Skim Text B and find out if the given statements agree with

the text:

1. Developed agriculture includes successful use of soils, high-yielding varieties and hybrids of crops, productive animal breeding, full mechanization and high application of fertilizers.

2. The most important factor about the soil is its fertility.

3. Soil fertility cannot be improved in good farming.

4. The need of nutrients never takes into consideration the soil types.

Text B. FACTORS AFFECTING SUCCESSFUL FARMING

1. Successful farming means making the best and the most scientific use of natural conditions, land, crops, livestock, machinery and all the other things which have to be put together to make the farming system work^1.

2. Important points to be taken into consideration are: the soil types of the district, annual rainfall, maximum and minimum temperatures, etc.

3. Some good clay and loamy soils are naturally highly fertile, some light sandy soils are naturally poor. The various factors that make up soil fertility are: moisture conditions, plant food and soil structure.

4. All these things may be regulated by a proper management of the soil. So, one important job for the farmer is to get the land into good condition² and to keep it that way. Such land is more easily cultivated, provides better conditions for germination of seed and for growth and in the end produces better crops.

5. The supply of the plant nutrients varies with the type of soil and its previous cropping and management, but it is under the control of the farmer, too.

Notes and commentaries:

¹to make the system work – змусити систему працювати

²to get…into… condition – привести …в …стан

3.2. Make a written translation of Text C. Use a dictionary:

Text C. CONDITIONS OF SCIENTIFIC AGRICULTURE

1. In order to understand the scientific growing of crops one must know the temperature requirements of plants, the optimum temperature for germination and growth varying with different kinds of plants. So, such cereals or grain crops as wheat and oats will grow at a lower temperature than cotton or corn.

2. Good farming keeps land and crops in healthy conditions and grows the largest crops possible. Land and crops are kept in healthy condition by good cultivation and by keeping up the amount of organic matter, by good management, by a proper rotation, and by the control of weeds, pests and diseases.

TEST-1

Choose the proper definition for each term:

Complete the sentences with the necessary words:

6. The word agriculture means … and growing crops.

a) the use of land

b) cultivation of fields

c) producing yield

7. There are two main branches of agriculture: crop growing and ….

a) animal breeding

b) intensification of production

c) using arable land

8. People began … many thousand years ago.

a) to develop high yielding varieties

b) to use herbicides

c) to grow crops

9. The basis of agriculture is ….

a) arable land

b) soil

c) people

10. People don’t have enough experience … tropical and subtropical lands.

a) to reclaim

b) to disturb

c) to supply

11. To intensify agricultural production people must know well climate, soil and ….

a) herbicides

b) high-yielding varieties of crops

c) fertilizers

12. Farming must be used in such a way as not to disturb … of the soil.

a) the scientific use

b) the moisture

c) the biological equilibrium

13. Moisture conditions, plant food and soil structure are the factors that make up ….

a) soil fertility

b) clay and loamy soils

c) successful farming

14. Soil fertility may be regulated by ….

a) high-yielding varieties of crops

b) good conditions

c) a proper management of the soil

15. The supply of plant … varies with the type of soil and its previous cropping and management.

a) livestock

b) cereals

c) nutrients

16. The … of production must be based on scientific knowledge.

a) intense

b) intensify

c) intensification

17. We must have … soils to produce high yields.

a) good

b) well

c) poor

18. The area … arable land is being increased.

a) on

b) of

c) at

19. Our agriculture must develop ….

a) successfully

b) successful

c) be a success

20. Some good clay and loamy soils are naturally highly ….

a) fertility

b) fertile

c) more fertile

21. Good soils are … cultivated.

a) more easy

b) easily

c) easilier

22. Well cultivated soils produce … crops than poor soils.

a) good

b) less

c) better

23. Wheat and oats grow at lower temperatures … cotton or corn.

a) then

b) than

c) the

24. Ukrainian scientists have developed lots of highly productive … of crops.

a) varieties

b) varietys

c) varies

25. Wheat is one of the … crops cultivated by man.

a) first

b) second

c) last

Step 1

(speaking-reading-speaking-writing)

1.1. Read the words and find their Ukrainian equivalents:

physical, chemical, biological, complex, fundamental, drainage, nature, culture, finally, formation, process, potential, series, season, result, reproduce, generation, forage, organic, fragment, texture.

1.2. Study the new words:

1.3. Translate the words. Pay attention to their word-building means:

- to differ – difference – different – differently;

- variable – variant – variation – varied –variety – various – vary

- vegetable – to vegetate – vegetation

- to grow – growth – growing

- to utilize – utility

- fertile – fertility – fertilizer – fertilization

- result – to result – resulting

- complex – complexity

- to produce – production – to reproduce – reproduction – product – productivity – productively

- to depend – dependent

1.4. Read Text A and find out what are the factors influencing the development of soils: