Ozone depletation
The goal of all scientific investigation is to predict the future, and it based on the assumption that what we can predict, we can protect ourselves against.
Recently scientists have become aware of the fact that our technical/industrial civilization may be causing changes could be very dangerous and irrversible.
One problem is ozone depletion. The stratosphere, or upper atmosphere of the earth, contains a layer of ozone gas that protects the earth from the sun's harmful ultraviolet rays. Recently, ozone concentrations over Antarctica have been dropping at an alarming rate. Researchers have determined that a group of man-made chemicals called chlorofluorocarbons are rising from the earth and destroying the ozone.
It remains to be seen whether this dangerous trend will continue and, if so, whether scientists will be able to do something about in time to avert disaster in the next century.
The danger of drugs
Drugs are substances that alter the body chemistry. The pleasing effects of anu drug should be weight carefully against its serious dangers.
There are various types of drugs: marijuana, hard drugs, cocaine, amphetamines, barbiturates, psychodelics.
Marijuana can alter functions that may affect the memory, coordination, motivation, and attention span of the user.
Hard drugs make the user lethargic and highly susceptible yo infection, coma, and even death frome overdose. Patients receiving hard drugs become addicted.
Cocaine can cause paranoia, hyperactivity, and chronic insomnia. The user can become intensely addicted in a very short period of time.
Injections of amphetamines bring on initial feelings of energy and well-being that are followed by low periods of depression, exhhaustion, irritability, and aggressiveness. An overdose of amphetamines can be fatal.
The use of barbiturates and alcohol together can suppress the breathing centers and be fatal.
Psychodelics produce hallucinations and other mental disorders. Effects include dizziness, nausea, anxiety, and tremors.
Research indicates that most of the above drugs are addictive. Anyone considering using any drug should be aware of the potentially serious consequences.
Where there is smoke, there is fire
It was not too long ago that smoking by adults was not viewed as dangerous. Its long-term effects were not visible and had not been conclusively demonstrated. Then, in 1964 the Surgeon General of the United States announced that smoking had been proven by scientific research to be detrimental, or harmfull, to health.
Since then, more and more evidence has accumulated to indicate that smoking is harmful. Smoking is related to many heart and circulatory ailoments. The tobacco plant contains nicotine, a cemical that is poison in its pure form. It has been demonstrated that nicotine increases the rate of the heart, intensifies the effects of high blood pressure, and causes the constriction or tigherning of the blood vessels, thus contributing to heart disease.
Smoking is the most significant factor in respiratory diseases. It can damage the tiny hars (cilia) that line the breathing passages, thereby causing emphysema or chronic bronchitis. Research also confirms that the tar in cigarette smoke is carcinogenic, that is, it can produce cancer in any tissues it comes in contact with, such as the mouth, the throat, and the lungs.
There is also a correlation between smoking and birth defects. The evidence indicates that pragnant women who smoke a pack of cigarettes a day have a greater likelihood of having a miscarriage, a premature baby, a smaller-than-normal baby, or a baby with mental retardaction or heart defects.
Smokers often become physically and psychologically dependent on their habit and suffer withdrawal symptoms if they attempt to stop. Even the oneset of a smoking-related illness is not always sufficiant to enable heavy smokers to quit. Despite all the information made available to the public since 1964, in 1985 the American Lung Assosiation estimated that there were 250 000 premature deaths due to smoking in the United States per year.
Where there is smoke, there is fire
Vocabulary
adult – взрослый, совершеннолетний
dangerous - опасный
visible - видимый
conclusively - убедительно
the Surgeon General - Главное хирургическое сообщество (США)
to announce - объявлять
detrimental = harmfull- вредный, наносящий вред
evidence - очевидность
to accumulate - накапливать
to indicate - указывать
circulatory ailoments — циркуляторные нарушения
poison - яд
to increase — повышать, увеличивать
rate — степень, процент, доля
constriction — сжатие, сужение
tightening - напряжённость
vessel - сосуд
to contributе - способствовать
disease - болезнь
significant — значительный, важный
damage - разрушать
tiny - маленький
to line - выстилать
breathing passages — дыхательные ходы
tar - смола
carcinogenic - канцерогенный
cancer — рак (заболевание)
tissue - ткань
throat - горло
lungs - лёгкие
correlation - взаимосвязь
birth - рождение
pragnant - беременная
likelihood - вероятность
miscarriage - невынашивание
premature - недоношенный
mental retardaction — умственная отсталость
dependenсе - зависимость
habit - привычка
to suffer - страдать
withdrawal — выход, отказ
attempt — пытаться, пробовать
illness - заболевание
sufficiant - достаточный
to enable — давать возможность
to quit - остановиться
despite — не смотря на
available - доступный
to estimate - оценивать
death - смерть
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