WORD STUDY

I. Explain what the following proper names mean:

 

Wildlife Trust

The Worldwide Fund for Nature

The Biodiversity Action Plan

The Earth Summit

 

II. Match the names of species and their habitats:

 

Mouse-eared bat nursery site

Barbot forest

Lady’s tress pond

Vole lowland farmland

Medicinal leech bog

Mussel marsh

Skylark water

Red squirrel river

 

III. Make up a list of phrases used in the text to say:

1. What can happen to species or habitat. E.g. to become extinct. etc.

2. That is to be done to save them. E.g. to halt the decline in. etc.

3. What can be done to a plan before it is implemented. E.g. to be drawn up by smd., etc.

 

IV. a) Explain in English \ translate:

to be targeted for recovery

targets have been laid down

to set targets

target date

live target

 

 

b) Differentiating synonyms:

to implement, embody, realize, fulfill, execute, effectuate, materialize, exercise.

 

COMPREHENSION

I. Answer the question:

1. Why are some of the animal and plant species in Britain targeted for recovery?

2. Why is it crucial to restore them?

3. Why are the rescue plans called unprecedented?

4. Under what conditions will they work?

5. What steps are to be taken to revive the endangered species?

6. What habitats should be restored?

 

II. Discuss in small groups:

1. What species are threatened with extinction in other parts of the world?

2. What animals and plants are on the rescue list in your country\region?

Text 2. Animals disappearing from the face of the Earth.

Study the vocabulary:

A)

· shy · flightless · kiwi · to head towards · to endanger · conservationist · secure · discreet · nocturnal · mammal · predator · extinct   b) · bald · eagle · mascot · to remove · affection · to ban · insecticide

пугливый, робкий нелетающий киви, бескрыл(нелетающая птица) приближаться к подвергать опасности служащий заповедника безопасный осторожный ночной млекопитающее животное хищник вымерший   лысый, лишённый перьев орёл талисман удалять привязанность запрещать средство от насекомых

 

Read the following passages:

A)

The shy, flightless kiwi, which is New Zealand’s national symbol, is heading gradually towards extinction. Sadly all three species of Kiwi will go on the endangered species list. A recent survey shows that kiwis are disappearing rapidly from the forests where they have lived for thousands of years.

Ten years ago conservationists thought that kiwi’s future are secure. But today they warn that if the government does not act immediately, the kiwi may disappear in less than ten years.

Dogs, cats and Australian possums are rapidly reducing the numbers of this discreet, nocturnal bird. Human introduced these animals into New Zealand where no mammals lived until modern times. In the past there were probably millions of kiwis living in the vast forests. Their only predator was the large New Zealand eagle which itself became extinct thousands of years ago.

Zoos in New Zealand have several birds and these are only ones which most humans are ever likely to see. It would be extremely unfortunate if the national emblem of the country would go the same way as the great eagle.

 

B)

The majestic bald eagle has made an astonishing recovery. America’s patriotic mascot was close to extinction (1)…..(when). The government will (2)…..(how) remove it from the country’s list of endangered species.

The government declared the bald eagle to be the national symbol in 1782. But farmers felt little affection for the predator and they killed thousands of birds at the beginning of the last century.

The eagle was once a common sight (3)….(where). But chemical pesticides, deforestation a ns hunters reduced the number of birds to just 400 pairs in the early 1960s. the bald eagle became so rare that most Americans have only ever seen their national symbol in zoos or on the back of dollar bills.

In the 1960s the government banned the insecticide DDT and it became illegal to hunt the bird. The number of eagles increased (4)….(how). Today more than 8000 bald eagles live (5)….(where) in US.