Reading comprehension

Exercise 10.1

Give the Russian equivalents to:

A long-range energy crisis, to invest, an offshore oil rig, the Stone Age, to fail, inevitable, to cover nuclear risks, a public outcry, in the short run, flexible, to remain contaminated, absolutely safe disposal, starve to death, to last forever, windmill, to meet electricity needs, adjacent.

Exercise 10.2

Give the English equivalents to:

Энергетические ресурсы, прогноз, ядерная энергия, истощаться, намного более опасный, правила безопасности, тратить деньги на…, единственная альтернатива, отопление, освещение, отвернуться от…, раньше или позже, страховая компания, шантажировать, альтернативные источники энергии, более экономное использование электричества, выживать, исследование, делать открытие, изоляция, солнечные панели, система автоматического контроля за экономным потреблением электроэнергии.

Exercise 10.3

Find in the text, read and translate:

• sentences of real condition

• sentences of unreal condition

Exercise 10.4

Translate from Russian into English:

1. Если бы мы потратили больше денег на научные исследования сейчас, мы бы смогли построить электростанции, работающие на солнечной энергии.

2. Если человечество не будет экономить ископаемое топливо, через несколько десятков лет его запасы истощатся.

3. Если террористы захватят атомную станцию, они смогут шантажировать весь мир.

4. Запасы ископаемого топлива могут сохраниться дольше, если человечество будет их экономить.

5. При условии, что наша страна будет вкладывать деньги в научные разработки, мы сможем увеличить производство электроэнергии.

6. Люди не выживут, если сегодня не задумаются об экономии энергетических ресурсов.

7. Если бы у людей не было электричества, у них не было бы отопления, освещения, радио и телевидения.

Discussion

Exercise 10.5

1. Do you agree, that nuclear power is the only alternative to solve the problems of energy crisis?

2. What are the advantages and disadvantages of nuclear energy use?

3. Are you for or against the nuclear power plant in Karelia? Why?

4. What are the ways of saving energy resources? What is better: to develop new sources of energy or to save it?

5. Can the development of the renewable sources of energy help to solve the energy crisis?

6. Get ready to speak on the problem of world energy crises and suggest your ways of its solution.

Role play: the nuclear debate

You are going to hold a public meeting and debate the pros and cons of the project to build a nuclear power station in Karelia.

Think of your arguments for or against the project. Here are some of the issues, which could be covered during the debates:

• energy and nuclear power

• the environment

• cost

• local population

• nuclear waste

• defense and safety

• alternative energy

There will be three groups and each group will prepare what it wants to say:

1. Those who will present the official view. You represent the nuclear industry and you have to persuade people that the policy of nuclear power is a good one. You will have to stress the advantages and produce arguments against the opposition.

2. Those who will present the view of the opposition. You are the leaders of a group of local people who have got together to protest about building a nuclear power station in Karelia. You are worried about the effect the new power station will have on the area and you are against the increase of nuclear power.

3. The journalists, who will be asking questions to each group. Make a list of questions, which you want to ask them and be ready to note down their answers.

Revise the expressions of giving your opinion, agreeing and disagreeing with other people’s opinions:

• I think (believe) that…

• In my opinion, …

• It seems to me, that …

• As far as I am concerned, … (if you do not care whether people agree with you or not).

• If you ask me (informal).

When you agree strongly:  Absolutely! Exactly! I couldn’t agree more.

When you agree: Right/That’s right/You are right.

When you disagree strongly: That’s not true. I can’t accept that…(formal). You must be joking!/No way! / Rubbish! (Informal).

When you disagree but you want to be polite: Yes, but… I see your point, but… But don’t you think…?

I am not so sure…

Then one of you is going to be the chairman.

Your role is to make the meeting go smoothly and let everyone have his or her say. Discussions can get heated and you may have to remind participants to remain polite, not interrupt, and not monopolize the discussions and so on.

Here is some useful language:

Opening a meeting: Right, shall we get started?

The first thing we have to

discuss/decide is…

Inviting comments: I’d like to give the floor to …

Mr. Johnson, is there anything

you would like to say?

Does anyone have any further

comments?

Directing the proceedings: We seem to be losing sights of the

main issues.

With respect, I don’t think that is

entirely relevant.

Could we stick to the subject

under discussion, please?

Perhaps, we could come back to

this later.

Closing the meeting: Are there any further points

anyone wishes to make?

To sum up, …

Are we all agreed on this?

Shall we take a vote? All those in

favor? All those against?

I declare the meeting closed.

Finally, write a 250-word press release reporting what was said at the public meeting about the construction of the nuclear power station in Karelia.