II. Answer the following questions to the text:

1. What is weather?

2. Where do arable crops grow better?

3. How do botanists classify farm crops?

4. What troubles can farmers have if they grow cereals continuously in the same fields?

5. What way can farmers reduce labour efforts?

6. Root crops grow better in dry areas, don’t they?

7. What do farmers grow legumes for?

8. What oilseed crops do you know?

9. Give the difinition to the word “rotation”?

10. What are the advantages of a good rotation?

Text 2 wheat

I. Read and translate the text.

The crop plants can be sorted into main groups according to their type and reason why they are grown. These groups are cereal crops, combinable crops, root crops and forage crops

Cereal crops (often known as corn in Britain) include wheat, barley, oats, rye and maize, all grown for their grain.

Wheat is the most important grain crop. From the earliest time wheat has played an important role as the principal food for a man.

The origin of wheat is unknown. The best quality wheat is produced in areas where the winters are cold and summers are comparatively hot.

Wheat is a leading food crop of the world. It is widely grown and eaten by millions of people. Wheat is grown in approximately 50 different countries and produced mostly for grain. All the wheat grown in the world belongs to one of fourteen species but only half are of any commercial importance.About 95% of the wheat grown throughout the world is common. Each species of wheat is subdivided into many varieties with great differences in shape,size,colour and the grains themselves. The time of seeding wheat varies with climatic and soil conditions.

There are spring and winter varieties of wheat. Spring wheat should be sown as early as a good seedbed can be prepared. Winter wheat should be sown early enough in the autumn..

As to the depth of seeding, it will vary with the type of soil and the season. The usual depth varies from 1 to 3 inches. Wheat is known to respond well to fertilization. It should be sown in a firm seedbed. Early plowing is necessary in preparing the best type of seedbed. Winter wheat should be planted late enough to avoid the Hessian fly and early enough to develop a good top growth. The planting date varies with the locality. In preparing the soil for wheat it is necessary to apply manure at the rate of 4 or 6 tons per acre.

II. Answer the following questions to the text:

1. What are the main groups of crop plants?

2. The origin of wheat is well- known, isn’t it?

3. Where is the best quality wheat produced?

4. How many countries grow wheat?

5. What does the time of seeding wheat depend on?

6. What is the usual depth of seeding?

7. When should winter wheat be planted?

8. What is necessary to prepare a good seedbed for wheat?

Text 3 Environmental Conservation

I. Read and translate the text.

Conservation of living resources means using them in such ways that valuable plants and animals are maintained for future generations.

To survive, every species must modify its environment. So, environmental modification is a natural process – a necessary part of development. It is inevitable that most of the planet will be modified by people. However, this modification may have some harmful side-effects. To conserve the environment is to find such ways of development, which will at the same time conserve the living resources essential for man.

Let us have some illustrations.

Soil is of the greatest importance in the life of people, as food production depends on it. Soil erosion is a natural process, but usually the soil is regenerated if there is enough vegetation. If soil and vegetation are not in balance as a result of poor soil management, the soil is lost.

Pest control is another important problem. Chemicals are effective means of control, but if too high doses of pesticides are applied, it may produce undesirable affect. Too high doses of pesticides destroy natural pest enemies and may contaminate food and feed. Besides, these pesticides may become less effective after some time. That is why chemical control methods should be combined with the introduction of pest-resistant crop varieties, the use of repellents and hormones, the encouragement of natural pest enemies and other biological and mechanical control measures.

Such and similar problems should be considered by a special soil conservation service. This service should operate in each country. It should be able not only to give recommendations, but also to influence the agricultural policy and the decisions on securing food supplies.

II. Read the text “Environmental Conservation” and speak on the following problems:

1. environmental modification as a natural process;

2. pest control in agriculture.