- •Башкирский государственный аграрный университет r.A. Yusupova, l.F. Kharisova English for agronomists
- •Soil Active vocabulary
- •Text 1 Agronomy
- •1.4 Translate the following words having the same stem. Check your translation with the help of a dictionary:
- •1.5 Read and translate the text with the help of a dictionary.
- •Agronomy cars
- •1.6 Answer the questions to the text.
- •Text 2 What is soil?
- •2.3 Read and translate the text with the help of a dictionary.
- •2.6 Answer the following questions:
- •2.7 Read the text without a dictionary. Try to catch its main idea.
- •Text 3 Soil formation
- •3.4 Read and translate the text with the help of a dictionary.
- •Text 4 Soil Physics
- •4.3 Read and translate the text with the help of a dictionary.
- •4.4 Give English equivalents:
- •4.5 Answer the following questions:
- •4.6 Say if these statements are correct:
- •Text 5 Soil chemistry
- •5.4 Read and translate the text with the help of a dictionary.
- •Text 6 Living Soil
- •6.4 Read and translate the text with the help of a dictionary.
- •Soil Food Web Model in picture form
- •6.6 Fill in the gaps using the words given below the text:
- •Text 7 Soil fertility
- •7.3 Read and translate the text with the help of dictionary.
- •7.5 Find the paragraph speaking about results of applying too much fertilizers. Discuss it.
- •7.6 Fill in the gaps using the words given below the text:
- •Text 8 Soil Classification
- •8.3 Read the following pairs of words and translate them:
- •8.4 Read and translate the text with the help of a dictionary.
- •8.6 Render the text into Russian using no dictionary:
- •Text 9 Soil Zones
- •9.3 Read and translate the text with the help of a dictionary.
- •9.5 Choose the right statement:
- •9.6 Fill in the gaps using the words given below the text:
- •Unit VI Soil chemistry Active vocabulary
- •Text 1 Chemical Properties of Soil
- •1.3 Translate the following sentences; pay attention to grammar
- •1.4 Read and translate the text with a dictionary
- •1.5 Choose the proper definition from the right column
- •1.6 Translate the following words having the same stem.
- •1.7 Answer the following questions
- •1.8 Explain the meaning of the symbol “ph”.
- •1.9 Explain the terms “acid soils” and “alkaline soils” in English.
- •1.10 Read the following text and briefly retell it. Plant Foods in the Soil.
- •Text 2 Organic Matter in the Soil
- •2.3 Say it in Russian
- •2.4 Translate the following sentences; pay attention to the grammar
- •2.5 Read and translate the text with a dictionary
- •2.6 Fill in gaps using following words: decomposition, undecomposed, decomposing, decomposed
- •In land-applied biosolids, a portion of ammonium
- •2.12 Read the following text without dictionary and say what a new information you’ve got
- •Text 3 Fertilization
- •3.3 Say it in Russian
- •3.4 Translate the following sentences; pay attention to the grammar
- •3.5 Read and translate the text with a dictionary
- •3.6 Say it in English
- •3.7 Choose the correct statements from the following ones:
- •3.8 Find the paragraphs speaking about results of applying complex fertilizers.
- •3.9 Make an annotation of the text “Fertilization”.
- •3.10 Read the following text without dictionary. Title the text.
- •Text 4 Environmental Problems
- •4.4 Read and translate the following texts with the help of a dictionary. Part 1
- •Part 2 Acid rains
- •Part 3 Harmful effects of pesticides
- •4.5 Answer the questions to the text.
- •4.6 Match the words with the definitions:
- •4.7 Fill in the gaps using the words given below the text:
- •Text 5 Organic agriculture
- •5.3 Read and translate the text with the help of a dictionary.
- •5.5 Answer the questions to the text.
- •5.6 Translate the following words having the same stem. Check your translation with the help of a dictionary:
- •Text 6 Organic practices and species diversity
- •6.4 Read and translate the text with the help of a dictionary.
- •6.5 Answer the questions to the text.
- •6.6 Say if these statements are false or true:
- •Vocabulary
- •Библиографический список
- •Содержание
1.6 Answer the questions to the text.
What is agronomy?
What are the chief aims of agronomists today?
What are plant-breeders engaged in?
What is agroecology?
Text 2 What is soil?
Gently rolling field of a recently harvested crop |
2.1 Read the following international words and translate them: organisms, tropical, region, base, traditional, physics, chemistry, biology, system, barrier, structure, typical, erosion, phase, technique, bacteria.
2.2 Say it in Russian: mineral matter, organic matter, living organisms, dry desert areas, wet tropical regions, man’s activities, weathering, a soil organism, a particle of soil, a complex three phase system, to improve soil’s fertility, to maintain soil’s fertility, subsoil, roots, the chemical characteristics, mineral composition, new compounds, size of minerals, solubility, resistance, various organisms.
2.3 Read and translate the text with the help of a dictionary.
For many years, soil was considered simply the loose fraction of the Earth’s crust. It was not until the 1880s, that soil was recognized as a natural body – worthy of study in its own right – by the Russian scientist Dokuchaev. Soil is a complex mixture of mineral matter, organic matter and living organisms. Soil is a product of the environment; constantly changing, constantly evolving. Soils develop over time, sometimes very slowly in dry desert areas or more quickly in wet tropical regions. The soil is different from “powdered rock” or “dirt” in that it supports life; in particular, the growth of plants. Soil can be thought of as the “skin” of the land; without it the land would die.
Like skin, the soil is constantly being eroded at its surface by wind, water and man’s activities, and being renewed at its base by weathering of its parent material.
Man’s perception of soil differs according to the use of the soil. An engineer sees the soil as a support media for buildings, bridges and highways. A miner sees soil as the overburden that has to be removed to access valuable minerals. A landscaper sees soil as a resource to beautify parks and gardens. The agriculturalist and forester sees soil as a resource to produce crops and trees.
We can apply the traditional sciences of physics, chemistry and biology to study soils. Many scientists have done this over the years. But emerging research is convincing us to change our approach. We are challenged to look at natural systems by thinking of changes and interactions with an integrated approach of all the sciences. Can we study a soil organism without taking into account its environment? Can we study a particle of soil without considering its neighbors in the same aggregate? Clearly, much more knowledge is to be gained if we open our eyes and step out of the barriers that traditional science teaching has created. The Soil Science of Physics, Chemistry and Biology attempt to do this.
Physical properties Soils are a complex three phase system composed of solids, liquids and gases. The study of physical behavior of these phases is called Soil Physics and includes: density and porosity, texture, structure, colour, water retention and movement.
Chemical properties Soil chemistry studies the chemical characteristics of soil which depends on their mineral composition, organic matter and environment.
An understanding of soil chemistry is important in soil formation and fertility. How rocks and minerals breakdown and transform into new compounds is essential to our understanding of weathering and erosion. How mineral nutrients are transformed and bound in soil leads to better fertilization and soil testing techniques.
Biological properties Soil biology is the study of the living component of soils. Numerous bacteria, fungi, actinomycetes, worms, insects, small rodents and mammals inhabit the soil. Many of these organisms help in maintaining the fertility of the soil by decomposing plant and animal residues which recycle the nutrients. The interaction among various organisms is a fascinating subject in soil science. An example of this interaction is the association of bacteria with plant roots. Often, this association leads to the mutual benefits.
2.4 Give English equivalents: земля, сложная смесь, окружающая среда, рост растений, поверхность почвы, материнская порода, инженер, шахтер, землеустроитель, работник сельского хозяйства, твердые частицы, жидкие частицы (жидкости), газообразные частицы (газы), свойство, почвоведение.
2.5 Combine the adjectives listed below with the noun “soil” to form expressions as much as possible: ideal, wet, dry, previous, sandy, lateral, suitable, approximate, special, artificial, standing, usual, available, light, heavy.