2) Answer the following questions.

1. What is a review?

2. What is the purpose of a book review?

3. What does the review begin with?

4. What is the structure of a review?

5. What are the common features of book reviews?

6. What can you discuss in the section of evaluation of the book?

7. What does usually a book review end with?

3) Answer the following questions using the words and word combinations given in brackets.

Model: What does a book begin with? (a short introductory chapter).

It begins with a short introductory chapter.

1. What does an article begin with? (an introductory part; a few general remarks; a short introduction).

2. What is each subsection preceded by? (a brief theoretical introduction; some introductory notes; an introductory discussion).

3. What does a book introduce to? (the work done in …; the new data in the field of …; the up-to-date techniques in …).

4. What does a book acquaint us with? (recent discoveries in …; applications of new methods; the work done in the field of; experimental technique).

4) Read the following sentences and translate them into Russian paying attention to the underlined word combinations.

1. This book is written mainly for agronomists.

2. The monograph can be recommended for agricultural scientists.

3. This is a critical review of scientific topics of current agricultural relevance.

4. This originally appeared in «The journal of agricultural science».

5. Reference is made to interpretation of environmental impacts of agriculture and forestry from all available sources.

6. The subject matter appears under two headings.

7. Subject areas include the use of land resources throughout the world.

8. The book is highly readable.

9. The author makes concepts understandable and relevant.

10. The author succeeds in giving a good overview of the application of new analytical and study methods (including molecular studies).

5) Complete the sentences using the professional vocabulary.

1. The work deals with … .

2. The monograph on … comprises four parts.

3. In part one the significance of … is discussed.

4. The second part covers a very important problem of … .

5. … is analyzed in the third part.

6. The last part is devoted to … .

6) Translate the following sentences paying attention to the Infinitive, its functions in the sentence. Find objective and subjective infinitive constructions (see Appendix 2.8.1).

1. This topic seems to be exciting for any science student.

2. He is said to be a great scientist.

3. This book was considered to cause a wide discussion.

4. The author appears to be a very good specialist in the subject.

5. It was thought the problem was impossible to solve.

6. This is an example of a problem that is thought to be hard.

7. The purpose of this chapter is to describe certain properties of pure substances.

8. The aim of the book exhibition is to change experience and to display the finest editions.

9. Consumers are turning to organic food because they believe it to be tastier, as well as healthier both for themselves and for the environment.

10. The author considers this question to be of great importance.

11. Many scientists expect major developments in the near future to take place in chemistry.

Text 2: Sample review

Developing and extending sustainable agriculture: a new social contract

Charles A. Francis, Raymond P. Poincelot, George W. Bird (Editors) Haworth Food & Agricultural Products Press, Binghampton, NY 2006, 368pgs.

The recent increase in acreage devoted to low-input, sustainable, and organic production systems often enhance biodiversity, and concomitant with this increase is a reduction in pesticide applications. This concept provides the central basis of Developing and Extending Sustainable Agriculture: A New Social Contract, an edited volume that encompasses the necessary framework to develop a program of sustainable agriculture that is not only viable from a scientific standpoint, but also from a practical and economic point of view.

Charles Francis, Raymond Poincelot, and George Bird (editors) have formulated a framework that draws on sustainable agricultural practices that, while being regionally specific (the book focuses on the United States, and almost exclusively on the North Central Region), provide the conceptual basis for the development of crop, soil, and livestock production systems elsewhere. Indeed, because sustainable agriculture has received so much attention in recent years, and research opportunities continue to be promoted within these areas, it seems likely that the directional focus of the book will set the foundation for future integration of research and extension.

However, the book goes much further by incorporating chapters pertaining to the complex issues surrounding economic reliance (and productivity) on sustainable agricultural production systems, educational opportunities for the promotion of these approaches, and recommendations for future directions of agriculture. The book benefits from being replete with practical examples, making the material readily accessible to a broad audience, and will provide sufficient information for educational, as well as practical, endeavors in sustainable agriculture.

The book is divided into sixteen chapters that address highly diverse topics, but it successfully integrates these in a way to synthesize a series of focal concepts and ideas. Understandably, the identification and discussion of approaches that promote sustainability take a prominent role; there is in-depth coverage of integrated pest management, soil management and practices associated with promoting soil quality, the ecological context of grazing in relation to sustainability, and the recognition of the importance of whole-farm planning to the successful implementation of integrative approaches in agriculture. These chapters, drawing on examples from the North Central Region of the United States, provide the background to the remaining focus of the book.

What is most apparent is that as we develop «a new social contract» in farming and identify areas in need of improvement, there is an underlying need for a conceptual synthesis of information across disciplines. This book further develops an integrative approach to sustainable agriculture and provides extensive coverage of topics as diverse as agricultural economics (with obvious focus on sustainable agriculture) and the role of universities in promoting sustainable aspects of agricultural production. The wealth of information presented here is synthesized in a coherent manner that will provide essential reading for a broad spectrum of students, educators, researchers and extension agents, all interested in the future of farming and providing a sustainable future for our agricultural community.

In conclusion, this is a very readable book that covers an aspect of agricultural production of ongoing (and likely increasing) importance. Only time will tell whether future funding will continue promoting sustainable agriculture. However, the cases made by authors of chapters throughout this book are strong. Ultimately, it is this integration of research, extension, economics, and outreach that provides the strongest case for sustainable agriculture – ideas that resonate throughout Developing and Extending Sustainable Agriculture.

James D. Harwood

Department of Entomology

University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY