Correct the false sentences according to the text.

1) Irrigation is the watering of land by natural methods.

2) It provides water for plant growth in areas that have long periods of rainfall.

3) Irrigation is used in desert regions, in regions with seasonal rainfall, in cold regions.

4) The amount of irrigation water depends on the type of crop and the climate.

5) Irrigation requires large supplies of unsalty water.

6) Surface water isn’t obtained by means of a network of canals.

7) The laterals are large canals.

8) The water flows to the canals by gravity if a farm lies at a higher elevation than the supply source.

9) If the farm lies at a lower elevation than the source, the water must be pumped up to the canals.

10) Ground water is pumped to the surface from the top of an aquifer.

11) A system of canals or pipes is always needed to bring the water to the crops.

12) The lost of water happens through evaporation, seepage and transpiration.

Some irrigation water may be lost through evaporation, seepage and transpiration. State the places and the ways of water lost reducing, filling in the table.

Evapouration	occurs	in reservoirs	and	may be reduced by	- …
Seepage	-… -…	-lining a reservoir with a layer of fine soil; - …
Transpiration	-…	- …

Answer the following questions.

1) What is irrigation?

2) Where is the water used for irrigation taken from?

3) Where is irrigation used?

4) How much water is used for irrigation?

5) Most farms obtain surface water by means of a network of canals, don’t they?

6) What canals are called laterals?

7) What are the laterals connected to?

8) When must the water be pumped up to the canals?

9) What is ground water pumped to the surface from?

10) Where should an irrigation well be dug?

11) What is needed to bring the water to the crops if the well is far from the farm?

12) How can the amount of water lost through evaporation be reduced?

13) When does seepage occur?

14) How can seepage be controlled?

15) How can some loss from transpiration be avoided?

Make a short summary of the text.

Language Focus

 

Choose the contextual meaning of the following words used in Text A.

1) accounts

a) счета

b) включать

c) требования

2) flows

a) течь

b) потоки

c) заливать

3) lifts

a) лифты

b) поднимать

c) этажи

4) crops

a) урожай

b) сажать

c) зерновые культуры

5) weed

a) водоросль

b) пропалывать

c) сорная трава

Match the words with their synonyms.

1) artificial	6) penetrate	a) utilize	f) infiltrate
2) use	7) absorb	b) obtain	g) consume
3) chiefly	8) avoid	c) approve	h) predominantly
4) receive	9) watertight	d) escape	i) unnatural
5) allow	10) bring	e) hermetic	j) carry

Fill in the correct prepositions then choose any five items and make your own sentences.

1) water taken ___lakes and rivers; 2) to vary ___ the type of crop and the climate; 3) the evaporation of water ___ the soil; 4) to account __ 40 per cent of the water used; 5) to transport water ___ the supply source ___ a farm; 6) to obtain surface water ___ means ___ a network of canals; 7) to take water ___ the crops; 8) to flow ___ the canal ___ gravity; 9) to lie ___ a higher elevation; 10) to pump ___wells dug ___ the water table; 11) to lift water ___ a ditch or a pipe; 12) to be far ___ a farm; 13) to lose water ___ evaporation; 14) to prevent weed growth ___ the channels; 15) absorb water ___ the roots.

 

Reading Task: B

 

Find the translation of the following terms and memorize their meaning.

high-value crops	a dike	a nozzle
surface irrigation	a levee	sprinkler heads
flood irrigation	rolling terrain	spray
furrow irrigation	level terrain	mist
sprinkler irrigation	a ditch	to soak
trickle irrigation	a furrow	to moisten
subirrigation	a ridge	to mount
low-pressure sprinkler heads self-propelled sprinkling systems

Read the text to get the gist of it. Answer the following questions.

a) What is the most common method of irrigation?

b) Can sprinkler irrigation be used on most crops and soils?