2. Fine soils can store enough moisture for crops to grow normally.
3. To produce high yields crop plants require an adequate supply of plant nutrients and water.
4. Crops also require minerals in order to grow well.
5. The climate of this area is too cold to cultivate corn.
6. To apply fertilizers is the most usual practice in cultivating most crops.
7. For soil to produce good crops, it should not be too acid or too alkaline.
9. In order to improve the structure of this soil we must supply it with organic matter.
10. To get good results the plant grower must know the properties of the soil cultivated.
11. To prepare the proper seedbed in very important for obtaining good results.
12. The soils in our region arc too heavy to provide normal development of tubers.
13. Legumes can be grown to improve soil fertility.
14. For soil moisture to be high enough irrigation is often necessary.
6. Specify the sentence numbers which should be translated using the Russian particle « бы ». (Grammar Focus Unit 6) .
1. If nutrients and water were not absorbed by the roots, the plant would not grow.
2. We should not obtain high yields if the soil were not fertile enough.
3. Provided the soil contains nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in proper amounts, we shall be able to obtain normal development of plants.
4. Poor results may be obtained with this crop unless it is sown in a well prepared seedbed.
5. If the temperature conditions of the summer were not favourable, the plants would not grow properly.
6. Good crop cannot be produced unless the soil is well supplied with organic matter.
Listening and speaking Focus
a) Watch the video and answer the questions:
1. What are the negative effects of using synthetic fertilizers?
2. How does shallow cultivation work?
3. What do fungi and bacteria supply the plant with?
4. What happens when the plant gets nutrients from mycorrhizal fungis?
b) Describe the symbiosis between the plant, fungi and bacteria in the soil.
https://youtu.be/8ugaL6wsXME
LESSON 8.2. SOIL WATER
Grammar and vocabulary activities
1. Translate the following sentences using the ... the.
2. The better the soil is, the higher the yield will be.
3. The more favourable the climatic conditions are, the better results you get.
4. The finer the soil particles are, the more moisture is stored in the soil.
5. The lighter the soil is, the more easily it is cultivated.
2. Look through text A, find and write down antonyms to the following:
heavy, coarse, rich, small, able, deficient, unfavourable, less.
3. Translate from Russian into English. Use the Vocabulary Focus and text A of this Unit. Complete the task in written form.
а)
1. Есть тяжелые и легкие почвы.
2. Основные типы почв – песчаные, суглинистые и глинистые.
3. Почвы имеют различную структуру.
4. Вода является самым важным составным элементом почвы.
5. Воздух снабжает растения кислородом.
6. Чтобы хорошо расти, растениям требуются питательные вещества.
b)
1. Текстура почвы определяется размером почвенных частиц.
2. По текстуре почвы классифицируются на тяжелые (с большим количеством глинистых частиц) и легкие (с большим количеством песка).
3. Почвенная структура зависит от расположения почвенных частиц.
4. Почвы с большим количеством органического вещества имеют сложную структуру.
5. Хорошие почвы способны удерживать влагу, которая необходима для того, чтобы растения могли нормально развиваться.
6. Чтобы хорошо расти, растениям необходим целый ряд химических и минеральных элементов.
7. Плодородные почвы содержат достаточное количество питательных веществ, которые поглощаются растениями через корни.
8. Полезно применять удобрения даже на плодородных почвах.
4. Answer the following questions to text A.
1. What textural classes of soil do you know?
2. What is soil structure?
3. What do plants absorb from the soil?
4. What do plants obtain from the air?
1. 5.What are the most important mineral elements required for
plant growth?
5. Why can plants grow well on fertile soils?
6. Should fertilizers be applied to fertile soils?
5. Name in English all the types of soil you know.
6. Read text B without using a dictionary.