Experiment
2
Date:
Listen
to the passage and answer the following questions:
Pollution
Pollution
is the process of making land, water, air or other parts of the environment
dirty and unsafe or unsuitable to use.
Land can become polluted by household garbage and
by industrial waste. In 2010, Americans produced about 250 million tons (226.8
million kilograms) of garbage, consisting of product packaging, furniture,
clothing, bottles, food scraps, newspapers, appliances, paint and batteries. According
to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), it is about 4.3
pounds (1.95 kg) of waste per person per day. According to the Green Schools Alliance, Americans
generate 30 billion foam cups, 220 million tires, and 1.8 billion disposable
diapers every year.
Water
pollution happens when chemicals or dangerous foreign substances are introduced
to water, including chemicals, sewage, pesticides and fertilizers from
agricultural runoff, or metals like lead or mercury. The EPA also states that
the most common contaminants in the United States are bacteria, mercury,
phosphorus and nitrogen. Warming water
can also be harmful. The artificial warming of water is called thermal
pollution. When a factory or power plant is using water to cool its operations,
it ends up with discharging hot water. This makes the water hold less oxygen
and can kill fish and wildlife.
The
air we breathe has a very exact chemical composition; 99 percent of it is made
up of nitrogen, oxygen, water vapor and inert gases. Air pollution occurs when harmful
gases are added to the air through smoke from vehicles and factories. A common
type of air pollution happens when people release particles into the air by
burning fuels. Another common type of air pollution is dangerous gases, such as
sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and chemical vapors. According
to the WHO, ambient air pollution contributes to 6.7 percent of all
deaths worldwide. Air pollution kills more than 2 million people each year. In
1984, the release of harmful gas at Union Carbide plant in Bhopal killed over
2,000 people, and over 200,000 suffered respiratory problems.
1. How much of waste
is produced by an American a day?
4.3 pounds (1.95 kg) of waste is produced by an
American a day
2. What is thermal
pollution?
The artificial warming of water is called thermal
pollution. When
a factory or power plant is using water to cool its operations, it ends up with
discharging hot water.
3. Which country
people have suffered a lot in 1984 due to air pollution?
In Bhopal country people have suffered a lot in 1984 due
to air pollution
4. Name any two of the most common contaminants in
water found in America?
Mercury and Nitrogen are two of
the most common contaminants in water found in America.
5.
What does EPA stand for?
EPA stands for
Environmental Protection Agency
