor sanitation and
the rapid transmission of infectious disease. Deaths exceeded births in many large
European cities until the middle of the 19th century. Populations grew, then, by
continuing waves of migration from the countryside and from abroad.
In the first half of the 20th century, the fastest urban growth was in western
cities. New York, London and other First World capitals were magnets for
immigration and job opportunity. In 1950, New York, London, Tokyo and Paris
boasted of having the world's largest metropolitan populations. By then, New York
had already become the first "mega-city," with more than 10 million people.
In the postwar period, many large American cities lost population as
manufacturing fled overseas and returning soldiers taking advantage of the GI Bill
fueled the process of suburbanization. Crime was also a factor. As an example,
riot-torn Detroit lost 800,000 people between 1950 and 1996, and its population
declined 33.9 percent between 1970 and
1996.
Meanwhile,
while
many
American cities shrank, population
around the world was growing
dramatically.You've heard of the "birth
dearth"? It's bypassing Dhaka, Mumbai,
Mexico
City
and
Lagos.While
developed
countries
are
losing
population because of falling birth rates
and carefully controlled immigration,
population in the developing world is
exploding.
Today mega-cities already suffer
from a catalog of environmental ills:
level of pollution is threatening, there are major fresh water challenges, residents,
crowded into unsanitary slums are subject to serious disease outbreaks. But for
many internal migrants, cities offer more hope of a job and better health care and
educational opportunities, so people keep moving to cities, imposing even more
pressure on their infrastructure and resources, leading to social disintegration and
horrific urban poverty.
Brainstorm to answer the following questions: What are the advantages and the
disadvantages of living in a big city? What amenities should a city offer its
residents and commuters? What challenges do contemporary cities face?
How do immigrants influence the life of big cities?Are you happy to be living in
a big city? Give your personal reasons.
USE OF ENGLISH: PRACTICE
New York shows way for urban renaissance
It's not (1) ………. pleasant to live in New York in the hot days of August.
The grime on the sidewalk has really begun to reek. The tourist hordes remind you
(2) ………. little room you have.
By next year, according to the United Nations, more than half the world's
population will for the first time live in towns and cities. New York's population
growth is not spectacular. It's (4) ………. line with the growth of London, which is
adding around 90,000 each year, 40,000 from natural expansion and a (5) ……….
50,000 from inward migration.
But other cities have been growing (6) ………. faster even than New York
or London - Madrid, where the foreign population has multiplied four times in
about six years, and Istanbul, where the population has increased tenfold since
1950.
Cities may also be growing because individuals (7) ………. consumers want
to live there. People now want to
live in dense areas because dense
areas offer (8) ………. people
want to consume - opera, sports
teams, art museums, varied
cuisine.
The number of these
"consumer immigrants" is (9)
……….small compared with the
hundreds of thousands of poorer
economic
migrants
who
traditionally head to the inner (10)
………..
Complete the text with suitable adjectives given below (more than one
adjective may be possible).
adequate, basic, booming, catastrophic, decent, enormous, pressing, staggering
Megacities
The world's population is (1) ………., no more so than in its cities. Today,
there are 21 megacities, each containing more than 10 million inhabitants, threequarters of them in developing nations. By 2020, there are expected to be at least
27 megacities. Such a (2) ………. rate of urbanisation brings its own problems,
especially in developing nations, where the majority of the megacities will be
found.
Employment and educational opportunities are the main attraction of urban
centres. But hopes for a better life are often dashed as overpopulation puts an (3)
………. strain on the infrastructure of the cities and their ability to provide (4)
………. necessities such as clean water and a place to live.
Many rural migrants fail to find (5) ………. work, and therefore cannot
afford (6) ………. housing. In some megacities up to 50 per cent of the residents
live in slums. This problem is (7) ………. with the United Nations predicting that
half the world's population will be living in cities by next year. If the infrastructure
within those cities does not grow at the same rate the result will be (8) ……….
READING 2: SKIMMING
The demographic challenge in Europe
By KarolyLorant
The estimated world population in Christ's time was around 200 million and
it hardly changed during the centuries that followed. When Columbus discovered
the New World there were only 450 million people, the average yearly growth rate
in the first 15 centuries of our Lord was 0,1% which meant stability for the
contemporary societies. The population began to accelerate in the 18th century,
when, partly as a result of improved nutrition and the impact of new discoveries in
medical science, like smallpox vaccination, the defeat of cholera, germ theory of
disease, the discovery of the pathogen of tuberculosis and so on, there was a
decrease in the crude death rate of the population, while the birth rate remained
relatively high.
The population reached one billion in the turn of the 19th Century, and the
yearly growth rate remained almost unchanged in the next 130 years hovering
around 0,6%. The real population blow-up came in the middle of the 20th Century,
when the results in medical science began to spread in the Asian, African and Latin
American countries. The average growth rate reached the yearly average of 2%
which – in a generation's time – doubled the world population.
The negative demographical tendencies are present in the whole of Europe
including its eastern part with the states of the former Soviet Union and the
symptoms are rather similar.From the second half of the 19 th century, the yearly
growth rate of population in the present European Union oscillated between 0,5
and 1%. However, this trend changed dramatically in the 1960’s and within one
generation the growth rate slowed down to zero. Even the natural growth (the
difference between death and birth number) turned into negative and only the net
immigration made the population grow. Looking for the reasons we will discover
that against the fact that there was some
improvement in the death rate while the average
life span became longer too, these tendencies
were unable to balance the steadily deteriorating
total fertility rate. Total fertility rate is the
average number of children that a woman, in all
her lifetime, will give birth to. This ratio was
around 2,66 in the beginning of the 1960’s and
fell back to 1,46 by the end of the 1990’s.
The decrease in total fertility rate is a
global phenomenon. However while the total
fertility rate in the developing countries – against
a substantial fall – remained well above the
critical 2,1 level which is required for the simple
reproduction of the population, in the developed
world, the rate of 1,46 is not enough to maintain
the current society. This rate, in the long run
when its impact will fully prevail, produces a yearly decrease of 1% in the
population.
Parallel to this, the so called old age dependency rate (the ratio of the
population over 65 years to the population aged between 15-64 years) will reach
47% against the current 24% which means that the burden on the working age
population to keep the pensioners will be doubled.
Global migration
During the 1950s, most Western European countries still registered a
negative migration balance. Some countries (for instance Greece, Ireland, Italy,
Portugal and Spain) lost a substantial number of their citizens emigrating for
economic reasons overseas as well as to other European countries.
Western European countries began to "import" guest workers in the early
1960’s to fill jobs Europeans would not consider. These guest workers came
mainly from the Mediterranean (to France) and from Turkey (to Germany).
Most European countries closed their doors to labour immigration in the
1970s, following the first Arab oil embargo and the subsequent economic
downturn, yet some 500,000 immigrants – primarily family reunification cases –
and 400,000 asylum seekers arrive in Western Europe each year.
Over the past 15 years, the number of people crossing borders in search of a
better life has been rising steadily. At the start of the 21st Century, one in every 35
people is an international migrant.
Global migration affects almost every state – they are all either sending,
transit and/or receiving countries for migrants. While the major countries of
emigration are in the developing world, western industrialised countries absorbed
only about 40% of the world's migrants, the remaining part settling also in
developing countries or the former Soviet Union.
Most of those who have left their countries of origin are motivated by a
desire for better opportunities. But there are also millions of people who have been
forced to migrate for fear of persecution. The current waves of immigrants and
asylum seekers from the Middle East and North Africa are linked much more to
the worsening conditions in these countries, than with labour shortages in Europe.
At the end of 2002, 10.4 million people around the world had refugee status,
according to the UN High Commission for Refugees. A further one million applied
for asylum that year or had their applications still pending.
As regards intra-European mobility, however, despite the progress made in
removing obstacles to the free movement of people in the EU, its levels are very
low. The most important barriers are the lack of language skills and the problems
with opportunities for dual careers.Still, the level of push-pull migration is rising,
basically due to insufficient manpower in the cities.
Immigration swells Europe's ranks
By James Kanter International Herald Tribune
June 9, 2006
International migration is
advancing so rapidly that the number
of foreign-born workers in Spain
increased six-fold over the last ten
years, according to a report from the
Organization
for
Economic
Cooperation and Development.
But many migrants in Europe
still are experiencing difficulties in
finding jobs, a signal that integrating
immigrants into host countries is a
major political and economic
challenge.Employment for both past and recent arrivals in many countries, and
even for their offspring, is not as favorable as in the past.Barriers of language and
skills contribute to some migrants' difficulties, but the fact that public sector jobs
are closed to certain categories of foreigners in most European OECD countries
also is a factor.
Managing migration and employment has become an international priority
and a major headache for politicians, particularly in Europe.Many countries have
rapidly aging populations at a time when younger members of society have
diminishing interest in both manual work and some highly skilled jobs, obliging
governments to open areas from building trades to the sciences to greater inflows
of immigrant workers.But governments also see newcomers as a political liability
if the migrants are perceived by voters as a drain on national resources or as
driving down wages.
What were the prevalent demographic tendencies in the past?
What are the basic reasons for migration today?
Explain and expand on the following:But governments also see newcomers
as a political liability if the migrants are perceived by voters as a drain on
national resources or as driving down wages.
VOCABULARY WORK
birth dearth
crudedeathrate
birthrate
naturalgrowth
net immigration/migration balance (positive/negative)
fertility rate
sending/receivingcountry
absorb migrants
asylum seekers
labour shortages
to have refugee status
apply for asylum
guest workers
family reunification
intra-Europeanmobility
dual career
TRANSLATE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES INTO ENGLISH USING
YOUR TOPICAL VOCABULARY UNITS
1. Согласно данным управления, показатель чистой миграции стабильно
рос с декабря 2008 года.
2. Поток беженцев с начала 90-х годов стихийно усиливался и никак не
регулировался принимающей стороной.
3. Маятниковая миграция является результатом несоответствия
размещения производства и расселения людей.
4. За последние пять лет чистая миграция в Великобритании выросла на
36%
5. По оценкам экспертов, чтобы заместить интенсивно стареющее
население, в Беларусь нужно ввезти 10 миллионов мигрантов.
6. Рождение более двух детей на одну женщину указывает на рост
населения и снижение среднего возраста населения по стране.
USE OF ENGLISH PRACTICE
Ageing, challenges, compounded, declining, elderly, factors, implications,
migrating, population, present, rates, trends
Statistics show that in many countries the population will decline in the next
50 years. The population of these countries will also age rapidly. What effect will
this have on those countries?
If current (1) …………… continue, then in some countries the (2)
…………… is expected to dwindle within the next 50 years. This problem is (3)
…………… by the fact that not only is the number of inhabitants diminishing, but
they are also growing older. This (4) …………… population will bring its own (5)
…………… At (6) …………… there are sufficient younger people to earn money
and pay taxes to support the (7) …………… However, within 50 years this will
not be the case. There are several possible (8) …………… contributing to this
problem. First, birth (9) …………… in these countries are clearly falling. Second,
there could be an increase in the number of people (10) …………… away from
these areas.The ageing and (11) …………… population is expected to have
important (12) …………… for the labour force and the quality of everyday life.
READING 3: Working with two texts
Read the following texts about the elderly, answer the questions with a
word or short phrase.
Generation Gap
Not long ago, while talking to a group of men, none of whom was much
over 50, I was amazed to discover that they were all looking forward to retiring
from work. They seemed to ignore what was obvious to me, that retirement, if it
takes place at a statutory age such as 60 or 65, implies that society in general no
longer considers you capable of pulling your weight and believes you should be
pensioned off. In short, it is a sign that you are getting old, with all that that entails.
What it entails is bound to vary from person to person and in most societies,
where women outlive men by about seven years on average but nevertheless retire
earlier, the period is likely to be much longer for them. The financial circumstances
in which people retire also vary but even those who are fortunate enough not to
have to rely on the Government to provide for them usually need to fall back
eventually in one way or another on the goodwill of their relations.
Old age brings with it a host of problems, physical and psychological, and
these are likely to be a cause of friction if elderly people are in close contact with
younger generations. On the whole, the problems tend to be more acute when the
causes are not immediately evident. If Grandfather or Grandmother has to use a
stick when walking or wears a deaf aid, teenagers will readily appreciate it and for
the most part be happy to lend a steadying arm or repeat what they have just said.
It is much more difficult for them constantly to bear in mind that the short-term
memory of old people is prone to lapses; they may have perfect recall of an
incident from childhood but fail to retain for more than a few minutes the details of
your arrangements for the following day. And it is enough to try the patience of a
saint when they indignantly refuse all offers of help but make it obvious that they
cannot be trusted to be left to their own devices so that you stand by on
tenterhooks, restraining the impulse to interfere but ready to leap to their assistance
at a moment's notice.
Why was the writer surprised by the attitude of the men he was talking to?
What does “pulling your weight” mean?
For the elderly, moving house, either from one neighbourhood to another, or
even more markedly, selling the house and moving in with the family of a son or
daughter, is productive of very great stress that the young frequently fail to
understand, since for them change is generally exciting and desirable. Many
features of old age that irritate the young, such as a resistance to change, are really
a way of disguising failing powers. Old people may be unwilling to alter a familiar
routine because the admission that they might be unable to cope would mean a loss
of cherished independence.
The best way of achieving harmony within a household where an elderly
person lives with younger generations is to try to achieve some kind of balance.
The household must revolve around the active members and it is dangerous to
allow respect for the aged to degenerate into allowing the old person to rule the
roost. A great deal can be achieved by making them feel needed, allowing them to
do useful jobs that are not beyond their capacity, but perhaps the most important
factor of all is to show them that you care for them, that they matter and are not
just in the way. Even here, however, there are risks to be avoided. Waiting on them
hand and foot is potentially a source of friction almost as bad in the long run as the
tense atmosphere that commonly results when a daughter or daughter-in-law is
obliged to take in her mother or her husband's purely out of a sense of duty. The
happy family will be one where the middle-aged, who are likely to bear the
heaviest responsibility and require the most patience, know when to intervene
kindly and when to let their parents get on with whatever they are straggling to do.
What does 'rule the roost' mean?
What do you understand by the phrase 'waiting on them hand and foot'?
Orally summarise in your own words as far as possible, the main problems
likely to arise when elderly people live in the same household as younger
generations and say how they are best overcome
DEBATES ON IMMIGRATION
Below you may find arguments in support of the idea thatgovernments in rich
countries should relax the laws controlling immigration. Study them and offer
your counter arguments

People are being kept in unbearable poverty by immigration laws that bar
them from pursuing work in the countries where it is available. By allowing them
to work in rich countries we improve not only their situation but via remittances
that of their family and home country.

People are already entering developed countries for work illegally in
enormous numbers. This brings with it dangers that can be stopped by legalisation.
Illegal immigrants are exploited by employers who don’t follow regulations on pay
or conditions. They pay no tax. They often become involved in prostitution or
crime because they are marginalised. The smuggling of immigrants into rich
countries allows them to be exploited by the gangs who do it and there have been a
number of casualties in the process. Regulation is vital and only legalisation allows
it.

Rich countries are in a demographic crisis with an ever decreasing working
population to support pensioners. The EU needs 14million new people of working
age each year to maintain the worker/pensioner balance. Even Germany has had to
reduce its generous pension system. Developing countries are in the opposite
situation and almost all immigrants are of working age and they will ease this
demographic strain.

Rich countries that have boomed in the 90’s are short of both skilled and
unskilled workers who are kept out by stringent immigration law. There are
unfilled places for skilled workers in 70% of companies throughout Europe and
finding people willing to perform basic manual jobs is increasingly difficult. No
economy can grow when there are no workers to keep up with demand.
Immigration makes the whole economy bigger and everyone richer in the long
term.

This is good for the global economy because it brings workers to where
infrastructure and knowledge are. It also allows rich countries to compete better
and stops companies moving abroad to lower pay and regulation countries. Lots of
the biggest multinationals have specifically lobbied for a free market in labour so
that they can reap the efficiency benefits. They after all pay little attention to
national borders.

Immigrants are generally seen to be extremely keen to work and work hard
in their new country. The drive to emigrate is a drive from a wish to do well and
tends to translate itself into achievement.
Topic 3
THE SPUTNIK MOMENT
LEAD-IN
Calling
this
"our
generation's Sputnik moment"
and a "time to win the future,"
Obama in his second State of the
Union address urged a renewed
emphasis on innovation. "Now
it's our turn," Obama told a joint
session of Congress. We need to
out-innovate, out-educate and
out-build the rest of the world."
“…Yes, scientific innovation
offers us a chance to achieve
prosperity. It has offered us
benefits that have improved our
health and our lives —
improvements that we take too easily for granted. But, it gives us something more.
At root, science forces us to reckon with the truth as best we can ascertain it. Some
truths fill us with awe, others force us to question long-held views. Science can’t
answer every question, and indeed it seems at times the more we plumb the
mysteries of the physical world the more humble we must be. Science cannot
supplant our ethics, our values, our principles or our faith, but science can inform
those things, and help put those values, these moral sentiments, that faith, can put
those things to work — to feed a child, to heal the sick, to be good stewards of this
Earth. We are reminded that with each new discovery, and the new power it brings,
comes new responsibility. That the fragility, the sheer specialness of life, requires
us to move past our differences and to address our common problems, to endure,
and continue humanity’s strivings for a better world.”
Barack Obama
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/video/2011/jan/28/predictions-future-sciencevideo?intcmp=239
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/video/2011/feb/04/science-future-predictions
SCIENCE BASICS QUIZ
Which over-the-counter drug do doctors recommend that people take to help
prevent heart attacks?
1.
Antacids
2.
Cortisone
3.
Aspirin
According to most astronomers, which of the following is no longer considered
a planet?
1.
Neptune
2.
Pluto
3.
Saturn
4.
Mercury
Which of the following may cause a tsunami?
1.
A very warm ocean current
2.
A large school of fish
3.
A melting glacier
4.
An earthquake under the ocean
The global positioning system, or GPS, relies on which of these to work?
1.
Satellites
2.
Stars
3.
Magnets
4.
Lasers
What gas do most scientists believe causes temperatures in the atmosphere to
rise?
1.
Hydrogen
2.
Helium
3.
Carbon dioxide
4.
Radon
How are stem cells different from other cells?
1.
They can develop into many different types of cell
2.
They are found only in bone marrow
3.
They are found only in plants
What have scientists recently discovered on Mars?
1.
Platinum
2.
Plants
3.
Mold
4.
Water
For each statement that follows, please indicate whether it is true or false. If you
don't know or aren't sure just skip to the next one.
The continents on which we live have been moving their location for millions
of years and will continue to move in the future:

True

False
Lasers work by focusing sound waves:

True

False
Antibiotics will kill viruses as well as bacteria:

True

False
Electrons are smaller than atoms:

True

False
All radioactivity is man-made:

True

False
READING 1
Onwards and Upwards
Dec 17th 2009 the Economist
Why is the modern view of progress so impoverished?
In the rich world the idea of progress has become impoverished. Through
complacency and bitter experience, the scope of progress has narrowed. The
popular view is that, although technology and GDP advance, morals and society
are treading water or, depending on your choice of newspaper, sinking back into
decadence and barbarism. On the left of politics these days, “progress” comes with
a pair of ironic quotation marks attached; on the right, “progressive” is a term of
abuse.
The idea of progress forms the backdrop to a society. In the extreme,
without the possibility of progress of any sort, your gain is someone else’s loss. If
human behaviour is unreformable, social policy can only ever be about trying to
cage the ape within. Society must in principle be able to move towards its ideals,
such as equality and freedom, or they are no more than cant and self-delusion. So
it matters if people lose their faith in progress. And it is worth thinking about how
to restore it.
Modern science is full of examples of technologies that can be used for ill as
well as good. Think of nuclear power—and of nuclear weapons; of
biotechnology—and of biological contamination. Or think, less apocalyptically, of
information technology and of electronic surveillance. History is full of useful
technologies that have done harm, intentionally or not. Electricity is a modern
wonder, but power stations have burnt too much CO2-producing coal. The internet
has spread knowledge and understanding, but it has also spread crime and
pornography. German chemistry produced aspirin and fertiliser, but it also filled
Nazi gas chambers with Cyclon B.
The point is not that science is harmful, but that progress in science does not
map tidily onto progress for humanity. In an official British survey of public
attitudes to science in 2008, just over 80% of those asked said they were “amazed
by the achievements of science”. However, only 46% thought that “the benefits of
science are greater than any harmful effect”.
From the perspective of human progress, science needs governing.
Scientific progress needs to be hitched to what you might call “moral progress”. It
can yield untold benefits, but only if people use it wisely. They need to understand
how to stop science from being abused. And to do that they must look outside
science to the way people behave.
Get ready to make a 4 to 5-minute speech on one of the questions below:
How have the lives of ordinary people been affected by recent scientific
advances?
In what areas are scientific discoveries likely to be made in the near future?
Should scientific research be subject to tighter governmental controls?
Give your own examples proving that modern science is full of technologies that
can be used for ill as well as good
Extend the following strings of collocations, translate them into Russian:
Narrow scope, circumstances, bounds, victory…
To tread water, in smb.'s steps…
Restore faith, someone to office…
Spread knowledge, crime, rumours…
Yield benefits, a loss, to temptation, no result…
READING 2
Read this article and then look at the statements below. See which of them are
true. Give your reasoning by citing the text.
Computers and technology
Has the present lived up to the
expectations of the past? Throughout the
ages people have tried to predict what life
in the twenty-first century would be like.
Many science-fiction writers did manage
to predict the influence the computer
would have on our world. Some even
imagined that it would take over our lives,
develop a personality, and turn on its
creators. To some extent they were right, especially when it comes to children and
cyberaddiction. One constant prediction was that, thanks to computers and
machines, the time devoted to labour would diminish. Even in 1971, in his book
Future Shock, Alvin Toffler envisaged a society awash with 'free time'. The author
noted that time at work had been cut in half since the turn of the previous century
and wrongly speculatedthat it would be cut in half again by 2000.
However, our gadget-filled homes are a tribute to the various visions of the
future: the microwave oven, internet fridges with ice-cube dispensers, freezers,
video monitors, climate control, dishwashers, washing machines, personal
computers, wireless connections and cupboards full of instant food. These may no
longer be considered cutting-edgebut they have matched, if not surpassed, visions
of how we would live. The domestic robot never quite happened, but if you can
phone ahead to set the heating and use a remote control to operate the garage door,
they may as well be redundant.
The car, of course, has failed to live up to our expectations. It has been given
turbo engines, DVD players and automatic windows, but its tyres stick stubbornly
to the road. Why doesn't it take off? The past promised us a flying car in various
guises. In 1947 a prototypecircled San Diego for more than an hour but later
crashed in the desert. Some 30 patents for flying cars were registered in the US
patent office last century but none of these ideas has been transformed into a
commercially available vehicle.
At least communication technology in this digitalage hasn't let us down.
Even in the most remote areas people have access to some form of communication
device. The introduction of the telephone last century changed our world, but
today's mobile phones and the virtualworld of the Internet have revolutionised it.
1. A modern problem proves that computers are dominating our lives in some
way
2. Alan Toffler's predictions have been proven true
3. Household gadgets today have been a disappointment
4. ............................................................................ We have enough gadgets
now to make robots unnecessary in the home
5. .............................................. Today's cars have fulfilled all predictions
6. .............................................................................. The mobile phone and
the Internet have changed our world for the better
Now match the words in the text with these definitions.
1. ...................... guessed
2. ...................... be greater than expected
3. ...................... a machine invented for a specific purpose (x 2)
4. ...................... relating to computers
5. ................................a screen that images can be seen on
6.
the first working example of a
machine
7.
an adjective used to describe anything
related to
8. ......................... almost real
9. ......................... computers
10. ........................ very modern
Match a word from box A with a word from box В and use the compound
words to complete the sentences below
A. automatic, cyber, remote, silicon, wireless, labour
B. chip, connection, control, pilot, space, saving,
1. ...................................... The invention of the …………… made watching
television an even more passive experience.
2. .................................................................. In my view the dishwasher is
one of the greatest …………… devices.
3. ................................................................................ People often talk
about emails and text messages being lost in …………… as if it were a real
place.
4. ................................................................... Even flying a plane has been
automated now. The …………… is used for most of the flight.
5. ...................................... The invention of the …………… meant that
computers could be much smaller.
6. ...................................... I can access the Internet from anywhere in my
house because my laptop has a ……………
WRITING: SUMMARY
The Future Is Now
By Joel Achenbach
April 13, 2008;The Washington Post
The most important things happening in the world today won't make
tomorrow's front page. They won't get mentioned by presidential candidates or
Chris Matthews or Bill O'Reilly or any of the other folks yammering and snorting
on cable television.They'll be happening in laboratories -- out of sight, inscrutable
and unhyped until the very moment when they change life as we know it.
Science and technology form a two-headed, unstoppable change agent.
Problem is, most of us are mystified and intimidated by such things as
biotechnology, or nanotechnology, or the various other-ologies that seem to be
threatening to merge into a single unspeakable and incomprehensible thing called
biotechnonanogenomicology. We vaguely understand that this stuff is changing
our lives, but we feel as though it's all out of our control.
What's unnerving is the velocity at which the future sometimes arrives.
Consider the Internet. This powerful but highly disruptive technology crept out of
the lab (a Pentagon think tank, actually) and all but devoured modern civilization -with almost no advance warning. The first use of the word "internet" to refer to a
computer network seems to have appeared in this newspaper on Sept. 26, 1988, in
the Financial section, on page F30 -- about as deep into the paper as you can go
without hitting the bedrock of the classified ads. The scientists knew that computer
networks could be powerful. But how many knew that this Internet thing would
change the way we communicate, publish, sell, shop, conduct research, find old
friends, do homework, plan trips and on and on?
It's not just us mortals, even scientists don't always grasp the significance of
innovations. Tomorrow's revolutionary technology may be in plain sight, but
everyone's eyes, clouded by conventional thinking, just can't detect it. So where
does that leave the rest of us? In technological Palookaville.
Science is becoming ever more specialized; technology is increasingly a
series of black boxes, impenetrable to but a few. Americans' poor science literacy
means that science and technology exist in a walled garden, a geek ghetto. We are
a technocracy in which most of us don't really understand what's happening around
us. We stagger through a world of technological and medical miracles. We're
zombified by progress.
Our ability to monkey around with life itself is a reminder that ethics,
religion and old-fashioned common sense will be needed in abundance in decades
to come. How smart and flexible and rambunctious do we want our computers to
be? Let's not mess around with that Matrix business.
Every forward-thinking person almost ritually brings up the mortality issue.
What'll happen to society if one day people can stop the aging process? Or if only
rich people can stop getting old?
It's interesting that politicians rarely address such matters. The future in
general is something of a suspect topic . . . a little goofy. Right now we're all
focused on the next primary, the summer conventions, the Olympics and their
political implications, the fall election. The political cycle enforces an emphasis on
the immediate rather than the important.
And in fact, any prediction of what the world will be like more than, say, a
year from now is a matter of hubris. The professional visionaries don't even talk
about predictions or forecasts but prefer the word "scenarios." When Sen. John
McCain, for example, declares that radical Islam is the transcendent challenge of
the 21st century, he's being sincere, but he's also being a bit of a soothsayer.
Environmental problems and resource scarcity could easily be the dominant global
dilemma. Or a virus with which we've yet to make our acquaintance. Or some
other "wild card."
Some predictions are bang-on, such as sci-fi writer Arthur C. Clarke's
declaration in 1945 that there would someday be communications satellites
orbiting the Earth. But Clarke's satellites had to be occupied by repairmen who
would maintain the huge computers required for space communications. Even in
the late 1960s, when Clarke collaborated with Stanley Kubrick on the screenplay to
"2001: A Space Odyssey," he assumed that computers would, over time, get
bigger.We have built into us an idea that tomorrow is going to be pretty much like
today, which is very wrong.
The future is often viewed as an endless resource of innovation that will
make problems go away -- even though, if the past is any judge, innovations create
their own set of new problems. Climate change is at least in part a consequence of
the invention of the steam engine in the early 1700s and all the industrial advances
that followed.
Look again at the Internet. It's a fantastic tool, but it also threatens to
disperse information we'd rather keep under wraps, such as our personal medical
data, or even the instructions for making a fission bomb.
We need to keep our eyes open. The future is going to be here sooner than
we think. It'll surprise us. We'll try to figure out why we missed so many clues.
And we'll go back and search the archives, and see that thing we should have
noticed on page F30.
Palookaville is a 1995 motion picture about a pair of trio burglars and their
dysfunctional family of origin. It is a comedy about bumbling buddies who decide
to live a life of crime. But there's a problem: the only thing they know about being
criminals is what they've seen on TV so you can imagine the problems they
encounter when planning their big score
READING 3
Fill each of the numbered blanks in the passage with one suitable word.
Life on Mars
Speculation about life on Mars began, like so much speculation, with the
ancient Greeks. For them, as forus, it formed part of a larger question: Are there
intelligent life forms elsewhere in the universe, and if(1) ………., are they anything
like us?
As (2) ………. as Christians believed that the Earth was the centre of the
universe, interest(3) ………. such matters (4) ………. out but revived in the
nineteenth century. The reason whydiscussion began to focus (5) ………. Mars was
that Italian astronomers claimed there were lineson the surface, which they called
canali or channels. When the word was translated (6) ………. English as 'canals',
implying that they had been artificially constructed, the stage was set for all kinds
of hypotheses.
After the astronomers came the novelists, (7) ………. all the young H G
Wells, who portrayed theMartians as ruthless invaders in The War of the Worlds.
The success of Wells' novel (8) ………. Riseto a host of imitations, (9) ………. them
an early work of Edgar Rice Burroughs, later the creatorof Tarzan. Burroughs'
Mars was inhabited not only by monsters (10) ………. also by beautifulprincesses
who gave birth by (11) ………. eggs.
Since a spacecraft landed there in J 997, Mars has once again been in the
news. (12) ………. always,public interest is aroused by the hope that life might be
found there. So far such speculation remainswishful (13) ………. and one cannot
help wondering why it should seem important to us. Theanswer may be that we
(14) ………. it comforting to imagine that we are not (15) ………. inthe universe.
What DNA can tell us about the past
DNA is the substance from which all life as we know it is derived. But how
(0)longcan it survive?Is it out of the (1) ………. to think of recreating a creature
from DNA found in the remains of one?The discovery of traces of DNA in an
animal known (2) ………. the quagga, a cross (3) ………. a horse and a zebra that
became extinct in the last century, was the starting pointfor a series of investigation
of this type.
The initial excitement has (4)………. down a little since subsequent research
has demonstrated thathowever well preserved a creature's remains may be, the
upper limit for the survival of DNA is about 100,000years and using it to (5)
……….a quagga back to life is the stuff of fantasy. Yet the discovery can beused
to provide (6) ………. to many questions about prehistory that have troubled
archaeologists.
For example, as a result of extracting DNA from the remains of a
Neanderthal, scientists have (7) ………. the conclusion that it belonged to a
different species and we are not its descendants. Another problem concerns the
inhabitants of Easter Island in the South Pacific. In this case, the DNA evidence of
ancient human remainsdoes not bear (8) ………. the theory that they came from
South America but nor does it prove thatthey were from South East Asia, the
alternative suggestion (9) ………. forward.
It might be imagined that these new scientific techniques would (10) …….
an end to traditionalarchaeological research but this is very (11) ……….from
being the case. (12) ………. thecontrary, they provide a basis (13) ……….many
further projects, if we (14) ………. intoconsideration the hundreds of samples of
hair, bone and tissue containing DNA in museums that can beanalysed to throw
(15) ………. on the unsolved mysteries of the past.
VOCABULARY WORK
Innovations
People were asked to the little technical innovations that have quietly entered and improved - our lives over the last 20 years. Here are some of their replies.
 I never carry much 'real money' and I hardly ever even write a cheque. I just
put a piece of plastic in a slot, enter my PINand take out the cash!
 You're more likely to have to swipe a cardthan use a traditional key these
days. Remember when you had to rush out of work to get to the bank in your
lunch hour? I never need to go into a bank today. Online bankingis
fantastic.
 My music collection used to take up a whole wall of my room. Now I've got
far more music storedon my little MP3 player.
 How did people manage without mobile phones? And I love all the extra
bits. I love being able to downloadnew ringtones!
 Wireless hotspotsare fantastic - I can easily get online using my own laptop.
I travel a lot and it's great to be able to remote access my email.
 Remember when you had to get off the sofa to switch channelson your
black and white TV? Now you turn your huge flat-screen TVon and off by
remote control!
 High-definition TV-the picture is fantastic compared with before.
 I use SATNAVin the car all the time - much easier than looking at a paper
map.
Technology in business
Scientists and technologists are pushing back the frontiers of knowledge
every day. Scientists publish their findings and those findings are developed into
commercial applications. We have become very skilled at harnessing technology
in all sorts of creative ways. New cutting-edge design is transforming our daily
lives and our businesses. But even with the technology we are already familiar
with things do not always run smoothly. There can be difficulties installing
equipment and hardware can suffer from wear and tear. More serious are viruses,
which can cause systems to crash and lead to the loss of important data. A power
cut can cause machinery to lose power and production may be halted until power
is restored. If computers have to be shut down for even a short time, it can cause
a variety of problems, all of them costly.
Correct the collocation errors in the sentences that follow using the italicized
words and word combinations in the texts above. In some sentences there is
more than one error.
1)
If you switch off your computer without shutting it properly, you may
lose data.
2)
I didn't expect everything to run gently in my new job but I didn't
imagine it would be quite so difficult as it was.
3)
Alex had some technical problems initiating his new computer
equipment.
4)
The company is famous for its cutting-side design.
5)
If they'd serviced their machines regularly, they wouldn't have had to halt
producing.
6)
Vic dreams of making a discovery that would help to push out the
frontiers of science.
7)
Scientists usually publicise their findings in academic journals.
8)
There was a power break this morning. The power went off at ten and it
wasn't restorated till midday.
9)
Urs loves pure research but his brother is more interested in the
application of research to practical projects and in harassing new technology
for commercial ends.
10)
They carried out researches over a ten-year period and finally
published their finding this month
USE OF ENGLISH PRACTICE
Gapped Sentences
1. Shell is poised to become the first oil major to sign a deal to ……………
natural gas in the Kurdish region of Iran.
Brutal interrogation methods and even executions are allegedly used by the
security services to …………… information about insurgents.
Read this …………… from an information booklet about the work of an airline
cabin crew.
2. MyTravel, the embattled tour operator, is understood to be preparing to
…………… back its retail division by shedding senior staff and closing up to 260
shops.
To …………… fish at home, start to …………… from tail to head with the back
of a table knife.
There is now a consensus among politicians of all parties that it is time to face up
to the …………… oftheproblem in the public finances.
3. The menu will be ready as soon as you …………… up your computer
In the United States, a …………… camp is a military training camp for new
recruits, with strict discipline.
Alice was not just the smartest girl in the class; she was the best dancer, to
……………
4. Gerry was seen as a computer wizard capable of debugging convoluted
…………… in his sleep.
It was as if the speaker’s words contained a concealed ………… that only we were
picking up.
Remember to dial the area …………… if you are phoning from outside
Nottingham.
5. As with any complex project, it’s a …………… of getting the right mix of
skills.
In the brain, the cerebral cortex is a layer of grey …………… lying above each
cerebral hemisphere.
Helping him to escape had not been a minor …………… and he knew that if these
people were caught they would be punished.
6. Though she was an exacting boss at work she could never put her
…………… down in the affairs of her family.
There is a mounting dissent between the participants in the deal over who should
…………… thebill for the technology needed.
Put your best …………… forward and work on the assumption that there is an
acceptable solution to every problem you are likely to face.
Word formation
Today, of course, we face more complex challenges than
we have ever faced before: a medical system that holds the
promise of (1)…………… new cures and treatments -- attached
to a health care system that holds the potential for bankruptcy to
lock
families and businesses; a system of energy that powers our
economy, but simultaneously (2)…………… our planet; threats
to our security that seek to exploit the very (3)............... and
danger
openness so (4)…………… to our prosperity.
connect
And if there was ever a day that reminded us of our shared
essence
stake in science and research, it's today. We are closely
monitoring the emerging cases of swine flu in the United States.
And this is obviously a cause for concern and requires a
(5)…………… state of alert. But it's not a cause for alarm. The
Department of Health and Human Services has declared a public
height
health emergency as a (6)…………… tool to ensure that we have
the resources we need at our disposal to respond quickly and
caution
effectively. And this is one more example of why we can't allow
our nation to fall behind.
(7)……………, that's exactly what's happened.Federal
funding in the physical sciences as a portion of our gross
fortune
domestic product has fallen by nearly half over the past quarter
century.
Our schools continue to trail other developed countries and,
in some cases, developing countries. Our students are
(8)…………… in math and science by their peers in Singapore,
Japan, England, Hong Kong, and Korea, among others. And we
perform
have watched as scientific integrity has been undermined and
scientific research (9)…………… in an effort to advance
policy
(10)…………… ideological agendas.
determine
Open Cloze
The Danger of Dissent
Some would argue that, in matters (1) …………… great public importance,
scientific dissent should be silenced. It can, it is true, (2) …………… harm. When
AIDS first (3) …………… its ugly head, no one knew what caused it. Gradually,
the virus responsible was isolated, identified and then attacked successfully with
drugs (4) …………… specifically to (5) …………… its reproduction. A few
scientists, though, refused to (6) …………… the evidence and some politicians
used their arguments to (7) …………… inaction.
Now this newspaper believes that global warming is a serious threat, and
that the world needs to take steps to try to (8) ……………….. it. That is the job of
the politicians. But we do not believe that climate change is a certainty. There are
no certainties in science. Prevailing theories must be constantly tested (9)
……………. evidence, and refined, and more evidence collected, and the theories
tested again. That is the job of the scientists. When they stop questioning
orthodoxy, mankind will have given up the (10) …………… for truth. The
skeptics should not be silenced.
READING 4: READ and DISCUSS
The term GM foods or GMOs (genetically-modified organisms) is most
commonly used to refer to crop plants created for human or animal consumption
using the latest molecular biology techniques. These plants have been modified in
the laboratory to enhance desired traits such as increased resistance to herbicides
or improved nutritional content. The enhancement of desired traits has traditionally
been undertaken through breeding, but conventional plant breeding methods can be
very time consuming and are often not very accurate. Genetic engineering, on the
other hand, can create plants with the exact desired trait very rapidly and with great
accuracy. For example, plant geneticists can isolate a gene responsible for drought
or cold tolerance, pest or disease resistance and insert that gene into a different
plant. The new genetically-modified plant will gain these traits as well.
The world population has topped 6 billion people and is predicted to double
in the next 50 years. Ensuring an adequate food supply for this booming population
is going to be a major challenge in the years to come. GM foods promise to meet
this need.
Environmental activists, religious organizations, public interest groups,
professional associations and other scientists and government officials have all
raised concerns about GM foods, and criticized agribusiness for pursuing profit
without concern for potential hazards, and the government for failing to exercise
adequate regulatory oversight. It seems that everyone has a strong opinion about
GM foods. Most concerns about GM foods fall into three categories:
environmental hazards, human health risks, and economic concerns.
Genetically-modified foods have the potential to solve many of the world's
hunger and malnutrition problems, and to help protect and preserve the
environment by increasing yield and reducing reliance upon chemical pesticides
and herbicides. Yet there are many challenges ahead for governments, especially in
the areas of safety testing, regulation, international policy and food labeling. Many
people feel that genetic engineering is the inevitable wave of the future and that we
cannot afford to ignore a technology that has such enormous potential benefits.
However, we must proceed with caution to avoid causing unintended harm to
human health and the environment as a result of our enthusiasm for this powerful
technology.
Make up a list of arguments for and against genetic engineering
Render the text that follows in English
Человечество давно использует генную инженерию для получения
генетически модифицированной продукции. При этом более 95% продукции
получают из растений, которые являются прекрасными объектами для
изучения, особенно соя, кукуруза, хлопок, картофель и многие другие.
Сегодня получены образцы растений, в которых содержатся антигены
некоторых вирусов, что позволяет вакцинировать население от многих
заболеваний.
Возможно
обогащение
продуктов
растительного
происхождения витаминами, микроэлементами и минеральными веществами.
Появились растения, способные защитить себя от насекомых и сорняков –
повышается
урожайность,
качество,
понижается
себестоимость
продукции.Существуют ГМ овощи и фрукты способные переносить
заморозки и засуху, которые в обычных случаях уничтожили бы урожай.
Максимальное количество генетически модифицированных растений
выращиваются на территории США (соя, кукуруза, хлопок и другие), на их
долю приходится 63% мировых объемов производства «новых» растений, а
потребителями являются развивающиеся страны.
Трудно предсказать последствия использования измененных продуктов
за счет природных, глобальных факторов воздействия, а тем более отклик
человеческого организма на успехи генной инженерии. Выращивание и
употребление в пищу генетически модифицированных организмов (ГМО)
сопровождается несколькими рисками. Экологи опасаются, что генетически
измененные формы могут случайно проникнуть в дикую природу, что
приведет к катастрофическим изменениям в экосистемах.
Например, сорняки могут получить от ГМО ген устойчивости к
вредителям и пестицидам. Тогда размножение сорняков будет
неконтролируемым. Саморегуляция в экосистемах нарушится.
Кроме экологических рисков, связанных с проблемами выращивания
ГМО, существуют пищевые риски. Употребление трансгенных продуктов
вызывает у многих людей аллергические реакции. Сорта растений,
устойчивые к пестицидам могут накапливать вредные веществаи вызывать
отравление приупотреблении в пищу.ГМ-растения подвергают риску
экологический баланс в природе и могут негативно повлиять на здоровье
чеовека.
READING5
With the advent of new technology there have been many changes during
the latter part of the twentieth century. As well as new words, some words have
changed their meaning.
You Are Survivors!
(for those born some time ago)
You were born before television, before penicillin, polio shots, frozen foods,
Xerox, plastics, contact lenses, DVDs and Frisbees. You were before radar, credit
cards, split atoms, laser beams and ball point pens; before dishwashers, tumble
dryers, electric blankets, air conditioners … and before man walked on the moon.
You got married first and then lived together (how quaint can you be?). You
thought ‘fast food’ was what you ate at Lent, a ‘Big Mac’ was an oversized
raincoat and ‘crumpet’ you had for tea. You existed before house husbands,
computer dating, dual careers, and when ‘sheltered accommodation’ was where
you waited for a bus.
You were before day-care centers, group homes and disposable nappies.
You never heard of FM radio, key boards, artificial hearts, yoghurts and
young men wearing earrings. For you ‘time sharing’ meant togetherness, a ‘chip’
was a piece of wood or a fried potato,
hardware meant nuts and bolts, and software
wasn’t a word.
‘Made in Japan’ meant junk, pizzas,
McDonalds and instant coffee were unheard
of. In your day, cigarette smoking was
‘fashionable’, ‘grass’ was mown, ‘coke’ was
kept in a coal house, and a ‘joint’ was a piece
of meat. ‘Rock music’ was grandmother’s
lullaby, ‘Eldorado’ was an ice cream, a ‘gay
person’ was life and soul of the party and
nothing more, while ‘aids’ just meant beauty
treatment, wooden legs or help for someone
in trouble.
You, who were born a long time ago,
must be a hardy bunch when you think of the
way in which the world has changed and the
adjustments you have had to make. But … by the grace of God … you have
survived!!
READING 4
How to live forever
Jan 3rd 2008
The Economist
It looks unlikely that medical science will abolish the process of ageing.
But it no longer looks impossible
“In the long run,” as John Maynard Keynes observed, “we are all dead.”
True. But can the short run be elongated in a way that makes the long run longer?
And if so, how, and at what cost? People have dreamt of immortality since time
immemorial. They have sought it since the first alchemist put an elixir of life on
the same shopping list as a way to turn lead into gold. They have written about it in
fiction, from Rider Haggard's “She” to Frank Herbert's “Dune”. And now, with the
growth of biological knowledge that has marked the past few decades, a few
researchers believe it might be within reach.
To think about the question, it is important to understand why organisms—
people included—age in the first place. People are like machines: they wear out.
That much is obvious. However a machine can always be repaired. A good
mechanic with a stock of spare parts can keep it going indefinitely. Eventually, no
part of the original may remain, but it still carries on, like Lincoln's famous axe
that had had three new handles and two new blades.
The question, of course, is whether the machine is worth repairing. It is here
that people and nature disagree. Or, to put it slightly differently, two bits of nature
disagree with each other. The paradox is that the individual's evolved desire not to
age is opposed by another evolutionary force: the disposable soma (the ancient
Greek word for body). The soma's ultimate role is to get the organism's genes, into
the next generation. And if evolutionary logic requires the soma to age and die, so
be it. Which is a pity, for evolutionary logic does, indeed, seem to require that.
The argument is this. All organisms are going to die of something
eventually. That something may be an accident, a fight, a disease or an encounter
with a hungry predator. There is thus a premium on reproducing early rather than
conserving resources for a future that may never come. The reason why repairs are
not perfect is that they are costly and resources invested in them might be used for
reproduction instead. Often, therefore, the body's mechanics prefer lash-ups to
complete rebuilds—or simply do not bother with the job at all. And if that is so, the
place to start looking for longer life is in the repair shop.
One man who has done just that is Aubrey de Grey. Dr de Grey, who is an
independent researcher working in Cambridge, England, is a man who provokes
strong opinions. He believes that anti-ageing technology could come about in a
future that many now alive might live to see.
Vision or mirage, Dr de Grey has defined the problem precisely. Unlike
most workers in the field, he has an engineering background, and is thus ideally
placed to look into the biological repair shop. As he sees things, ageing has seven
components; deal with all seven, and you stop the process in its tracks. He refers to
this approach as strategies for engineered negligible senescence (SENS).
One way that might let people outlive the limit imposed by disposable somas
is to accept the machine analogy literally. When you take your car to be serviced or
repaired, you expect the mechanic to replace any worn or damaged parts with new
ones. That, roughly, is what those proposing an idea called partial immortalisation
are suggesting. And they will make the new parts with stem cells. The thing about
stem cells of all types, which makes them different from ordinary body cells, is
that they have special permission to multiply indefinitely. Supporters of partial
immortalization, also known as regenerative medicine, seek to use stem cells to
grow replacements for tissues and organs that have worn out.
Neither prevention, nor repair, is truly ready to roll out. But there is one
other approach, and this is based on the one way of living longer that has been
shown, again and again, in animal experiments, to be effective. That is to eat less.
From threadworms to mice, putting an animal on a diet that is near, but not
quite at, starvation point prolongs life—sometimes dramatically. No one has done
the experiment on people, and no one knows for sure why it works. But it does
provide a way of studying the problem with the reasonable hope of finding an
answer.
You would, of course, have to wish a lot for a long life to choose to starve
yourself to achieve it. Extrapolating from the mouse data, you would need to keep
your calorie intake to three-quarters of the amount recommended by dieticians.
The reason for believing that prolonged life is an evolutionary response to
starvation rather than just a weird accident is that when an animal is starving the
evolutionary calculus changes. An individual that has starved to death is not one
that can reproduce. Even if it does not die, the chance of it giving birth to healthy
offspring is low. So, the billion-dollar trick would be to persuade the body it is
starving when it is not. That way people could live longer while eating normally.
They might even, if the mechanism can truly be understood, be able to reproduce,
as well.
In this connection, the most intriguing story is with the French paradox. This
is the fact that the French tend to eat fatty diets rich in red meat but to have the
survival characteristics of those whose diets are lean and vegetarian. Some
researchers link this with their consumption of red wine which activates sirtuins
that forces the existing copies to produce more protein than normal, and life is
prolonged.
That said, the logic of the disposable-soma theory is profound. Even
working with its grain may do no more than buy a few extra years of healthy
living. Researchers hope that next few years will see further discoveries and
improved life-extension technologies based on them.
The chances are that it will not work. But hope springs eternal. Woody Allen
once said, “I don't want to achieve immortality through my work. I want to achieve
immortality through not dying.” If any researcher manages to beat evolutionary
history and achieve his goal, he might get to do both.
Cross out the one word in each list that is NOT a synonym for the word in
capitals.
1.
PROBLEM difficulty, dilemma, benefit, challenge, obstacle
2.
SOLUTION
answer, key, remedy, resolution, setback
3.
WORSEN
compound, deteriorate, enhance, exacerbate
4.
IMPROVE
advance, aggravate, flourish, progress, reform
5.
CHANGE
acclimatise, adapt, adjust, amend, linger, modify,
transform