Text 1. Close Look on Nature

Task 2. Read and translate the text. Comment on new words and expressions.

Nature and the human being –are these two things closely connected to each other? Man has always considered himself to be the master of the environment, longing to conquer the world around him. We have created an enormous world of our own which is often harmful to the Earth.

Life demonstrates in full force the disastrous influence of human activity on nature and makes a lot of people think of the problem of the natural world preservation. Recently people have realized that it’s important to communicate with other living beings, that their real Mother is Nature and they may feel its beauty.

Some people come in touch with wild animals and devote their lives to the investigation of the cheetah – a species nowadays near extinction, as a consequence of the terrible hunting of poaches, the activity of human settlements and changes in natural conditions. These people feel real affection for their “young brothers”, become attached to them. But their main aim is not to interfere with the animals’ life – to penetrate into their own world. They prove the possibility of returning wild animals, tamed by humans, to their natural environment. The animals are able to feed themselves, escape from threatening dangers, and give birth to offspring.

We, people, should remember that each animal is individuality with its own attitude to the world, sympathies, antipathies, and attachments. No less interesting and valuable that people must save the orphaned animals, raise them and prepare them for an independent life in the wild world. The animals may be killed if they don’t have an idea about poachers.

There are people who are interested in the life of African inhabitants, watch all the details of the elephants’ behavior and their world. They realize that it’s not an easy task to study these enormous living beings. That’s why large elephant reservations in Africa are created; preserving one of the unique species of African elephants. The scientists make projects of the revival of African and Asian elephants.

All the people must feel great affection for he animal world. We are all the children of Nature and must protect it, preserving its riches and beauty. If we don’t think of this, and continue to destroy the Earth, we’ll do harm to ourselves. Without nature the world will be so poor and senseless!

 

Word Check

Task 3. Memorize the key terms, concepts, expressions and their meaning.

1.	human being	человек
2.	environment	окружающая среда
3.	long	страстно желать, стремиться
4.	to conquer the world	завоевать мир
5.	an enormous world	огромный мир
6.	do harm	приносить вред
7.	in full force	в полную силу
8.	disastrous influence	бедственное влияние
9.	natural world preservation	сохранение мира природы
10.	come in touch with	соприкасаться, входить в контакт
11.	devote	посвящать
12.	investigation	исследование
13.	cheetah	гепард
14.	species	вид, род, разновидность
15.	extinction	исчезновение, вымирание
16.	hunting of poaches	охота браконьеров
17.	affection	привязанность
18.	interfere	вмешиваться
19.	penetrate into their own world	проникать в их собственный мир
20.	feed	кормить, питать
21.	escape from threatening dangers	убегать от угрожающей опасности
22.	give birth to offspring	давать рождение потомству
23.	orphaned animals	осиротевшее животное
24.	revival	возрождение
25.	protect	защищать

 

Task 4. Answer the following questions, solve the problems, do the tasks.

1. What is the title of the text?

2. What is the main idea of the above text?

3. What is the attitude of Man to the world around him?

4. Is it important to communicate with other living beings?

5. Why do people devote their lives to the investigation of the animal world?

6. Why do animals die?

7. What is the main aim of scientists concerning animals?

8. What is the difference between a tamed and wild animal?

9. How should people treat animals?

10. Are you interested in big animals?

11. Should people protect the animal world and the world of nature?

12. Which animals are the best pets?

13. Which animals would you rather not touch?

14. Think of about ten animals found in children’s books. What image does each of them normally have?

15. If you decide to find a pet what should you do?

16. Are you personally responsible for Environment Protection?

Task 5. Find in the word search below the English equivalents to Russian ones:

1) кролик; 2) олень; 3) медведь; 4) собака; 5) рыба; 6) курица; 7) лев; 8) цыплята; 9) тигр; 10) шимпанзе; 11) птица; 12) кукушка; 13) черепаха; 14) корова; 15) верблюд; 16) павлин; 17) гепард; 18) муравей; 19) лиса; 20) кит; 21) пчела

 

C	U	C	K	O	O	T	X	V	C	W
Z	D	O	G	A	B	N	T	X	H	X
B	E	A	R	O	C	A	U	F	I	V
X	E	F	X	V	F	K	R	L	M	C
G	R	A	B	B	I	T	T	I	P	A
C	H	I	C	K	S	N	L	O	A	M
U	B	M	J	A	H	H	E	N	N	E
T	I	G	E	R	C	A	C	G	Z	L
Y	R	Z	X	B	D	X	O	K	E	M
W	D	O	A	E	F	V	W	P	E	F
C	H	E	E	T	A	H	H	B	E	O
P	E	A	C	O	C	K	A	L	E	X

Task 6. Decide which answer best fits each space in the text “PETS”.

If you decide to buy a pet, you should (1) … out as much as possible about the pet you (2) …. Cats are easy to (3) … after and seem to be (4) …., but also need the company of people. If your cat finds someone who (5) … for it more than you do, it will change owners! A small puppy may look like a (6)… pet, but don’t forget that it will (7) … up. You may not be able to (8) … up with a very large dog that is too big for its (9) … and which (10) … on sleeping on your bed! Unless you (11) … it, it may attack people, or (12) …loudly day and night. Nobody loves a (13) … pet. Perhaps this is why so many people (14) … in for birds or fish as pets. Whatever you decide in the (15) …, think carefully before you make a decision.