Tasty, sweet and full of water

We have to do something

Vital for human life and health

Good for fun

They do a lot for our planet

Sometimes it means a problem

The advantages of bottled water

Water fact file

A.          

Water is essential for life on the Earth. All animals, plants and humans need water to survive. Water is made up of two elements, hydrogen and oxygen. Its chemical formula is H2O. It has three different states, liquid, solid and gas, depending on the temperature. The earth works as a closed system and it rarely loses or gains extra matter. The same water that existed on the planet millions of years ago is still here today.

B.           

It is believed that 70 percent of an adult’s body is made up of water. Even the bones contain 31 percent of water. A person can live without food for about a month, but less than a week without water. Lack of water can be responsible for heart attacks, depression and fatigue. While the daily recommended amount of water is eight cups per day, not all of this water must be consumed in liquid form. Nearly all food or drink provides some water to the body.

C.           

The oceans cover over three quarters of our planet and hold 97 percent of the planet’s water. The three largest oceans on the Earth are the Pacific Ocean (the largest one), the Atlantic Ocean, and the Indian Ocean. The smallest is the Arctic Ocean. Due to the oceans, the Earth is a unique place and it looks wonderful from space. The oceans are also the lifeblood of the Earth. They produce more than half of the oxygen in the atmosphere, and absorb the carbon from it.

D.          

Water suitable for drinking is a major problem in poorer areas of the world. A lot of people do not have access to clean natural or bottled water and over 3 million people die every year from water related diseases. Pollution poisons the most important resource for our life. It's high time we took steps to cut down the negative effects of water pollution. Some strict protection measures should be taken to stop turning the Earth into a 'dirty blue planet'.

E.           

Water gives people the opportunity not only to live, but to work and relax too! People enjoy themselves at seaside resorts or on cruise trips. Water sports are a very popular recreational activity nowadays. These include swimming, surfing and waterskiing. Ice and snow are necessary for ice skating, ice hockey, skiing and snowboarding.

F.           

A watermelon contains about 6 percent of sugar and 92 percent of water. The high water content of watermelons makes them ideal as a refreshing summer food. They keep people healthy, their skin fresh, and they can clean the kidneys of toxins. There are more than 1200 kinds of watermelon that come in various weights, shapes, sizes and colours. Watermelons can be red, orange, yellow and even white.

G.          

Expressions about water are almost as common as water itself. But many of the expressions with the word water have unpleasant meanings. The old expression to be in hot water is one of them. Hot water was used five-hundred years ago to mean being in trouble. One story says it got that meaning from the custom of throwing extremely hot water down on enemies attacking a castle. This certainly does not happen any more but when we are in hot water, we are in trouble, serious or not so serious.

 

Чтение 73.

 

Прочитайте тексты и установите соответствие между текстами и их заголовками: к каждому тексту, обозначенному буквами A–G, подберите соответствующий заголовок, обозначенный цифрами 1–8. Используйте каждую цифру только один раз. В задании есть один лишний заголовок.

 

1. Fictional characters also love it

2. How to make ice cream colourful

3. Can be good for health

4. What it is made of

5. The origin of ice cream

6. Ice cream official events

7. The unique taste of the ice cream

8. Now available for everyone

A.          

Ice cream is an iced dessert generally made from dairy products. Most historians think that this dessert was brought to Europe from China. A dish similar to ice cream was made in China around 200 B.C. The earliest references to ice cream in Europe are connected with Nero, a Roman emperor. He ordered ice from the mountains and mixed it with milk and then added fruit toppings to it.

B.           

In the old days, before refrigerators became common kitchen equipment, ice cream was a dish only for the rich, and royalty. It was not an everyday food – it was eaten on special occasions and was very expensive. The development of refrigeration technology quickly made ice cream a commonly enjoyed dessert around the world. Today, people can easily make ice cream at home with the help of portable ice cream makers.

C.           

The most important ingredients in ice cream are milk, sugar and... air. Without air mixed in, ice cream would be as hard as a rock, not much different from flavored ice. The quality of an ice cream depends on the amount of air in it. Sugar and fats are important too. Sugar in ice cream lowers its melting point, and the fats are responsible for its creamy texture.

D.          

According to scientists, ice cream contains vitamins, calcium, proteins and other useful substances for the body. A huge amount of calcium makes this product extremely valuable. Due to the calcium, ice cream can strengthen bones, normalize blood pressure and support the immune system. The cold dessert can be a part of breakfast, lunch and dinner.

E.           

Russians are great consumers of ice cream. They love sweets in general and they can eat ice cream in any season no matter how cold it is. The flavour of Russian ice cream is special. It’s much creamier than the low-calorie stuff people are used to in Western countries. True, it contains more fat but it is tastier. The most popular kinds of ice cream in Russia are plombir and eskimo.

F.           

Americans consume more ice cream per person than any other nation on the planet, especially in summer time. July is a month when Americans have lots of ice cream festivals and different events dedicated to the sweet dessert. Moreover, the third Sunday of the month is National Ice Cream Day. Ice cream stores and factories throughout the country come up with all sorts of ice cream in different designs and colours.

G.          

There are many references to ice cream in different books. One of them is Roald Dahl’s story ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’. There, Grandpa Joe tells his grandson about Mr Wonka and his magical chocolate inventions – the chocolate ice cream that never melts, even under the hot sun. In the famous Harry Potter novels, ice cream is often mentioned as a favourite dessert of the young magicians. Harry, Ron, and Hermione often enjoyed strawberry-and-peanut-butter ice creams.

 

Чтение 74.

Прочитайте тексты и установите соответствие между текстами и их заголовками: к каждому тексту, обозначенному буквами A–G, подберите соответствующий заголовок, обозначенный цифрами 1–8. Используйте каждую цифру только один раз. В задании есть один лишний заголовок.