Complete the text with articles where necessary robert burns, (1)… son of (2) …small farmer in ayrshire, was born on (3)…25th of (4)…january, 1759. his parents were poor, so burns did not get a good education. he worked hard as (5)…ploughboy. he was fond of reading and always had (6)…ballad book before him at (7)…dinner. after …death of his father robert and his brother and sisters took over (8)…farm together. working in (9)…fields burns wrote many wonderful songs. however, things became so bad on (10)… farm, that (11)… poet decided to go to (12)…jamaica hoping to get (13)…job on (14)…plantation there. luckily some friends helped burns to publish (15)…book of poems. (16)…book was noticed and praised highly. in 1786 burns went to (17)…edinburgh, and his books of poems unlocked (18)…doors of (19)…rich edinburgh houses to a peasant with such a wonderful talent. in 1788 he married jean armour and spent (20)…peaceful and happy year. (21)… rest of his life story is (22)…tale of (23)… poet’s hardships. (24)…hard life ruined (25)…poet’s health and on (26)…21st of (27)…july 1796 he died at (28)… age of thirty-seven.

​Robert Burns, (1) the son of (2) a small farmer in Ayrshire, was born on (3) the 25th of (4) January, 1759. His parents were poor, so Burns did not get a good education. He worked hard as (5) a ploughboy. He was fond of reading and always had (6) a ballad book before him at (7) dinner. After  the death of his father Robert and his brother and sisters took over (8) the farm together. Working in (9) the fields Burns wrote many wonderful songs. However, things became so bad on (10) the farm, that (11) the poet decided to go to (12) Jamaica hoping to get (13) a job on (14) a plantation there. Luckily some friends helped Burns to publish (15) a book of poems. (16) The book was noticed and praised highly. In 1786 Burns went to (17) Edinburgh, and his books of poems unlocked (18) the doors of (19) rich Edinburgh houses to a peasant with such a wonderful talent. In 1788 he married Jean Armour and spent (20) a peaceful and happy year. (21) The rest of his life story is (22) a tale of (23) the poet’s hardships. (24) The hard life ruined (25) the poet’s health and on (26) the 21st of (27) July 1796 he died at (28) the age of thirty-seven.

1. He doesn’t mind driving, but he prefers to be driven by other people.
2. The final decision won't be taken until the next meeting directors.
3. The injured woman couldn’t walk and had to be carried.
4. That old building is really dangerous. It ought to be knocked down before it falls down by itself.
5. Does he think that less money should be spent on country arms?
6. Your luggage may be checked by a custom officer when you go through customs.
7. The policeman is looking for the missing girl. She can’t be found anywhere.
8. The new book will certainly be translated into many foreign languages.
9. She told the receptionist she wanted to be woken up at 7:30.
10. If someone kicks the policeman he will be arrested.

Big cities suffer from smog from large factories. Cars with their engines have become the main source of pollution in industrial countries. The forests Africa, South America and Asia are cut down for the needs of industries in Europe and the USA. As a result some species of animals, birds, fish and plants have disappeared and keep disappearing. Rivers and lakes dry up. One of the most known examples is the Aral Sea, which has become much smaller due to men’s activity.

The pollution of the air and of the world’s oceans and the thinning of the ozone layer nowadays are the main problems arising from man’s careless attitude to ecology.

In Russia and the former Soviet republics there are some areas where the environment is in a poor state. The Aral Sea, Lake Baikal, the Kuzbass, Semipalatinsk and Chernobyl are such problematic regions.

For decades nuclear weapons were tested near Semipalatinsk, and the ground is contaminated with radiation there.

More than 20 years ago a pulp-and-paper factory was built on the shore of Lake Baikal. As a result of the pollution, more than 50 % of the world’s purest water has been ruined. The whole ecological system of the lake has change greatly.