3. Vocabulary Activities.

A. Match the words with their synonyms and specify their difference:

1. malfunction A. slit

2. gap B.  improve

3. enhance C. fail, go bad

4. accuracy D.  distinguish

5. spot E.  approximately

6. roughly F.  vary

7. diverge G.  precision

8. estimate (v.) H. somewhat

9. slightly I. range, order

10. rate (n.) J. calculate

B. Word Formation.

Complete the table. Use your dictionary, if necessary. The first example has been done for you.

NOUN	VERB	ADJECTIVE
evolution, evolutionist, evolutionism	evolve	evolutionary
	arrange
	diverge
identity
		accurate
rearrangement
		evident
	accumulate

Use the words from the table in sentences of your own.

IV. Writing Activities.

A. Write 5-10 sentences of your own to answer the following question: Why are 2 worms discussed in the Reading Activities text?

B. Write a summary of the text below using a Russian-English dictionary. The following word combinations will help you.

- органика – organic matter

- растительные остатки – plant residues

- простейшие нематоды – simplest nematodes

- кучки земли – pikes of soil

Дождевые черви.

Источник: http://nts.virtbox.ru/Online/vermi/biohumus.html

Черви перерабатывают органику - навоз или компост гораздо быстрее и более полно, чем почвенные микроорганизмы в процессе компостирования.

Поглощая вместе с почвой огромное количество растительных остатков, простейших нематод, микробов, грибов, водорослей, дождевые черви переваривают их, выделяя вместе с копролитами (кучки земли, выделяемые червями) большое количество гумуса, собственной микрофлоры, аминокислот, ферментов, витаминов, других биологически активных веществ, которые подавляют болезнетворную микрофлору.  При этом органическая масса теряет запах, обеззараживается, приобретает гранулярную форму и приятный запах земли. 

Другая уникальная способность червей - это их способность мелиорировать и структурировать почву, пронизывая ее своими ходами. 

Unit four

I. Pre-reading Activities.

A. Practise the pronunciation of the following words and memorize them.

• steroid /ˈstɪərɔɪd/

• molecule /ˈmɔlɪkjuːl/

• cabbage /ˈkæbɪdʒ/

• synthesis /ˈsɪnθɪsɪs/

• pathway /ˈpɑːθweɪ/

• nucleus /ˈnjuːklɪəs/

• glycogen /ˈglaɪkədʒ(ə)n/

• anchor /ˈæŋkə/

• kinase /ˈkaɪneɪz/

• mustard /ˈmʌstəd/

• paradigm /ˈpærədaɪm/

B. Read and discuss the questions.

→ The text below is called “Plants on Steroids: Key Missing Link Discovered”. What in your opinion might be the key missing link?

→ Have you ever heard anything about “plants on steroids”?

→ What recent discoveries in the area are known to you?

C. Match the following words with their definitions.

1. avenue A.  the act of passing along by stages

2. relay B. a method or way of doing something; a possibility

3. infertile C. to find or show the connection between two or more things

4. degeneration D.  an amount of something positive, such as food or profit, that is produced or supplied

5. yield (n.) E. the process by which something gets worse

6. link (n.) F. prevented from growing or developing to the usual extent

7. stunt ed G. bond, connection

8. pathway H. a substance which is used to provide heat or power, usually by being burned

9. fuel I.  a set of connected chemical reactions in biology

10. relate J. not productive