Model: soil plays – soils play

Subject (singular)	Predicate	Subject (plural)
Soil	Play	Soils
Nature	develop	Plants
Climate	influence	Animals
Vegetation	Grow	Rocks
Man	Use	Men
Yield	Depend	yields
Fertilizer	Provide	fertilizers

 

 

2.2. Use the verbs to be or to have in the proper form of Present Simple:

1. Each mineral (to be) a chemical compound with specific chemical and physical properties.

2. The weathering of a rock (to be) due to a combination of physical and chemical actions.

3. Soil (to be) a mixture of organic and inorganic material.

4. Soil may (to have) various characteristics according to the nature of the parent material.

5. The weathered products of rock (to be) not enough to form a soil.

2.3. Use the proper form of the construction “there + to be” in Present Simple:

1. … several factors necessary for soil formation.

2. … changing temperatures, moisture and other factors which take part in the process of decomposition of igneous rocks.

3. … one important factor – fertility of soil – which differentiates it from rock.

4. … a distinction between a fertile and a rich soil.

5. … a lot of measures which may turn poor soils into fertile.

 

2.4.Use the verbs in brackets in the proper form of Present Simple:

1. Our task (to be) to make good use of soil.

2. People must (to have) a thorough knowledge of the processes governing the formation of soil.

3. Any step we take towards amelioration (to bring) about deep changes in the soil.

4. Plants and microorganisms (to play) a decisive role in the process of soil formation.

5. Fertility (to develop) in the process of soil formation.

2.5.Transform the verbs into Past Simple:

1. As a result of man’s labour, the soil acquires an exceptional capacity for displaying effective fertility.

2. Over a long time, the soil becomes richer and its fertility increases.

3. To raise the fertility up to the required level is possible only through the adoption of a combination of measures.

4. The natural fertility of soils changes.

5. In the chornozem zone we find the most favourable combination of factors and conditions for soil formation.

2.6.Ask questions to the following sentences:

1. All the factors necessary for plant life are of equal significance.

2. Relatively rich soils, like swamped or dry, possessed little or no fertility.

3. Potential fertility developed together with the soil.

4. The soil always holds in itself resources to increase fertility.

5. Raising of soil fertility constitutes the most important problem of soil science.

2.7.Correct the mistakes in the following sentences:

1. Agronomy be a branch of agriculture.

2. This branch of agriculture treat of the principles and practice of crop production and field management.

3. Our farms is able to obtain high yields of crops and animal produce.

4. Agronomists should working in close contact with science.

5. Parks are called the lungs of the town as they refreshed the air.

Step 3

Project Work

(speaking-reading-speaking writing)

3.1. Skim Text B and find out, which sentences do not coincide with the contents of the text:

1. Soil science is only of theoretical value.

2. Different soils have the same utility.

3. To improve the soil, one should study it thoroughly.

4. Soil requirements are always the same.

5. Soils that are not valuable for grain crops may be very good for some other purposes.

6. Climate is influenced by the soil.

Text B. THE BASIS OF LIFE

1. During his existence on the Earth man has depended upon the soil, either directly or indirectly¹. The soil is the only source for the production of raw materials used by us for food and clothing.

2. The growth and development of all cultivated plants² is greatly dependent on the fertility of the soil. Grains, fruits and vegetables are food products obtained by man directly from the soil. Domestic animals consume grain and forage produced by the soil and in their turn³ supply us with meat, milk, eggs, and other products used for human food. They supply us with wool and leather for the manufacture of clothing as well.

3. Soils vary in a number of characteristics. Some soils are rich in all kinds of food required by plants; some are rich in certain elements but deficient in others.

4. All agricultural soils contain some organic matter mixed in different proportions with the mineral one. Fragments of all kinds of minerals and rocks as well as the remains of all the plants and animals may be found in the soil and make a home⁴ for plant development.

5. Plants require favourable soil and climate conditions. There is a continuous supply of water, plant feed, heat, light and air.

6. In respect of⁵ texture and also age, soils can be subdivided into fine sandy soil, sandy soil, loam soil, sandy-loam soil, silt-loam soil, shale-loam soil, muck soil, podzol soil, limy soil, solonets soil, chernozem (black earth soil), brown soil, red soil.

7. In his management of the soil, the farmer may do much to regulate the supply of water and organic matter. One of the most important tasks is the proper management and preservation of the soil⁶.

Notes and Commentaries:

¹either directly or indirectly – безпосередньо чи опосередковано ²cultivated plants – культурні рослини

³in their turn – в свою чергу

⁴make a home – є середовищем

⁵in respect of – щодо

⁶the proper management and preservation of the soil – правильна обробка і збереження грунту

 

3.2. Fill in the blanks and give a name to the following text:

… is the one basic material. Everything depends on it and its productivity. To handle … properly and to produce the most and the best from it, we must know it well. A … is a living thing. It must be living to grow plants and to make all the chemical changes needed in the substances that are added to it. Different factors play their role in … improvement, good management being the most important one.

 

3.3. Translate Text C in writing:

 

Text C. FORESTS SAVE WATER

1. When we cut down trees or plow under grass, the land is left with nothing on it to hold back the water. Every time it rains, the water flows over the land and is carried out to sea where we can't use it. Such water carries soil and minerals with it. Often, the amount of water is so great that rivers flood. The water is wasted¹.

2. We can conserve water by seeing to it that trees, grass or other types of vegetation are planted to absorb or slow down the run-off of waters.

3. The "floor"² of a forest is spongy³ and absorbs water from rain and snow. The soil of grasslands also stores" water this way.

4. Millions of hectares are made bare each year by forest fires. Fire prevention is, therefore, another important part of water conservation.

Notes and Commentaries:

¹to waste – втрачати (дарма)

²"floor" – тут: підстилка

³spongy – губчатий

 

3.4. TEST-2

Choose the proper definition for each term:

1. soil	a) a living organism growing on land, that cannot move
2. vegetation	b) the highest layer of the Earth, the supporter of vegetable life and other primitive living organisms. Used by people for cultivating and growing food crops
3. weathering	c) materials related to or produced by living organisms
4. plant	d) plant life or cover of an area
5. organic matter	e) the action of the weather which changes the colour, texture, composition or form of an object

Complete the sentences with the necessary words:

6. Soils develop under … of climate, vegetation, time and other factors.

a) the fertility

b) the influence

c) the production

7. The … of soil influences the animals which are living on it.

a) type

b) moisture

c) texture

8. … influences the rock which then becomes a part of soil.

a) growing

b) animals

c) weathering

9. People are adapting … to the soil.

a) seasons

b) crops

c) erosion

10.All soils … have the same characteristics.

a) must

b) can

c) cannot

11.Yields depend on the ability of the soil to use … and water.

a) fertilizers

b) parent material

c) vegetation

12. Fertilizers help plants … and develop.

a) vary

b) change

c) grow

13. From season to season conditions of temperature and … change.

a) drainage

b) moisture

c) generation

14. Farmers should adapt their … of soil to the varying natural conditions.

a) management

b) raw materials

c) supply

15. Farmers can do much to regulate the supply of water and ….

a) climatic conditions

b) organic matter

c) animal feed

16. Agriculture … people with different kinds of food.

a) provide

b) provides

c) providing

17. Agriculture … an important sector of economy.

a) be

b) being

c) is

 

18. The aim of agriculture … to produce much food.

a) is

b) are

c) to be

19. When the crop … grow well, it means that the conditions are bad for its growth.

a) has not

b) does not

c) is not

20. The type of soil also … herbicide selection.

a) affect

b) affects

c) affecting

21. … over 1,500 million hectares of farm land in the world.

a) there are

b) are there

c) are

22. … increasing the area under irrigation a general tendency in world farming?

a) does

b) has

c) is

23. At the beginning of the 20th century 8,000,000 hectares …watered.

a) be

b) have

c) were

24. … large areas in the non-black-earth zone need drainage and regulation of the water and air regimes?

a) are

b) have

c) do

25. … a great number of livestock on the farms, and the use of fertilizers favour the growing of high yields of crops?

a) be

b) is

c) do

 

 

Unit 3

1. Agricultural operations 2. Tillage 3. Continuous tenses

Step 1

(speaking-reding-speaking-writing)

1.1. Find Ukrainian equivalents to the following international words:

variety, variations, correct, effective, protection, systematic, rotation, method, conservation, diversification, operation, result, technological state, progress, design, diesel, idea, experimental, combining, aeration.

 

1.2. Study the new words:

quality	якість
suitable	відповідний
pasture	пасовище
property	властивість
to determine	визначати
ability	здатність
profitably	прибутково
to require	потребувати
damage	ушкодження
to deteriorate	виснажуватися
to restore	відновлювати
to improve	покращувати
virgin soils	цілинні землі
to upset	порушувати
to decrease	зменшувати, знижувати
treatment	обробка
aim	мета
to maintain	підтримувати
plowing	оранка
failure	невміння
lack	нестача
loss	втрата
depletion	виснаження
deficiency	дефіцит
tillage	обробка землі
advanced	передовий
tool	інструмент
stick	палиця
plow	плуг
device	пристрій
moldboard plow	відвальний плуг
to eliminate	знищувати
thick layer	товстий шар
to gain popularity	набувати популярності
to harrow	боронувати
sod	дернина
row crops	просапні культури
inch	дюйм

1.3. Compare the words, define their word-building means and translate:

– balance-balanced

– variety-variation-various-varying

– diversification-diversify-diverse-diversity

– produce-product-productivity-productive

– definite-indefinite-indefinitely

– proper-improper-properly

– to rotate-rotation

– final-finally

– to improve-improvement

– alternative-alternating

– to till-tilled-tillage-tilth

 

1.4. Read Text A and find out what must be done to preserve soil productivity: