Exercise

Ocean Conservation: The Blue Frontier

Oceans cover more than 70% of the Earth’s surface and play a crucial role in supporting life on our planet. They provide food, regulate climate, and are a source of inspiration and recreation. Ancient civilizations recognized the significance of the sea and often built their communities near coastlines. Mariners, like Christopher Columbus, embarked on daring voyages to explore these vast waters, leading to discovery and cultural exchange.

  1. The significance of oceans in history and exploration
  2. The benefits of living near coastlines

3. Famous mariners and their contributions

 

B. However, over the past few centuries, human activities have begun to adversely impact the oceans. Overfishing has depleted fish stocks, threatening the livelihoods of millions. Pollution, especially plastic waste, is choking marine life and harming ecosystems. Coral reefs, often called the “rainforests of the sea”, are bleaching at alarming rates due to climate change.

  1. The historical relationship between humans and oceans
  2. The harmful impact of human activities on marine ecosystems

3. The discovery and importance of coral reefs

 

C. There have been various global initiatives to combat these challenges. The Blue Ocean strategy emphasizes the importance of creating sustainable practices to harness ocean resources. Several countries have also established Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) to conserve marine biodiversity. These MPAs limit human activities in designated zones, allowing ecosystems to recover and thrive.

  1. The significance of sustainable ocean exploration
  2. The role of individual countries in ocean conservation

3. Global efforts and strategies to combat marine challenges

 

D. It is evident that the future health of our oceans requires collective global action. While challenges persist, there is hope as communities, governments, and organizations come together to protect the blue frontier. Modern explorers, such as Sylvia Earle, champion ocean conservation and inspire future generations to value and preserve the marine world.

  1. The collective global actions needed for a healthier ocean
  2. Sylvia Earle’s contributions to marine conservation

3. The future prospects of ocean-related professions

 

Planned communities: garden cities

The notion of planning entire communities prior to their construction is an ancient one. In fact, one of the earliest such cities on record is Miletus, Greece, which was built in the 4th century BC. Throughout the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, various planned communities (both theoretical and actual) were conceived. Leonardo da Vinci designed several cities that were never constructed. Following the Great Fire of London in 1666, the architect Christopher Wren created a new master plan for the city, incorporating park land and urban space. Several 18th-century cities, including Washington D.C., New York City, and St Petersburg, Russia, were built according to comprehensive planning.

  1. Past, present and future examples of urban planning
  2. The history of urban planning

3. Problems associated with urban planning

B. One of the most important planned city concepts, the Garden City Movement, arose in the latter part of the 19th century as a reaction to the pollution and crowding of the Industrial Revolution. In 1898, Ebenezer Howard published the book To-Morrow: A Peaceful Path to Real Reform in which he laid out his ideas concerning the creation of new economically viable towns. Howard believed that these towns should be limited in size and density, and surrounded with a belt of undeveloped land. The idea gained enough attention and financial backing to lead to the creation of Letchworth, in Hertfordshire, England. This was the first such ‘Garden City’. After the First World War, the second town built following Howard’s ideas, Welwyn Garden City, was constructed.

  1. The Garden City Movement and its origins
  2. The importance of economically viable towns in the 19th century

3. Ebenezer Howard’s influence on urban planning

C. In the early 1920s, American architects Clarence Stein and Henry Wright, inspired by Howard’s ideas and the success of Letchworth and Welwyn, created the city of Radburn, New Jersey. Conceived as a community which would be safe for children, Radburn was intentionally designed so that the residents would not require automobiles. Several urban planning designs were pioneered at Radburn that would influence later planned communities, including the separation of pedestrians and vehicles, and the use of ‘superblocks’, each of which shared 23 acres of commonly held parkland.

  1. Clarence Stein and Henry Wright’s contribution to urban design
  2. The foundation of Radburn, New Jersey and its unique features

3. The impact of the Garden City Movement on American architecture

D. In America, following the stock market crash of 1929, there was great demand for both affordable housing and employment for workers who had lost their jobs. In direct response to this, in 1935 President Roosevelt created the Resettlement Administration, which brought about a total of three greenbelt towns: Greenbelt, Maryland; Greenhills, Ohio; and Greendale, Wisconsin. These towns contained many of the elements of the Garden City Movement developments, including the use of superblocks and a ‘green belt’ of undeveloped land surrounding the community.

  1. The American response to the stock market crash of 1929
  2. President Roosevelt’s role in creating greenbelt towns

3. The integration of Garden City principles in 20th-century American towns

4.1 প্যাসেজ থেকে প্রতিটি প্যারাগ্রাফ Skimming করে সঠিক সামারিটি বাছাই করুন।

A. 1. The significance of oceans in history and exploration

B. 2. The harmful impact of human activities on marine ecosystems

C. 3. Global efforts and strategies to combat marine challenges

D. 1. The collective global actions needed for a healthier ocean

 4.2 প্যাসেজ থেকে প্রতিটি প্যারাগ্রাফ Skimming করে সঠিক সামারিটি বাছাই করুন।

A. 2. The history of urban planning

B. 1. The Garden City Movement and its origins

C. 2. The foundation of Radburn, New Jersey and its unique features

D. 2. President Roosevelt’s role in creating greenbelt towns

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