Biology Course: 1 Surname/Name: Variant: 1 The Story of the Aral Sea

Faculty: Biology

Course: 1

Surname/Name: __________________

Variant: 1

The Story of the Aral Sea (You should spend about 20 minutes on this task.)

1. Reading comprehension: Read the article and choose the correct option.

A message from Life co-author, Helen Stephenson

I read about the Aral Sea a long time ago. I think it was one of the first environmental stories I read. Since then, the story has continued. Here’s a news item about it from the National Geographic news page.

In 2009 in Kazakhstan, a group of fishermen met on a Sunday afternoon. They were on the beach of the North Aral Sea. They ate food. They did some sports. Afterwards, they told stories and sang songs about the Aral Sea and fishing. It was a good party.

The fishermen were happy because there were fish in the water. For many years, there weren’t many fish. At one time, the Aral Sea in Central Asia was the fourth largest lake in the world. It had an area of 67,300 square kilometres. Two of the biggest rivers in Central Asia, the Amu Darya and the Syr Darya, went into the Aral Sea. But the water almost disappeared.

The Aral Sea was a busy place. Almost 20 percent of the Soviet Union’s fish came from here. 40,000 people lived and worked near the lake. Then people used the water in the two rivers for agriculture, so the water didn’t arrive at the Aral Sea. Also, it didn’t rain for many years.

Then, in 2005, the Kazakh government and the World Bank built a dam. The dam separated the north and south parts of the sea. Then the north part of the Aral Sea started to fill with water again.

Philip Micklin is a scientist. He studies the Aral Sea. In 2010 he said ‘Nature can come back.’ But in 2014, he saw satellite pictures of the east part of the Aral Sea. It was completely dry. 

In June 2015 a scientist from Uzbekistan, Yusup Kamalov, and a National Geographic reporter visited the Aral Sea. They found a huge desert. They stood on the sand. Once it was the edge of the water. Now the water is 80 kilometres away. They drove to the water. On the way, they passed oil and natural gas rigs. Kamalov said that every year there are more oil rigs. They arrived at the edge of the Aral Sea. The water was very salty. There were no fish. Kamalov said,

‘This is what the end of the world looks like’.

1. Where is the Aral Sea?

a. .in Central Asia

b. .in Kazakhstan

c.. in Uzbekistan

2. What is the problem in the Aral Sea?

a. It’s full of oil.

b. It’s getting bigger.

c. It’s getting smaller.

3. According to paragraph 1, which sentence is true?

a. Kazakh fishermen are good at sport.

b. Kazakhstan is next to the North Aral Sea.

c. The fishermen met every Sunday.

4. Why did the fishermen meet?

a. because it was Sunday

b. to go fishing

c. to have a party

5. Which word describes the fishermen in 2009?

a. pleased

b. rich

c. sad

6. According to paragraph 2, which sentence is true?

a. The Amu Darya and Syr Darya are the biggest rivers in the world.

b. The Aral Sea is one of the biggest lakes in the world.

c. The biggest lake in the world is bigger than 67,300 square kilometres.

7. According to paragraph 3, which sentence is true?

a. Nobody knows why the Aral Sea got smaller.

b. There are two reasons why the Aral Sea got smaller.

c. There’s one reason why the Aral Sea got smaller.

8. What happened because of the dam?

a. The water in the Aral Sea disappeared.

b. There was more water in the North Aral Sea.

c. There was more water in the South Aral Sea.

9. How did Yusup Kamalov and the reporter travel to the Aral Sea?

a. by boat

b. by car

c. on foot

10. Why were there no fish in the sea?

a. because of the oil rigs

b. because of the salt

c. because of the sand
5/__

2. English Grammar Test.
1. These socks ____ . I’ll have to get a smaller pair.

a) is too big

b) has too large

c) are too big

2. Please go up to your room and we will bring ____ in a few minute.

a) suitcases

b) the baggages

c) your luggage

3. A: This apple juice is lovely. Would you like ____ ?

B: Yes please.

a) glass

b) a glass

c) any glass

4. Brian went to the supermarket to buy ______ .

a) some fresh vegetables

b) a fresh vegetables

c) the fresh vegetables

5. A: ____ in our bedroom isn’t working.

B: OK. I’ll go and have a look at it.

a) A light

b) Light

c) The light

6. That woman over there is one of _____ fashion designers in the world.

a) the famous

b) the most famous

c) most famous

7. I am _____ person in my family.

a) such a young

b) the youngest

c) the younger

8. _____ the music the more the audience at the rock concert seemed to enjoy it.

a) The loud

b) The loudest

c) The louder

9. There is nothing in life _____ good health.

a) so important than

b) as important than

c) more important than

10. If I could I’d like to fly like _____ . It must be a great feeling.

a) a bird

b) some birds

c) the bird

5/___

3. Environmental Pollution : Read the text and translate it into Uzbek

Pollution is as complicated as serious problem. Automobiles are polluting the air but they provide transportation for the people. Factories pollute the air and the water but they provide jobs for people and produce necessary goods. Fertilizers and pesticides are important for growing crops but they can ruin soil.

Thus, people would have to stop using many useful things if they wanted to end pollution immediately. Most people do not want that of course. But pollution can be reduced gradually.

Scientists and engineers can find the ways to reduce pollution from automobiles and factories. Government can pass the laws that would make enterprises take measures for reducing of pollution. Individuals and groups of people can work together to persuade enterprises to stop polluting activities.

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