EXERCISES:

1. Find in the text the English equivalents for the following words and word-combinations:

большие экономические потери, за последние 4 десятилетия, переоценить, быть уверенным, социально-экономическая выгода, перевесить, с осторожностью.

2. Form verbs from the following nouns and translate them into

Russian:

change, loss, suffering, development, irrigation, work, planner, weight, result, creation, appeal, proposal, correction, management, cut, freedom, approach, cause.

3. Translate this text in written form.

4. Make up 10 questions connected with the Aral Sea problem.

5. Use the following suggested topics for discussion:

1. Environmental consequences of the Aral Sea recession.

2. Economic consequences of the Aral Sea recession.

3. Future of the Aral Sea.

4. My specialty – applied ecology.

6. Read the texts again and make a report about the Aral Sea problem.

New words and expressions:

effect – следствие, действие, эффект

blast – взрывная волна, струя

leak – утечка, течь, просачиваться

allowable – допустимый

facility – оборудование, приспособление

topsoil – верхний слой почвы

scrap – остатки

strew (strewed, strewn) – разбрасывать

disintegrate – разлагаться

deformity – уродство

rim – край

disability – неспособность, бессилие

Read the international words and give their Russian equivalents:

nuclear, test, resident, radioactive, radiation, radionuclides, atmosphere, cubic, region, portion, territory, toxic, specialist, dose, material, nitrates, identify, locate, local, substance, atomic, import, crater, airplane, infection, national, incident, psychiatric, chemical, medical, medicines, socially, global, civilian, military, active, control, utilize, operate, official, period, polygon, metal.

Many global environmentalists have heard of the effects on the civilian population of the nuclear testing that took place over several decades in Semipalatinsk. Few, however, are aware of the other five military testing sites in Kazakhstan. The conditions in the Kapustin Jar region are described here.

The environment of Western Kazakhstan has been devastated by the Azgir polygon (nuclear testing range), which was active from 1966 to 1979. Two other military testing programs remain active on this territory. Previously under the control of the Soviet Union, they are now utilized for weapons testing by Russia and have been operating for more than 45 years.

According to official data, 29 explosions occurred over this time period. 24000 missiles and 180 battlefield weapons have been tested, hundreds of long and medium-range missiles have been destroyed and the CC-20 missile has been fired 619 times, releasing over 30 tons of highly toxic chemicals into the atmosphere with each blast. Consequently, a significant part of the territory of the polygons and adjacent territories are polluted with radionuclides, highly toxic missile fuel and heavy metals.

The first underground nuclear test on Azgir was conducted 160 meters underground, only 1,5 km from residents who live in the village of Azgir. For over 20 days following the explosion radioactive gas from the underground cavities leaked into the atmosphere. During the subsequent blasts the release of poisonous gases continued for two to eleven months discharging 10 million curies of radiation into the atmosphere. Additionally, radioactivity in the underground cavities of the Azgir nuclear polygon which total 1,2 million cubic meters in volume is extremely high. Radionuclides from these cavities can be observed throughout the region's food chain.

Moreover, a significant portion of the territory has been contaminated with highly toxic missile fuel. Specialists have concluded that even extremely small doses of geptil, a compound found in missile fuel, are toxic to human beings. Levels of geptil on a significant portion of the Atyrau oblast exceed 10 to15 times allowable levels. Highly toxic materials such as thallium, strontium, cadmium, bromium, nitrates and others have also been identified on a significant portion of the territory.