Unit 4. CLIMATE, SOILS AND VEGETATION

Warming-up activity

I. Give your understanding of the following notions:

weather, climate and atmosphere.

II. Compare your ideas with the definitions from a dictionary:

Weather – the conditio

n of the atmosphere at a certain place and time, with reference to temperature and the presence of rain, sunshine, wind, etc.

A weather-chart/map; in all weathers – in all kinds of weather; keep a weather eye open on smth – to be ready in case of trouble; under the weather – feeling slightly ill or depressed; weather forecast, weather station; weatherproof clothing.

Climate – the regular pattern of weather conditions of a particular place.

Atmosphere– the mixture of gases that surrounds the earth; the atmospheric pollution /pressure.

III. Fill in the spaces with the words above:

1. The ________ ________ is usually after the news.

2. She’s out ___ ___ _____, looking after her garden.

3. A bodyguard must ____ _ ____ ___ ____ __ unexpected situations.

4. He’s been a little _____ __ ____ recently.

5. _____ clothing is especially useful on outdoor activities.

6. ____ _____ is changeable nowadays that has great impact on people’s health.

7. Britain has a temperate ______.

8. She moved to a warmer _______.

IV. Before reading the text on pp. 52-54 pay special attention to the pronunciation of the following words:

/i:/	/k/	/ t∫ə/
release feature repeat	unique	moisture feature	components nitrogen oxygen carbon dioxide equator

V. Read the text “The Atmosphere Makes Life on Earth Possible” and find the following information in the text:

- 3 characteristics of the air,

- the gases in the air,

- what are the polluters,

- the definition of the weather,

- the definition of the climate,

- what are climate controls,

- what is the relationship between climate and environment.

VI. Translate the following sentences from the text:

1. One of the most unique features of Earth is the presence of a stable atmosphere.

2. Farther above the earth, the gases gradually thin out.

3. Climate probably began to play its central role as a part of the natural environment as soon as the earth took form and settled in its orbit around the sun.

4. Where temperatures are warm enough but where precipitation is lighter or falls only in one season, tall grasses cover the land.

5. Finally, every climate region has its own communities of insects and birds.

VII. Put in the right word:

1. The various gasses ____________ its atmosphere.

2. The particles __________ from chimneys, smokestacks, etc.

3. Certain location and place factors _____________ the distribution of climates over the earth’s surface.

4. Climate helps to keep _______________ working.

5. Today ________ know some things about climate changes in the past.

6. The glacial periods _____________ warmer periods.

7. Animals that can hide among grasses or can outrun their enemies __________ in grasslands.

VIII. The paragraph “Components of the atmosphere” is for test-reading.

IX. Read the text on pp54-56 “Four conditions on the earth’s atmosphere cause weather” and characterize four conditions.

X. Read very carefully the following weather forecast and make up a list of words used in the weather forecasts.

Very mild but breezy, especially in the west and north where there will be some rain.

SE England, London, E Anglia, Lincs, E Midlands: cloudy but generally dry. Mild, with the afternoon brightening up. Fresh south-westerly winds. Max temp 13 or 14C (55-57F). Tonight, mild. Min 6-8C (43-46F).

Cent S England, W Midlands: Cloudy, but any drizzle will die out leaving a brighter afternoon. Fresh south-westerly winds. Max temp 12-14C (54-57F). Tonight, mild and mostly dry. Min temp 6-8C (43-46F).

Make up your own weather forecast at your region.

XI. Read the texts on pp 61-65 and follow the instructions before the texts.

PASSIVE VOICE

I read a book. – A book is read by me.

He is watching a TV now. – A TV is being watched by me now.

They have done the home task.- The home task has been done by them.

She has been writing a novel for 2 hours. – A novel has been written by her for 2 hours.

Choose the passive structure.

1. He lives in a small house.

a) Somebody built it about forty years ago.

b) It was built about forty years ago.

2. English is worth learning.

a) People speak it on a lot of countries.

b) It is spoken in a lot of countries.

3. He got a sports car, but he didn’t like it.

a) So it was sold again.

b) So he sold it again.

4. My nephew is an artist.

a) Another picture has just been painted by him.

b) He has just painted another picture.

5. The new Virginia Meyer film is marvelous.

a) They are sowing it at our local theater.

b) It is being shown at our local theater.

Insert the right passive structures into the sentences.

Had been given had been told had never been taught Was given (2) was offered was promised was sent Was shown wasn’t being paid

I’ll never forget my first day at that office. I (1)________ to arrive at 8:30, but when I got there the whole place seemed to be empty. I didn’t know what to do, because I (2)________ no information about the building or where I was going to work, so I just waited around until some of the secretaries began to turn up. Finally I (3)_______ a dirty little office on the fifth floor, where I (4)_____ a desk in a corner. Nothing happened for an hour; then I (5)_______ some letters to type on a computer by one of the senior secretaries. This wasn’t very successful, because I (6)_______ how to use a computer. (In the letter I (7)______ when I (8)________ the job, I (9)________ computer training, but they’d obviously forgotten about this). By lunchtime things hadn’t got any better, and I decided that I (10)________ enough to put up with this nonsense, so I walked out and didn’t go back.

XII. Look through the text on pp 56-59 “Vegetation and soil” and find the examples of the Passive Voice.

1.___________

2. _________

3.__________

4. ___________

XIII. Read the text carefully and translate the following sentences:

1. Climate plays a particularly important role in the distribution of vegetation, as different kinds of plants need different amounts of heat and moisture in order to grow well.

2. Broadly speaking, in areas which have a heavy and well-distributed rainfall and at least one month per year with average temperatures above 10C, the natural vegetation is likely to be forest.

3. This productive topsoil upon which agriculture depends has taken hundreds of years to develop, but if it is misused it can be destroyed within a very short time.

4. It affects soil type both directly through the weathering effects, and indirectly as a result of its influence upon plant life.

XIV. Put the questions to the following answers:

________________?

Type of vegetation depends on the climate that is specific for this/that area.

________________?

The soil forms a very thin layer.

________________?

5.

________________?

2 processes: the decomposition of rock and the decay of plant and animal life.

________________?

The most important factor is the climate, then comes the influence of plants and animals and finally the methods of farming.

XIV. Do the exercises on pp 59-61.

TEST “CLIMATE, SOILS AND VEGETATION”

I. Translate the following words and pronounce them:

Climate

Soils

Vegetation

Atmosphere

Air

Wind

Particles

Weather

Altitude

Latitude

Proximity

Water cycle

Precipitation

Moisture

Variable conditions

Atmospheric pressure

Insolation

Absolute humidity

Relative humidity

Topsoil

Fertile

Weathering effects

Leaching

Vegetation cover

To saturate

To weigh

To survive

To misuse

To decay

To soak

To modify

II. Put the right words into the following sentences:

1. Climate helps to keep __________ working.

2. The condition of the atmosphere for a short period of time in a specific area is called _____________.

3. Four variable conditions affect the area’s weather: ________, ___________, ______ and ________.

4. The amount of _________ in the air is called humidity.

5. If the productive topsoil is ________ it can be destroyed within a very short period of time.

6. The organic materials can _________ forming the fertile soil.

III. Translate the text.

Атмосфера земли имеет огромное значение для жизни людей. Атмосфера формирует климат, погоду и растительный покров. Атмосферу можно назвать воздухом, который состоит из множества газов, в том числе из водорода и кислорода.

Погода – это состояние атмосферы на короткий период времени на определенной территории. На погоду влияют четыре переменные: температура, влажность, атмосферное давление и ветер. Средне суточные погодные явления в течение длительного времени известны как климат. Климат заставляет функционировать водный цикл, а также влияет на распределение животных и растительности.

Климат тесно связан не только с растительность, но и с видом почвы. Почва – это смесь минеральных веществ, образованный за счет разрушения пород; разложившихся органических веществ; вода, которая впитывается в землю в результате выпадения осадков; воздух; живых организмов, таких как черви и другие.

Разные почвенные типы образуются при разных климатических условиях. Климат влияет на почву непосредственно через выветривание и опосредованно в результате влияния на жизнь живых существ. Кроме этого, люди играют значительную роль, изменяя почву посредством земледелия.