Air pollution and health

1. Today, the contradictions between man and nature have acquired a dramatic character. But until now pollution was not such a serious problem. People lived in uncrowded rural areas¹ and did not have pollution. With the development of civilization man’s interference in nature² has increased. Every year the world’s industry pollutes the atmosphere with millions of tons of dust and other harmful substances. People who live in big cities are badly affected by harmful discharge from plants and city transport and by the increasing noise level which is as bad for human health as lack of fresh air and clean water. The pollution of air and the world's ocean, destruction of the ozone layer is the result of man's careless interaction with nature³, a sign of the ecological crises. Data on the quality of the environment in cities show fantastic levels of pollution. Despite significant success in reducing overall pollution levels, air pollution continues to be an important public health problem.

2. Air pollution is caused by both natural and man-made sources. Major man-made sources of air pollution include industries, automobiles, and power generation. In indoor environments, tobacco smoke and combustion of solid fuels for cooking and heating are the most significant sources. Air pollution contains complex mixtures of many pollutants, which vary overtime and from place to place depending on the sources of pollution and meteorological conditions.

3. Hence, it is very important to reveal and describe the most problematic and severe health states associated with high pollution levels. Data on the concentrations of lead, mercury, dioxins, DDT, and other toxicants in blood or breast milk objectively reflect the impact of the polluted environment and foods on the human organism. The health effects caused by air pollutants may range from biochemical and physiological changes to difficulty breathing, wheezing, coughing and aggravation of existing respiratory and cardiac conditions. Air pollution has both acute and chronic effects on human health. Air pollution has been shown to cause acute respiratory infections in children and chronic bronchitis in adults. It has also been shown to worsen the condition of people with preexisting heart or lung disease. Among asthmatics, air pollution has been shown to aggravate the frequency and severity of attacks. The health of our lungs and entire respiratory system is affected by the quality of the air we breathe. In addition to oxygen, this air contains other substances such as pollutants, which can be harmful.

4. Health impact of air pollution depends on the pollutant type, its concentration in the air, length of exposure, other pollutants in the air, and individual susceptibility. Different people are affected by air pollution in different ways. Sensitive populations include children, older adults, people who are active outdoors, and people with heart or lung diseases, such as asthma. Acute exposures to oxides of nitrogen and sulfur have been associated with increased bronchial reactivity and susceptibility to bacterial and viral infections.

5. State and public organizations and mass media must focus maximally on these «hot spots»⁴. People would have to stop using many useful things if they wanted to end pollution immediately. Today, many factories use devices to reduce the smoke, dust, or harmful gases. Special kinds of gasoline for cars can help reduce air pollution. But these are only the initial steps and they must be carried onward to protect nature, to save life on the planet not only for the sake of the present but also for the future generations.

Пояснения к тексту

1. uncrowded rural area - малонаселенная сельская местность

2. man’s interference in nature – вмешательство человека в природу

3. man's careless interaction with nature – небрежное отношение человека к природе

4. hot spots – горячие точки

Задание 1. Определите основную идею текста

The main idea of the text deals with …

Варианты ответов:

а) composition of air;

b) the history of the development of civilization;

c) the problem of air pollution;

d) the monitoring of public health;

Задание 2. Ответьте на вопросы в соответствии с содержанием текста:

a) What is the result of man's careless interaction with nature?

b) What are the major man-made sources of air pollution?

c) What does health impact of air pollution depend on?

d) What are the most sensitive groups of population?

e) What problems are in the center of state and public organizations and mass media?

Задание 3. Переведите 3-ий абзац текста, определяя в каждом предложении подлежащее и сказуемое.

TEXT 3

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