Focus on Words

. Finish the sentences giving your reason. Use the connectives
because/as a result, because of, due to.
1. The wolf disappears ... .
2. The elephant is hunted ... .
3. The crocodiles are killed ... .
4. The whales are found dead ... .
5. The tigers are in danger ... .
6. The snakes are caught ... .
7. The rivers become dead ... .
c. Divide the text into paragraphs.
The poisoning of the world’s land, air, and water is the fastest-spreading disease of
civilization. It is potentially one of history’s greatest dangers to human life on earth. If
present trends continue for the next several decades, our planet will become uninhabitable.
Overpopulation, pollution and energy consumption have created such planet-wide
problems as massive deforestation, ozone depletion, acid rains and the global warming
that is believed to be caused by the greenhouse effect. The seas are in danger. They are
filled with poison: industrial and nuclear waste, chemical fertilizers and pesticides. The
Mediterranean is already nearly dead; the North Sea is following. The Aral Sea is on the
brink of extinction 1 . If nothing is done about it, one day nothing will be able to live in the
seas. Air poluttion is a very serious problem. In Cairo just breathing the air is life
threatening- equivalent to smoking two packs of cigarettes a day. The same holds true for
Mexico City. Industrial enterprises emit tons of harmful substances. These emissions
have disastrous consequences for our planet. They are the main reason for the greenhouse
effect and acid rains. An even greater environmental threat is nuclear power stations.
People are beginning to realise that environmental problems are not somebody else’s.
They join and support various international organizations and green parties.
d. Say a few words about the energy problems in your country.
1. Which of the kinds of energy are used in your country now?
2. Are nuclear power stations the only way out for Armenia?
3. Which kind of energy do you think is the best for your country?
worst? most practical? least practical?
c. In the 16 th century Donne, a famous writer of his time, wrote a
meditation, which was to become widely cited in this century.
Read and say why.
Meditation XVII
No man is an island, entire of itself, every man is a piece of
the continent, maine; if a clod 2 be washed away by the sea, Europe
is the less, as well as if a promontorie 3 were, as well as if a manor 4
of thy friends or of thine 5 own were; any man’s death diminishes
me, because I am involved in mankind. And therefore never send
to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee 6 .
1 on the brink of extinction – վերացման եզրին
2 clod – soil
3 premontory – a narrow area of high land that sticks out into the sea
4 manor – a large house
5 thine (old use) – your
6 thee (old use) – you
64
John Donne