TIẾNG ANH CHUYÊN NGÀNH NÔNG NGHIỆP – PHẦN 3 pdf

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3. After being absorbed it is radiated back into the atmosphere as heat energy or turned into
chemical energy by green plants when they photosynthesize.
4. Fertilizers are added to soil to replace nutrients that have been used by previous crops,
blown away or leached (washed away) into the subsoil by rain or irrigation.
5. If the soil is gritty it will drain and dry out quickly.
6. When the soil particles are mainly sand and coarse gravel its texture is said to be gritty.
7. If the soil is silky it will drain slowly and hold water for a longer time.
8. Artificial fertilizers need to be soluble compounds so that plants can absorb the nutrients.
9. This means they continue to exist unchanged in the soil because they cannot move into
one of the cycles of matter.
B. Word formation.
There are many English words derived from other words with different prefixes or suffixes
such as: -ment; -ation; -ion; -ance; -al; -ent; -able; -ly; -en; -er; -or; -ist; en- . . .
1. Find out the words with these suffixes or prefixes in the passage.

Verb – Noun: -ment
- development
- ………………………
-………………………
-………………………
Verb – Adjective: -ent
-different
-………………………
-………………………
-………………………
Adjective – Verb: -en
-widen
-………………………

-………………………
-………………………
Verb – Noun: -ation (-ion)
-information - production
-………………………
-………………………
-………………………
Noun – Adjective: -able (-eble)
-reasonable
-………………………
-………………………
-………………………
Adjective – Verb: -ize
-modernize
-………………………
-………………………
-………………………
Verb – Noun: er (-or)
-farmer
-………………………
-………………………
-…………………………
Noun – Adjective: -al
-national
-………………………
-………………………
-………………………
Adjective – Verb:En-
-enrich
-………………………

-………………………
-………………………
Noun - Noun
-biologist
-…………………………
-………………………….
-………………………….
Noun – Adjective: -y (ly)
-rainy
-………………………
-………………………
-…………………………
Adjective – Adverb: -ly
-quickly ……………
-………………………
-………………………
-……………………….

2. Words derived from other words with prefixes such as: un-; in-; dis-; pre-; re-; de; en
Find the words with these prefixes in the passage. unfair; incorrect; distribute; rebuild. . .
-
-
-
-
- ………………………………………………………………………………………
- ………………………………………………………………………………………
- ………………………………………………………………………………………

III. READING A.
1. Pre-reading task. Read the passage and find the answer to the following.

a. What is climate?
b. What is the difference between climate and weather?
c. Is climate predictable? (can people predict climate?)



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CLIMATE
Climate is the primary determinant of vegetation. Worldwide, different climates are
affected by precipitation, radiation and wind acting on the huge continental landmasses and
ocean currents.
When you understand and appreciate the workings of these wild energies you can design
ecosystems which:
- modify climatic extremes;
- reduce failures of crops and animals caused by climatic extremes;
- provide greater energy efficiency.
1. Precipitation
Precipitation is rain, snow, fog, sleet, hail and frost. These forms of precipitation undergo
two main processes which permaculturists use to their advantage: condensation and
evaporation. Knowledge of these processes is used to:
- design structures for good temperature control;
- select appropriate technologies for heating and cooling;
- retain water in soil and in dams.
Generally, by understanding patterns of precipitation you can plan your growing calendar
to take advantage of favorable conditions, and minimize the impact of unfavorable
conditions. For example, it is useful to be able to predict the likelihood of drought and to plan
accordingly designing water harvesting and storage systems.
2. Wind
Wind is caused by the earth‟s rotation and the differential heating of land and sea. For
example, hot air rising from the deserts draws in cooler, moist air from the oceans, bringing

rain as it moves in.
Like precipitation, world climates have fairly predictable wind patterns (although these
seem to be changing with global warming). An understanding of these patterns will help you
to:
- harvest wind energy for electricity;
- design houses which take advantage, or minimize the impact of wind;
- plant windbreaks to provide protection for plants and animals.
3. Radiation
Most radiation comes from the sun as light energy. This energy can be absorbed by water,
plants, soils and animals. After being absorbed it is radiated back into the atmosphere as heat
energy or turned into chemical energy by green plants when they photosynthesize.
Dark bodies absorb the greatest amount of light and later radiate it back as heat. Light-
coloured objects and organisms tend to reflect light, which can then be used or absorbed by
other plants, water and materials, or sent back into the atmosphere. (Figure 1 shows how a
light-reflecting surface can be used to redirect sunlight to brighten a dark room.)
2. Comprehension check.
a. Can you determine certain vegetation in the area basing on climate?
b. Why are worldwide climates different from each other?
c. Why do farmers need to understand the workings of wild energies?
d. What are the forms of precipitation?
e. How many processes does precipitation undergo?
f. What can your understanding patterns of precipitation help you to do?
g. What causes wind?
h. How does light energy turn into chemical energy?
i. What absorbs the greatest amount of light?
j. What object reflects light most?


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3. Fill in the gaps with given words.

cause ; which ; blowing ; rainfall ; summer ; seasonal ; moves ; heat ; blows

MONSOON
Monsoon is the…(1)…wind in South of Asia, especially in the Indian Ocean,…(2)…from
the South-west from April to October and from the North-east from October to April.
During…(3)…the inland parts of the continent…(4)…the air and create an area of low
pressure…(5)…brings in sea air and heavy…(6)… . The combination of this rain with
cyclones can…(7)…great destruction. During the winter, cool air…(8)…out from inland
areas and dry wind…(9)…towards the coast.

Figure 1. Figure 1 shows how a light-reflecting surface can be used to redirect sunlight to
brighten a dark room.














Light
coloured wall

Dark room

III. Speaking. (group-work of 4)
1. Talking about the using light-reflecting technology above in modern agricultural
production.
- Producing many kinds of flower; vegetable in any climates.
- Creating new species of plant.
- Conserving valuable genetic heritages of plant and animal.
- Building botanical gardens in different climates.
- Raising different breeds of animal in different countries.


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IV. GRAMMAR. Present or Past participle phrases.
- When I wake up and think about the food needed for the day my mind goes to what is
growing in the garden - not to what is stashed in the refrigerator.
- All the aquatic organisms, including water plants, fish, crustaceans and water birds, are
interdependent on each other and their environment through food chains and food webs.
1. Practice. Put the right form of the word in brackets into the blanks.

a. Every crop or animal to market contains nutrients that were
once in the soil. (harvest; send)
b. The three most important elements to the soil by fertilizers are nitrogen,
phosphorus and potassium. (add)
c. This helps the plant to withstand mechanical damage such as branches and
torn leaves. (break)
d. Government seed is not likely to carry diseases or pests when it is bought.
(certify)
e. Seed that is bought locally or seed by a farmer for his own use may carry
an infection which will quickly spread to the new crop. (produce)
f. Ducks eat more and are more efficient scavengers than hens; however they don't scratch
the ground so the work by hens is not available. (cultivate ; do)
g. In summer hot air from deserts draws in cooler, moist air from the oceans,
rain as it moves in. (rise ; bring)
h. You can design an ecosystem which may increase the season and
biodiversity - for example, frosts can be avoided by use of vegetation and structures, or
warm breezes as . (grow ; redirect ; desire)
i. This will affect the type of plants that can be grown and the type of cultivation
techniques . (use)
j. Bare soil is far more reflective of heat and light compared to soil. (cover)
k. The world does not have uniform ecosystems because of all the factors
upon them. (act)
l. Nitrogen is one of the major elements for plant and animal growth. (require)
m. Nitrogen, one of the main gases in air, is transformed into a soluble form by bacteria
in soil or water. (live)
2. Writing. Rewrite the following sentences using participle construction as example below.
Example:
* Worldwide, different climates are affected by precipitation, radiation and wind, which
are acting on the huge continental landmasses and ocean currents. => Worldwide,
different climates are affected by precipitation, radiation and wind acting on the huge

continental landmasses and ocean currents.
* When you understand and appreciate the workings of these wild energies you can design
ecosystems, which reduce failures of crops and animals, which are caused by climatic
extremes. => When you understand and appreciate the workings of these wild energies
you can design ecosystems, which reduce failures of crops and animals caused by climatic
extremes.
a. There are many animals living in the soil, which range from microscopic organisms to
beetles. => ……………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………… .
b. Soil with good air-water balance and plenty of organic material will have millions of
micro-organisms, which assist faster nutrient breakdown and cycling. => .……………
………………………………………………………………………………………… .
c. Clay soils have minute particles, which give the soil a smooth feel and a silky texture.


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=> ……………………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………. .
d. The methods which are used to repair soil will vary according to the climate and site
characteristics. => ……………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………… … .
e. All legumes are 'nitrogen-fixing'. They provide the correct bacterium which is present in
the soil. => ……………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………. .
f. Often gardeners do this in winter. They use plant species such as rye grass, lupines or
barley. => …………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………. .
g. There are plants which have a bacterium, Rhizobium species. They are living in their
roots. => ……………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………. .

h. The small subsistence farm which is run by a farmer primarily to meet personal needs
has virtually disappeared from the American scene. => ………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………… .
i. Beef cattle rank as the most valuable product of the nation‟s farms, which are accounting
for almost one quarter of total annual farm receipts. => ………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………… .
j. Bill Mollison recommends that people who wish to grow organic foods do not purchase
land which has been used to grow bananas, sugar cane or deciduous fruit. => ………
……………………………………………………………………………… .
k. Gases in the air are exchanged with those that are given off by plant roots and by soil
micro-organisms. => ………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………… .
l. In soil ethylene cycles with oxygen, which increase the build-up of micro-organisms.
=> ………………………………………………………………………………………. .
m. Hot air which is rising from the deserts draws in cooler, moist air from the oceans, which
is bringing rain as it moves in.
=> …………………………………………………………………………………………….
…………………………………………………………………………………………… .

PARTB
I. READING B.
1. Read the passage and answer the following questions.
a. What helps to retain nitrate in the soil?
b. When is there the most nitrate in the soil?
c. Why is the moderate rainfall important for farmers?
d. How do farmers plan their growing calendar?
e. What do farmers often do to reduce the influence of the climatic extreme on their
harvests?
f. What is this section about?
- microbiological activity in the rainy season.

- how wet and dry seasons are important for soil management
- the effect of excessive rainfall.
TROPICAL CLIMATE
The tropical climate, especially the sequence of wet and dry periods, is also an important
factor as it affects the availability of nitrogen in the soil. If the soil becomes too dry,
microbiological activity drops to a low level and therefore there is a lack of nitrate. After dry


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weather, however, moderate rainfall increases the level of microbiological activity. This in
turn increases in the rate of decomposition of organic matter and there is in consequence a
surplus of nitrate. On the other hand, excessive rainfall washes the nitrate into the subsoil, too
deep for roots to use unless the soil structure is relatively good. In this case some of the nitrate
retains in the subsoil.
This gives, therefore, two further important principles in tropical soil management. The
first of these is to prepare the land and sow the crops early enough to use the surplus nitrogen
after the dry season. The second is to grow crops with sufficiently deep roots to use nitrogen
before it is washed into subsoil.
II. Word study.
1. Match the word with its definition.
a. affect
b. factor
c. sequence
d. period ì
e. sow
f. moderate
g. increase
h. lack of
i. retain
j. excessive

k. roots
l. decomposition
- cause something to become less violent
- put seed in or on the ground
- have an influence on st, sb.
- fact, circumstance that helps to produce a result.
- length of time
- something is rotten or being decayed
- without (something)
- lowest part of a tree in the ground
- something is too much, more than needed
- set of events happens continuously.
- develop, become more and more
- keep or store (something)

2. Say whether these statements are true or false. Correct the false statements.
a. Too low a temperature causes insufficient microbiological activity.
b. Moderate rainfall is good for plant growth.
c. When there is a lack of nitrate, microbiological activity drops to a low level.
d. Excessive rainfall provides too much nitrate for plant growth.
e. If roots are too shallow, plants cannot use nitrate after heavy rain.
f. There is inadequate nitrate for crops sown early in the wet season.
g. The rate of decomposition of organic matter increases in dry period.
h. There is only one season in tropical countries.
i. If the level of microbiological activity increases it will make nitrate increase, too.
j. The first principle in tropical soil management is more important than the second one
because it makes much more profit from the work.
3. Fill in the gaps with the given words: thus; however; therefore; so; too; enough
- thus (adv): in this way; like this; as a result. Soil with a coarse texture consists of
relatively large particles. Thus it retains air in the spaces between the particles.

- However (adv) : to whatever extent or degree. You won‟t move that stone, however
strong you are.
- Therefore (adv) : for that reason. Most developing countries are not applying fertilizers
in proper nutrient ratios and are therefore ''mining'' soil K.
- So (conj) : and that is why. All the shops were closed so I didn‟t get anything.
a. Coarse-textured soils are usually well drained. ………………., many important nutrients
are leached out of the soil.
b. The methods which are used to repair soil will vary according to the climate and site
characteristics; …………………., in all cases organic matter is the very best soil
improver.


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c. There are a number of reasons for damaged soils, ……………… the fundamental cause
of soil decline is the removal of surface vegetation.
d. If the soil becomes…………….dry, microbiological activity drops to a low level and
………………….there is a lack of nitrate.
e. After dry weather,………………… , moderate rainfall increases the level of
microbiological activity.
f. Medium-textured soils are usually imperfectly drained. ……………….important plant
nutrients are available for plant growth.
g. Soil sample A has 10% sand, 20% silt and 70% clay. ……………it has a fine texture.
h. You can either grow a green manure crop and chop it into the soil, or enclose your
animals………… their stocking rate is higher and manure output is increased.
i. Land use must be economically viable, so one goal of development planning is to make
efficient and productive use of the land.
j. The tropical climate, especially the sequence of wet and dry periods, is also an important
factor as it affects the availability of nitrogen in the soil. On the other hand, excessive
rainfall washes the nitrate into the subsoil, …… ……… deep for roots to use unless the
soil structure is relatively good. This gives, …… …………, two further important

principles in tropical soil management. The first of these is to prepare the land and sow
the crops early………… ……to use the surplus nitrogen after the dry season. The second
is to grow crops with deep… …….……. roots to use nitrogen before it is washed into
subsoil.

____________________

Prevention is better than cure

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§ UNIT 7 MICROCLIMATES
I. Word study.
A. Match the word with its definition.
1. temperature
2. influence
3. optimum temperature
4. germination
5. minimum temperature
6. seed
7. temperature range
8. eliminate
9. diversify
10. humidity
11. summation
12. microclimate
13. windspeed
14. topography
15. modify
16. monsoon
- action of natural force on something.
- the lowest temperature
- degree of heat or cold.
- part of a plant from which a new plant can grow.
- the best temperature for growth of plants.
- limit from lowest to highest temperature.
- start growing of plants.
- the climate in a certain area.

- cloudy without rain or sun.
- summing up.
- the fast or slow movement of the wind.
- make something change.
- various types.
- the seasonal wind in South of Asia
- ignore
- describing the general features of an area, place.
B. Fill in the gaps with words above.
a. Temperature and rainfall are two most important factors which……… the growth of
crops.
b. The minimum temperature for the……….……of wheat lies within a range of five
degrees.
c. It is possible for germination to begin at the………… ………, but the ………………
may die if the temperature rises much above or falls much below the optimum
……………… .
d. The regional climate always has variations in temperature, rainfall, …………… and
direction, relative……………… and light levels.
e. Local factors such as………….……., soil, vegetation, structures and water bodies
further………….… the environment.
f. Microclimates can be a rich source of ……………… , so your design should take
advantage of them rather than …… ……… them.
g. The place where you live is a…………… of the large general climate.
h. In the…………… areas of North-west India and West Africa, crops may have to be
replanted as many as eight times in one season.
C. Look and read
Two important factors which influence the growth of crops are temperature and rainfall.
A. Crop germination temperatures
Crops
Minimum

Optimum
Maximum
- Wheat
- Runner bean
- Cucumber
0 - 5 C
9.4 C
15.5 - 18.3 C
25 - 31.1 C
32.7 C
31.1 - 37.2 C
31.1 - 43.3 C
46.1 C
43.3 - 48.8 C

Most of crops do not begin to grow if the temperature varies greatly from the optimum
temperature for germination. It is possible for germination to begin at the minimum
temperature, but the seed may die if the temperature rises much above or falls much below
the optimum temperature range. In many regions this is a serious problem. For instance, in
semi-arid areas such as the monsoon areas of North-west India and West Africa, crops may
have to be replanted as many as eight times in one season.


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2. Practice.
a. Make sentences from the table.
Example: The minimum temperature for the germination of wheat / is approximately three
degrees centigrade / or lies within a range of five degrees.
* Now write three sentences about the germination temperatures for runner bean; cucumber;
rice; tomato; melon

B. Crop grow temperature
Crops
Minimum
Optimum
Maximum
- Wheat
- Runner bean
- Melon
5 C
9.4 C
18.3 C
28.6 C
33.6 C
33 C
42.5 C
46.1 C
43.8 C

Example: minimum
A: - What is the optimum growth temperature for wheat?
maximum
does not grow below a minimum of 5 C.
B: - Wheat grows best at a temperature of 28.6 C.
does not grow above a maximum of 42.5 C
a. Now ask and answer similar questions for runner bean, melon, cucumber, rice
b. What is the maximum and minimum temperature in your country/area?
Are melon, runner bean, tomato, and wheat grown in your country/area? Why? Or why
not?
II. Writing and speaking. (group-work)
1. Writing.

a. Write out the conditions for the germination of rice.
b. Write out the growth temperature for water rice.
2. Speaking. (group-work)
Ask and say about the climate and vegetation in the central region of Vietnam. Group A
talks about the climate, temperature, rainfall…. . Group B talks about the vegetation: the
forest; the crops and harvest… , then make conclusion in comparison with the North and
South regions of Vietnam and then make comment on the agricultural production of our
country.
Example:
A: Where are you from Nam?
B: I‟m from Quang Tri province.
A: What is the weather like in your province?
B: Oh, it‟s very hot in summer but it is rather cold in winter. It rarely rains from January to
August, and in the period there is monsoon blowing from south-west over the Truong
Son range, which brings with its extremely hot and dry air when it moves to the area.
But from September to January it often rains heavily increasingly day after day, which
causes flood in vast area and great destruction for the local people. In such climate the
agricultural production in the area is often lost by drought, typhoon, flood. Soil is
unhealthy by erosion and leaching. Animals are often infected by various diseases.
A: How do farmers in your province do to improve their soil? What crops and animals do
they grow on their farms?
B: They often use the traditional methods such as: green manuring, planting and ploughing
legumes under, plating cover crops, mulching and animal manures. The crops can grow
well in the climate such as: manioc, sweet potato; pineapple, peanuts, coffee, rubber,
orange, lemon, water-melon ect…
A: Nam, can you tell me about some principles in managing the soil in your area, which the
farmers often use efficiently?


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B: Well, the local farmers often use some principles according to the local climate, for
instance, the local farmers often prepare the land and sow the crops early after the dry
season. It has two advantages. The first is the crops can use the surplus nitrogen before it
is washed away or into the subsoil. The second is to prevent the crops from drough or
flood.

III. READING A
1. Pre-reading questions.
a. How many types of climate?
b. What is another name of microclimate?
MICROCLIMATES
Microclimate is the summation of environmental conditions at a particular site as affected
by local factors rather than climatic ones.
The regional climate always has variations in temperature, rainfall, wind speed and
direction, relative humidity and light levels. Local factors such as topography, soil,
vegetation, structures and water bodies further modify the environment. The place where you
live is a microclimate of the large general climate.
Overall, microclimates are more important than the regional or general climate in achieving
diverse and stable landscapes. However, all too often people fail to realize the potential of
microclimates and they have been referred to as “environments unobserved” and
“environments ignored”.
Microclimates can be a rich source of diversity, so your design should take advantage of
them rather than eliminate them. You can create different habitats and diversify the range of
plants and animals that will grow in your garden. For example, you may be able to grow an
almond tree if you live in a cool moist climate simply by positioning it against a sunny
sheltered wall.
2. Comprehension check.(pair-work)
Answer the following questions.
a. What is microclimate?
b. What factors affect microclimate?

c. What is the difference between the regional climate and the general climate?
d. Which climate is the most important for farmers? Why?
e. Why do farmers need to understand their microclimate?
f. Can people modify the microclimate? How can they do that?
3. Speaking. (group-work)
a. Talking about the advantages and disadvantages of monsoon.
b. How can people take advantages of microclimate?
c. What do farmers do to reduce the disadvantages of microclimate?

III. GRAMMAR. Adverbial clauses of condition
Do you remember the formation of conditional sentence type 1?
- If pests are not checked, they will damage the crop.
- Seeds will germinate if the conditions are right.
Exercise 1: Combine a part in A with a part in B to make a sentence.
A B
1. If you don‟t understand the soil ,
2. If a soil is badly drained ,
3. Crops are often lost
4. If agriculture fails,
5. If cows are not fed properly ,
6. You get better crops
a. if the soil is fertile
b. the world will starve
c. if they don‟t eat proper food
d. gleying will occur
e. it can become waterlogged
f. They will die


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7. If the farmer does not look after the plants
8. People get sick
9. A tractor can be dangerous
10. If land isn‟t drained
g. if you don‟t know how to drive it
h. you‟ll never be a good farmer
i. if you don‟t get enough water
j. their milk yield will fall

Exercise 2: Combine the following pairs to make complex sentences.
1. The soil is gritty. It drains and dries out quickly.
2. The soil is silky. It drains slowly and holds water for a longer time.
3. A soil is almost pure clay or pure sand. It is a 'difficult' soil in which to grow plants.
4. Pests are not controlled. They can easily destroy a crop.
5. There is adequate oxygen. Soil tends to be sweet smelling.
6. A soil has a pH of 8. Some nutrients are more soluble than others and the soil is said to be
alkaline.
7. There is little oxygen. Other gases such as sulphur dioxide can build up and the soil smells
rotten.
8. You understand your microclimate very well. You design the best plant for your garden.
9. Farmers cover their soil with organic matter. The soil is better.
10. The weather is good. The farmers in the area have a better harvest.
11. Manure from cows and horses is weaker. The animals have been stabled and urine is
mixed with the dung.

Exercise3. Write conditional sentences like example below.

Mineral
deficiency
Symptom of deficiency

Writing conditional sentences
* nitrogen
* plants stunted in growth, leaves
yellowish in colour
If a soil is deficient in nitrogen,
plants will be stunted in growth and
the leaves yellowish in colour.
- calcium
a. plant roots dying at tips, or
remain short and stubby
a.


- phosphorous
b. all parts of plant stunted in
growth, with bluish-green leaves,
poor fruit or seed development
b.


- potassium
c. plant tissues weak, prone to
attack by insect and fungus
c.


- magnesium
d. leaves losing their green colour,
becoming yellow at tips,
between veins

d.


- sulphur
e. new leaves turning yellow,
roots and stems becoming long
and woody
e.


- iron
f. young leaves developing
chlorosis, veins remain green
f.


- zine
g. foliage of field crops,
particularly lower leaves, has
intraveinal chlorosis
g.



PART B.
I. READING B.


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1. Pre-reading task.

a. Why does the world have different climates?
b. Does rubber grow well in the North of Vietnam? Why?
c. Why do the European countries import tea, coffee, and rubber?
d. What is ecosystem?
e. What make ecosystems in the world different from each other?
f. What do people need to do to reduce the limiting factors on ecosystem?
LIMITING FACTORS
The world does not have uniform ecosystems because of all the factors acting upon them.
Some limiting factors on ecosystems are climate, soil, day length, altitude, fire, human
activities, and distance from oceans. Climate is the main determinant of the vegetation of an
ecosystem; soil is generally the second most important factor.
In a permaculture system your aim is to design features, which are suited to and will
reduce limiting factors. For example, if you live in very hot, dry climate, the range of plants
you can grow is obviously limited by the harsh conditions. However, you can increase the
range of plantings by firstly selecting locally proven plants, i.e. plants that are known to
survive in your area, by mulching, and by designing appropriate irrigation systems. As the
initial plantings grow, they will change the soil, shade and humidity. You can then add
plants (or animals) to suit the new conditions.
1. Are the following statements true or false according to the passage?
a. World ecosystems are different from each other.
b. Climate is the factor that affects the vegetation more strongly than any other ones.
c. People can increase the range of plants and animals on their farms by designing suitable
ecosystem.
d. You can introduce plants or animals into a new condition by reducing limiting factors
on the ecosystem.
e. Plants can change their living conditions.
f. The aim of permaculture is to design new living conditions suitable to the plants and
animals living in the area.
2. Translation. Translate the passage into Vietnamese.
3. Fill in the gaps with words in the box.

comment ; days ; blowing ; parts ; variable ; temperature ; climate ; topic ; moderate

The weather in Britain
The weather in Britain is very…(1)…, not only from season to season, but from one day
to the next. The fact that the weather is so unpredictable has made it a perennial…(2)…of
conversation, and when meeting or greeting someone, it is usual to make a…(3)…on the
weather. Typical informal remarks about the weather include such phrases as ''better today,
isn't it?'' or ''Bit nippy this morning'' or ''What a terrible day!''
Technically speaking, the…(4)…of the British Isles is…(5)…and moist, with generally
mild winters and cool summers. It owes its 'temperate' character to the influence of westerly
and south-westerly wind…(6)…off the Atlantic and the warm waters of the Gulf Stream. The
average midwinter…(7)…is in the range of 3°C to 7°C while that for midsummer is 11°C to
17°C. However, some winter…(8)…can be as cold as -5°C and there have been summer heat
waves with temperatures as high as 32°C, especially in the south and east, and even
in…(9)…of Scotland.

____________________

Practice is the best master


50
§ UNIT 8: FERTILIZERS
I. Word study.
1. Find the words, which have similar meaning.
a. substitute
b. rich in nutrients
c. to gather
d. very thick

e. make use of something.
f. crowed in great number
g. grow fast
h. except for
i. too much, more that needed
j. provide
k. microscopic organism
l. very small water plant
- apply
- supply
- fertility
- mass
- excessive
- replace
- apart from
- bloom
- dense
- harvest
- alga (algae)
- bacteria (bacterium)
2. Find the words in bold matching with the following definitions.
a. something that frequently seen.
b. mixture of decayed organic matter added to soil to improve
the growth of plants.
c. great and sudden increase.
d. reduce greatly the quantity, size, power of something.
e. cause something to stop breathing by squeezing.
- choke
- explosion
- inevitable result

- decay
- compost

3. Fill in the gaps with the words in the reading passage.
a. Heavy rains may ……………… away nutrients into the subsoil.
b. Farmers often use fertilizers to …………………their soil.
c. Artificial fertilizers are……………….of the chemical industry.
d. Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are most important elements…………… to the soil
by fertilizers.
e. Plants can absorb nutrients only in the form of soluble……………… .
f. Excessive algal growth can……………… a waterway and result in dense
green……………… of algae at the surface.
g. Because they……………… large quantities of plant nutrients, fertilizers will also cause
……………… and bacteria in water to grow excessively.
h. An increase in nutrient levels to a high concentration can lead to……………… or
blooms of algae and……………… .
II. GRAMMAR. RELATIVE CLAUSES (Adjective clause)
Relative pronoun used in relative clauses: who; which ; that; whose. . . .
a. The boy gave me the dictionary. The boy lives in a flat on the second floor.
The boy who gave me the dictionary lives in a flat on the second floor.
b. That is the shop. It sells souvenirs.
That is the shop that sells souvenirs.
c. He works at a school. The school was built in the sixteenth century.
He works at a school which was built in the sixteenth century.
d. That is the girl. Her boyfriend is a famous writer.
That is the girl whose boyfriend is a famous writer.
e. Last summer I went to the countryside. I was born in the countryside.
Last summer I went to the countryside where I was born.
f. I don‟t remember the first day. I went to university on that day.
I don‟t remember the first day when I went to university.

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A. Practice.
1. Fill in the gaps with one of the following relative pronouns: which; that; where; whose . .
a. Bill Mollison recommends that people wishing to grow organic foods do not purchase
land………………has been used to grow bananas, sugar cane or deciduous fruit, as
these crops will have been heavily doses with biocides.
b. Soluble fertilizers,………………are often added regularly to the irrigation water, further
contribute to the concentration of salts in the upper soil layer.
c. Dry-land salting is a particular problem in areas………………vegetation has been
removed from recharge areas.
d. Fertilizers are added to soil to replace nutrients………………have been used by
previous crops.
e. Irrigation water………………is surplus to the crops' needs causes the water table to rise.
f. Animals carry out many functions, one of………………is to supply plant nutrients in the
form of manures.
g. There are plants ………………have a bacterium, Rhizobium species, living in their
roots.
h. You could try to find a cultivar ………………has a known resistance to fungal diseases
and plant it in a place where it receives drying breezes.
i. You can create different habitats and diversify the range of plants and animals
…………….will grow in your garden.
j. There are several good reasons why you should avoid buying fish…………… have been
caught or raised using these methods.
k. It is a red-brown soil………………becomes very hard when it is dry.
2. Writing.
Combine the following clauses to make complex sentences, using relative pronouns.
a. Light-coloured objects and organisms tend to reflect light. The light can then be used or
absorbed by other plants, water and materials, or sent back into the atmosphere.

b. There are many animals living in the soil. The animals aerate the soil, create water
channels, break down large molecules to smaller ones. The molecules can be absorbed by
plant roots .


c. You can create different habitats and diversify the range of plants and animals. The
plants and animals will grow in your garden.


d. There are many animals living in the soil. The animals living in the soil range from
microscopic organisms to beetles.


e. Irrigation water causes the water table to rise. The water is surplus to the crops' needs.

f. Animals carry out many functions. One of the functions is to supply plant nutrients in the
form of manures.


g. There are plants. The plants have a bacterium, Rhizobium species, living in their roots.



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h. You could try to find a cultivar. The cultivar has a known resistance to fungal diseases
and plant it in a place. The cultivar receives drying breezes in the place.

i. Water in soil becomes a weak acid or alkali solution. The water carries the soluble
nutrients. Plants absorb the nutrients through their roots.


j. Precipitation is rain, snow, fog, sleet, hail and frost. They undergo two main processes:
condensation and evaporation.


k. Fertilizers are added to soil to replace nutrients. The nutrients have been used by
previous crops, blown away or leached into the subsoil by rain or irrigation.


.
l. On the whole, animals eat meat such as chickens and pigs. The animals have a strong
manure. The manure should be composted before it is applied to gardens.


m. One large problem is finding out the names and getting hold of varieties. They will grow
in your local area.


n. It is a red-brown soil. The soil becomes very hard when it is dry.


III. READING A.
1. Pre-reading task. Answer the following questions.
a. How many types of manure are used in Vietnam?
b. Which manure is the most important for the growth rice?
c. Which is the most important for industrial crops?
FERTILIZERS

Plants need nutrients from the soil as well as air and water. Fertilizers are added to soil to
replace nutrients that have been used by previous crops, blown away or leached (washed
away) into the subsoil by rain or irrigation. Without the use of some form of fertilizer, a
decline in soil fertility is an inevitable result of agriculture. Apart from losses by leaching,
every crop harvested or animal sent to market contains nutrients that were once in the soil.
Fertilizers can come from natural sources such as compost and animal manures, or
artificial sources as products of the chemical industry.
The three most important elements added to the soil by fertilizers are nitrogen, phosphorus
and potassium. Plants need each of these elements in large amounts. Nutrients are not added
in the form of pure elements, however, but as water-soluble chemical compounds. For
example, phosphorus is often added in the form of superphosphate. Artificial fertilizers need
to be soluble compounds so that plants can absorb the nutrients.
The next most important elements for plants are calcium, magnesium and sulfur. Plants
also need a number of other elements, but only in the smallest of quantities. These are called
trace elements and include iron, manganese, copper, zinc, boron, molybdenum, cobalt,
sodium and chlorine. It is important that trace elements are present, but in very small
amounts; high concentrations can often be toxic to the plant.


53
Fertilizers and the environment
Provided fertilizers are correctly applied, they result in increased productivity and
improvement to the soil. However, problems can occur if fertilizers are washed into
waterways. Because they supply large quantities of plant nutrients, fertilizers will also cause
algae and bacteria in water to grow excessively. An increase in nutrient levels to a high
concentration (termed eutrophication) can lead to explosions or blooms of algae and bacteria.
Excessive algal growth can choke a waterway and result in dense green masses of algae at the
surface. Algal blooms deplete the oxygen supply in the water and fish and other organisms
may die.
2. Comprehension check. (pair-work)

Answer the following questions.
a. What do fertilizers add to soils?
b. How are soil nutrients lost?
c. What sources do fertilizers come from?
d. How do plants absorb soil nutrients?
e. What are the most important elements for plants?
f. What are the advantages and disadvantages of the chemical fertilizers?
g. How do the chemical fertilizers affect people's health?
h. Is it necessary to use chemical fertilizers? Why?
i. How can we reduce the harmful effects of chemical fertilizers on people's health?
j. What manure doesn't affect the consumers' health ?
3. Writing. Complete the chart below.
a. Write out the types of fertilizer, which are mentioned in the text.
b. Write about the advantages and disadvantages of each type of fertilizer.

Types of fertilizer
The advantages and disadvantages
1. Fertilizers come from natural sources









2. Fertilizers come from artificial sources

- Advantages:




- Disadvantages:




- Advantages:




- Disadvantages





PART B
READING B. POTASSIUM IN PLANTS

I. Word study.


54
1. Match the word with its definition.
a. translocation
b. pore
c. catalyst
d. stress
e. shelf life
f. virgin soil
g. peat soil
h. pronounced
i. intensification
j. depletion
k. intensity
- concentrate labour and care in small area in order to produce large
quantities of food.
- move something from one place to another.
- being very noticeable
- a soil with peat and mud.
- substance that speeds up a chemical reaction without itself changing.
- tiny opening in the surface of a leaf, through which moisture can pass.
- pressure of nature
- land where cultivation has never been attempted.
- the cultivation becomes more intensive.
- time for which a stored item remains usable.
- make reducing
2. Read the passage and answer the following questions.
a. What are the functions of potassium in plants?

b. What will happen to a plant if it is deficient in potassium?
POTASSIUM IN PLANTS
Although K is not a constituent of any plant structures or compounds, it is essential in
nearly all processes needed to sustain plant life. The function of K in the plant are so
numerous and complex that to the present day many of them are still not fully understood.
Potassium is known to play a vital role in photosynthesis, translocation of photosynthates,
regulation of plant pores (stomata), activation of plant catalysts (enzymes) and many other
processes. Plants deficient in K cannot use water and other nutrients from either soil or
fertilizer efficiently and are less tolerant to environmental stresses such as drought, excess
water, wind, and high and low temperatures. Also, plants deficient in K are less resistant to
pest and disease attack. Quality of potash deficient plants is also poor. Potash is known as the
quality nutrient because of its important effects on such factors as size, shape, colour, taste
and shelf life.
Potassium in soils
Most virgin soils initially contain adequate K for average crop yields. Sandy soils and peat
soils are inherently low in K.
Climate has a pronounced effect on soil K. In areas of high temperature and high rainfall
most soils other young soils of volcanic origin are low in native K reverses whereas soils in
low rainfall areas are often high in K.
Most soils become deficient in K as a result of crop intensification. Major factors
contributing to the depletion of soils under intensive cropping are:
Increased yields and increased removal of soil K as a result of neglecting to supply potash
together with high rates of nitrogen, phosphorus and other nutrients.
Increased yields and increased removal of soil K due to the introduction of high yielding
varieties.
Increased removal of soil K through higher cropping intensity (several crops per year).
Increased removal of soil K due to the utilization of crop residues for fuel, for livestock
fodder or for industrial purposes.
For these reasons continued intensification of agriculture without the ''balanced'' use of
potash is not possible. Most developing countries are not applying fertilizers in proper

nutrient ratios and are therefore ''mining'' soil K. As a result far more K is being removed by
cropping than is returned in fertilizer programs.
II. Comprehension check.
Are the following statements true or false? Correct the false statements.
1.__K is not a constituent of any plant structures or compounds.


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2.__Potassium plays a vital role in many processes needed to sustain plant life.
3.__Without K plants can use water and other nutrients efficiently.
4.__K plays a vital role in photosynthesis, translocation of photosynthates, regulation of
plant pores and activation of plant catalysts.
5.__Plants deficient in K are less resistant to pest and disease attack.
6.__The deficiency in K may affect the size, shape, colour, taste and shelf life.
7.__There is a lot of potash in sandy and peat soils.
8.__One of the major factors contributing to the depletion of soils under intensive cropping is
the introduction of high yielding varieties.

III. Writing.
A. Writing conclusion.
Study the following example.
Symptom
The plant is stunted in
growth and the leaves are
yellowish in colour.
Connection words
This shows that
Conclusion
the soil is deficient in
nitrogen.

Example: The plant is stunted in growth and the leaves are yellowish in colour. This shows
that the soil is deficient in nitrogen.
1. Write conclusions based on observations as in the example above. Add conjunction if
necessary. Use connections: This suggests that; This indicates that; This is a sign that; We
may conclude that; This means that; So; Therefore .

a. plant roots dying at tips, or remain short and
stubby
- sulphur deficiency in soil
a.



b. all parts of plant stunted in growth, with bluish-
green leaves, poor fruit or seed development
- plant short of element magnesium
b.



c. plant tissues weak, prone to attack by insect
and fungus
- soil deficient in potassium
c.



d. leaves losing their green colour, becoming
yellow at tips, between veins
- deficiency of phosphorous in soil

d.



e. new leaves turning yellow, roots and stems
becoming long and woody
- supply of calcium in soil is low
e.



f. young leaves developing chlorosis, veins
remain green
- amount of zinc in soil insufficient
f.



g. foliage of field crops, particularly lower
leaves, has intraveinal chlorosis
- plant suffering from deficiency of
iron
g.





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B. Writing recommendation.
Study the following example and write recommendation.

- nitrogen
plants are stunted in growth and the
leaves are yellowish in colour.
add a nitrogenous
fertilizer such as urea.

Example: If the soil is deficient in nitrogen, plants will be stunted in growth and the leaves
are yellowish in colour. This deficiency can/could be corrected/remedied by
adding a nitrogenous fertilizer such as urea.
1. Write recommendation as example above.

Mineral deficiency
Symptom of deficiency
Recommendation
- calcium
a. plant roots dying at tips, or remain
short and stubby
- spread lime over land
a.

- phosphorous
b. all parts of plant stunted in
growth, with bluish-green leaves,
poor fruit or seed development
- apply phosphatic
fertilizer: superphosphate
b.








- potassium
c. plant tissues weak, prone to attack
by insect and fungus
- add potassic fertilizer
like muriate of potash
c.








- magnesium

d. leaves losing their green colour,
becoming yellow at tips, between
veins
- add magnesium lime
or sulphate of potash
to soil
d.








- sulphur
e. new leaves turning yellow, roots
and stems becoming long and
woody
- add sulphate of
ammonia to soil
e.

- iron
f. young leaves developing
chlorosis, veins remain green
- add ferric oxide to
soil
f.








- zine
g. foliage of field crops, particularly
lower leaves, has intraveinal
chlorosis
- spray zine sulphate on
soil or mix it with
fertilizer
g.