Descended, adverse, to decrease, polluting, move away, treating, appeals to, interact, problem, fight

1) When it is acid rain, perhaps God is cursing the ruthless manner in which man is exploiting the nature.

2) Acid rain is a harmful and visible side effect of air pollution.

3) Acid rain is caused by contaminating chemicals entering the environment at unsustainable levels.

4) The gases released during the combustion process can in high concentrations react with the water in clouds to form sulphuric and nitric acids.

5) Scientists and engineers have developed ways to reduce the acidity of rain.

6) Several kinds of devices remove sulfur and nitrogen compounds from fuels or industrial emissions

7) The issue of acid rain first came to the attention of the international community in the late 1960s.

8) The Convention covers Europe and North America and calls on countries to "to limit and, as far as possible, gradually reduce and prevent air pollution.

9) Emissions from industrial sources dropped substantially during the 1990s.

10) Despite the steps taken to combat air pollution, acidification remains a major legacy problem for Europe.

5. Finish the sentences using the text.

1) Acid rain is a rain or any other form of …

2) Acid rain is a harmful and visible side-effect of …

3) A primary cause of acid rain is …

4) Acid rain has not always appeared only as rain: it can also …

5) Acid rain can be extremely harmful to …

6) Scientists and engineers have developed ways to …

7) Adding lime to lakes and rivers and their drainage areas …

8) The issue of acid rain first came to the attention of the international community in …

9) The Convention on the Long Range Transport of Air Pollution adopted in 1979 calls on countries …

10) The use of catalytic converters in cars has also helped …

11) Despite the steps taken to combat air pollution, acidification …

12) In recent years acid rain has been replaced by …

6. Translate.

1) Что такое кислотный дождь?

2) Кислотный дождь – это дождь или любой другой вид осадков, который имеет повышенную кислотность.

3) Кислотный дождь – это вредный и видимый результат загрязнения воздуха.

4) Причиной кислотного дождя является проникновение загрязняющих химических веществ в окружающую среду.

5) Основной причиной кислотного дождя является сжигание природного топлива.

6) Выделяющиеся в процессе сгорания оксиды азота и серы в больших концентрациях могут взаимодействовать с водой, образуя азотную и серную кислоту.

7) Кислотный дождь может переноситься ветром на большие расстояния.

8) Кислотный дождь оказывает разрушительное воздействие как на естественную, так и созданную человеком окружающую среду.

9) Учёные и инженеры разработали способы уменьшения кислотности дождя.

10) Выбросы от промышленных источников значительно сократились в 1990-х годах.

11) Несмотря на шаги, предпринимаемые для борьбы с загрязнением воздуха, окисление остаётся главной проблемой для Европы.

7. Summarize the text “Acid Rain”. Use the following beginnings:

The text reports on…

The text touches upon…

A careful account is given to…

It is reported that…

Much attention is given to…

The text points out that…

The text deals with the problem of…

The text provides information on…

The text defines the phenomenon of…

The text covers such points as…

The effects of… on … are considered.

8. Work in pairs. Speak and express your opinion on the facts below. Use the following expressions:

I agree (don’t agree) that…

I think that …

I am sure …

1) At present scientists and ecologists more often use the term “acid deposition” instead of “acid rain”.

2) Air pollution in one country can become acid rain in another country.

3) Acid rain has a number of adverse effects.

4) Scientists and engineers try to reduce acidity, but the measures are not sufficient.

Reading for Understanding

1. Read the text and choose the headline:

a) Acid Rain Effects on Plants

b) Acid Rain Effects

c) Acid Rain Effects on Human Health

d) Solutions to Reduce Acidity

Acid rain has a negative effect on plants and animals. Once the acid gets into the water cycle it can cause the acidification of lakes and streams. The National Surface Water Survey (NSWS) identified over a thousand lakes and thousands of streams in the United States, where some form of acidification has taken place. Of these lakes and streams, 75 percent of the acidity in the lakes was directly due to acid rain. 50 percent of the streams had been affected by acid rain. Many areas of the Northeastern United States and Eastern Canada contain lakes and streams affected by acidification from acid rain.

Changes in the pH of lakes and streams affected by acid rain can result in a decrease in the variety of fish, plants and animals living in or near the water. Some animals and plants cannot tolerate the higher levels of acid. Snails, clams and bass are examples of animals that can only tolerate a small increase in acidity.

Acid rain destroys trees and plants by causing damage to leaves and dissolving nutrients in the surrounding soil. Trees in higher elevations, have a greater risk for damage due to acid rain because they have greater exposure to clouds carrying sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide.

Acid rain can also have a devastating effect on man-made structures, such as those made of stone and metal. Bronze statutes and marble monuments are deteriorated by acid rain. Costly repairs and maintenance are required to clean acidic compounds resulting from dry deposition collecting on buildings.

One important misconception to clear up about acid rain is its direct harm to humans. Acid rain falls from the sky just like regular rain, without odor or taste. Acid rain is not directly harmful to humans. Yet, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide are harmful pollutants before they combine with water and oxygen to form acid rain. These gases cause harmful particles that can be inhaled by humans, causing lung and heart disorders.

Notes:

tolerate терпеть, выносить elevation высота

clam морской моллюск devastating опустошительный,

разрушительный

bass окунь inhale вдыхать

dissolve растворять

2. Find in the text the equivalents to the following word combinations:

проникать в водный цикл; более тысячи озёр; небольшое увеличение кислотности; вызывая разрушение листьев; растворяя питательные вещества в почве; расположенность к облакам; сделанные из камня и металла; мраморные памятники; дорогостоящие реставрации; сухие отложения; прямой вред людям; без запаха и вкуса; лёгочные и сердечные заболевания

3. Select the statement that best expresses the main idea of the text.

a) Acid rain has a negative effect on plants and animals.

b) Trees in higher elevations, have a greater risk for damage due to acid rain.

c) Acid rain causes direct harm to humans.

d) Acid rain affects plants, animals, and man-made structures.

4. Is it true or false? Correct the wrong statements.

1) Acid rain has a negative effect on plants and animals.

2) 75 percent of the acidity in the lakes in the United States was directly due to air pollution.

3) Changes in the pH of lakes and streams affected by acid rain can result in an increase in the variety of fish, plants and animals living in or near the water.

4) Snails, clams and bass can tolerate a large increase in acidity.

5) Acid rain destroys trees and plants by causing damage to leaves and dissolving nutrients in the surrounding soil.

6) Trees in lower elevations, have a greater risk for damage.

7) Costly repairs and are required to clean acidic compounds resulting from wet deposition collecting on buildings.

8) Acid rain is directly harmful to humans.

5. Retell the text.