What a nun can teach a
scientist about ecology.
Victoria Gill.
1 Answer the questions:
1. How do you understand the term “ecology“?
2. What ecological problems are there in the place where you live?
3. Who knows more about these ecological problems: scientists or locals?
4. Do you know any cases when locals helped the environment and solved an ecological problem?
2 Remember the words and phrases:
1. curious-minded people - любознательные люди
2. permanent - постоянный
3. It is stunningly beautiful! - Это потрясающе красиво!
4. to die out - вымирать
5. to live through an extinction crisis - переживаем кризис вымирания
6. species are particularly vulnerable - виды особенно уязвимы
7. to be tailored to sth - приспосабливаться к
8. to go extinct - вымирать
9. It’s a grand technical intervention - Это мощное внедрение технологий (техническое вмешательство)
10. to team up with sb - объединиться с кем-то
11. to miss the point - упускать суть (не понять сути)
12. at the first hurdle - столкнувшись с первым препятствием
13. to shake off the academic constraints - избавиться от академических ограничений
14. to have an important perspective on sth - иметь важное представление о чем-то
15. on your team - в вашей команде
16. nun - монахиня
17. convent - женский монастырь
18. to have healing powers - иметь целительные свойства
19. to be up for sth/doing sth - быть готовым к (иметь желание что-то сделать)
20. decline in sth- снижение чего-то
21. to put a halt to sth - положить конец чему-то
22. endangered species - вымирающие виды
23. to ask for their input - просить их помощи
24. to be dedicated to sth - быть посвящённым
25. to wipe out - уничтожить
3 Tell us the main idea of Victoria’s speech.
4 Match the stories and the animals.
1. An ______ is a creature with a permanent smile and regenerative abilities. It’s believed to have healing powers that treat coughs, asthma, bronchitis, the lungs and back pain.
2. Victoria hang out with scientists who wanted to solve the mystery of the origin of the menopause by tracking killer ______ off the North Pacific coast.
3. Victoria followed out around scientists who planted cameras in Antarctic ______ colonies, because they were looking for the impacts of climate change.
4. Sir Ernest Shackleton didn’t listen to the whalers. It cost him his ship. And Mrs. Chippy, the ship’s ______ , had to be shot because the team couldn’t afford any extra food as they fought to survive.
Animals:
A. cat
B. achoque
C. penguin
D. whales
5 “When scientists team up with, look to and defer to people who have a really valuable perspective on what they're trying to do but a totally different outlook, something really special can happen”
Do you agree with Victoria’s point of view? Why/Why not?
