Endangered species, any species that is at risk of extinction because of a sudden rapid decrease in its population or a loss of its critical habitat. About 99 percent of threatened species are at risk because of human activities. Because of the highest habitat loss, for example, Black rhinos have decreased from 70,000 in the 1960s to 2,410 in 1995. They have been declared extinct in West Africa in 2011. Hunters kill rhinos, then cut their horns for sale to China and Vietnam for usage as an ingredient in medicine. There are less than 5,000 of them left alive in Africa.
The largest animal ever to have lived on our planet, the blue whale has been a protected species since 1966, but thousands were killed up until then. During the whaling season of 1930 to 1931 alone, 30,000 blue whales were killed by Antarctic whalers. It will take more than one hundred years of protection before we can be sure that it will not become extinct.
During the nineteenth century Californian Condor, this large bird of prey, started to decline last century in North America when it was killed by gold diggers who collected its long black feathers. They have since been reintroduced to the wild with some success, but they are still at great risk.
Thus, the human beings are the greatest threat to biodiversity. The principal threats to species in the wild are: habitat loss and habitat degradation, the growing influence of global warming and chemical pollution, unsustainable hunting, disease of introduced species. The most common of these threats is habitat loss due to growing demand for commercial agriculture, logging, and infrastructure development. However, monitoring, protection and anti-poaching measures are undertaken to protect these extremely endangered species. But it isn’t enough! Time is running out for Endangered Animals of the World. Let’s act more now to ensure that these amazing creatures survives!
Read the text and decide if the sentences are (T) true, (F) false or (DS) doesn’t say
1. Endangered means to be under threat or near extinction
2. Hunters kill rhinos for sale to countries like China and Vietnam for usage of their skin as an ingredient in medicine.
3. Global warming has emerged as a widespread threat.
4. Since 1966 thousands of the blue whales has been killed.
5. Habitat loss and species loss have resulted from the unregulated usage of mineral resources.
6. In the 19th century, the long black feathers of Californian Condor were collected in North America
7. Habitat loss and habitat degradation is reducing the animal’s food resources
2. Beautiful butterfly flew past me. (Прекрасная бабочка пролетела мимо меня)
3. This girl was very cheerful. (Это девушка была очень весёлой)
4. This skill is considered to be helpful in my work. (Этот навык считается полезным в моей работе)
5. The pessimistic attitude is not welcome! (Пессимистичный настрой не приветствуется!)
6. Life is wonderful. (Жизнь замечательна)
7. He was athletic build. (У него было спортивное телосложение)
8. Firefighters need to be very careful. (Пожарным нужно быть очень осторожными)
9. This boy had been forgetful. (Этот мальчик был забывчив)
10. Optimistic attitude is welcome! (Оптимистичный настрой приветствуется!)
11. She realized that her new friend was a thoughtful man. (Девушка поняла, что её новый друг был вдумчивым человеком.)
12. She has been energetic. (Девушка была энергичной)
he main teaching union in France has criticised the education minister's plans to offer free English classes in the school holidays next year.
Главный профсоюз учителей во Франции раскритиковал планы министра предложить бесплатные уроки английского языка во время школьных каникул в следующем году.
Xavier Darcos announced the plans on Monday, insisting that speaking fluent English was the key to success.
Ксавиер Даркос объявил об этих планах в понедельник, настойчиво утверждая, что свободное владение английским языком является ключом к жизненному успеху.
The Snes-FSU union leader Roland Hubert said Mr Darcos should be concentrating on what happens during school time.
Руководитель профсоюза работников образования Роланд Хьюберт сказал, что м-р Даркос должен бы сконцентрироваться на том, что происходит в течение учебного года.
The policy marks a real break from the traditional Gallic strategy of promoting the French language.
Такая линия поведения говорит о переменах в традиционной "галльской" стратегии продвижения французского языка.
Two years ago, the then President, Jacques Chirac, famously stormed out of an EU summit when a fellow Frenchman began making his speech in English.
Два года назад бывший президент Жак Ширак с шумом покинул встречу на высшем уровне глав Европейского Союза, когда его соотечественник начал произносить свою речь на английском языке.
In 1994, the French parliament passed a law obliging music-orientated French radio stations to increase their French-language programming to at least 40% of their output.
В 1994 году французский парламент принял закон, обязывающий музыкальные французские радиостанции увеличить выход в эфир франкоязычных программ, по крайней мере, на 40%.
Traditionalists
Традиционалисты*
Xavier Darcos said it was a "handicap" to speak poor English.
Ксавиер Даркос сказал, что плохо говорить по-английски – это "умственный недостаток".
He said that while "well-off families pay for study sessions abroad, I'm offering them to everyone right here".
Он сказал, что, в то время как "состоятельные семьи оплачивают занятия по изучению этого языка за границей, я предлагаю эти занятия каждому прямо здесь".
President Nicolas Sarkozy is likely to back the plan.
Президент Николя Саркози, вероятно, поддержит этот проект.
He has already infuriated traditionalists by suggesting that the French should no longer insist on speaking their own language at international negotiations.
Он уже привел в бешенство традиционалистов, убеждая французов, что они не должны настаивать на том, чтобы международные переговоры велись на их собственном языке.
The French leader does admit however that his own English needs a little work.
Однако сам французский лидер признаётся, что его собственный английский язык нуждается в совершенствовании.
He once made a speech to businessmen in English, telling them they would all be welcome to invest in "Frence".
Однажды выступая перед бизнесменами по-английски, он сообщил им, что инвестирование капиталов во "Frence" всячески приветствуется.