Text 17 land evaluation for land use planning

Read the dialogue and tell what problem they are discussing:

- What is land evaluation concerned with?

- Land evaluation deals with the assessment of land performance when used for specified purposes.

- What does it involve?

- It involves the execution and interpretation of basic surveys of soils, climate, vegetation and other aspects of land. The comparisons must incorporate economic considerations within the physical, economic and social context of the area considered.

- What questions does land evaluation answer?

- Land evaluation should answer the following questions:

- How is the land currently managed and what will happen if present practices remain unchanged?

- What improvements in management practices within the present use are possible?

- What other uses of land are physically possible and economically and socially relevant?

- Which of these uses offer possibilities of sustained production or other benefits?

-What adverse effects, physical, economic or social, are associated with each use?

- What inputs are necessary to bring about the desired production and minimize the adverse effects?

- What are the benefits of each form of use?

- Are there any additional questions that should be answered?

- If the introduction of a new use involves significant change in the land itself, as for example, in irrigation schemes, then the following additional questions should be answered:

- What changes in the condition of the land are feasible and necessary and how can they be brought about?

- What non-recurrent inputs are necessary to implement these changes?

- Does evaluation determine the land use changes?

- The land evaluation does not determine the land use changes that are to be carried out; but evaluation provides data on the basis of which such decisions can be taken. The output from land evaluation normally gives information of each area of land including the beneficial and adverse consequences of land use planning.

I. Study the following words:

Evaluation, specified, purpose, vegetation, currently, improvements, management, sustain, benefit, involve, significant, implement, consequences, adverse, output.

II. Make up sentences with the words & word combinations given

below:

Social effects, significant, production, improvement, management practice, land evaluation, feasible, good benefits.

III. Complete the sentences with appropriate words from the text:

1. It involves the execution and … of basic surveys of soils, … vegetation and other aspects of land.

2. What questions does … … answer?

3. The land evaluation does not … the … use changes that are to be carried out.

4. What non-recurrent … are necessary to … these changes?

5. What are … of each form of use?

IV. Give your own definitions of the words:

benefit, evaluation, feasible, possibility, execution, performance, involve.

V. Render the text ‘Land evaluation for Land use planning’.

TEXT 18 LAND REFORM

Land reform is the breakup of large landholdings and the redistribution of the land to farmers who have little land or none. Land reform may be carried out by a government or by the leaders of a revolutionary movement. Governments usually undertake land reform to reduce social and political tensions. Revolutionists may favor land reform to gain support for their revolution. Land reform may increase agricultural output by causing the land to be farmed more intensely.

A government may acquire land for redistribution by expropriating it- that is, by taking the land against the will of the owner, sometimes without paying for it. Government also may buy land from landlords who wish to sell portions of their holdings. Some land reform laws redistribute land by abolishing regulations that limit the peasants’ ability to own or purchase land.

To be successful, land reform often must be accompanied by other measures. These measures include the assurance of indisputable land titles and fair taxes and the provision of technical assistance and affordable loans to poor farmers.

Land reform has been especially important in the less developed countries of Asia and America. In many of these countries, a small number of people have traditionally owned a large percentage of the farmland. In most cases, such a pattern of land ownership originated in past feudal or colonial systems. However, the pattern may be reinforced by modern technological changes and by political practices that favor people who own large amounts of land.

I. Study the following words:

Land reform, landholding, redistribution, movement, agricultural output, intensely, portion, abolish, peasant, purchase, indisputable, fair taxes, affordable, loan, farmland.

II. Define the part of speech of the following words:

feudal, successful, important, assistance, revolutionist, movement, provision, ownership, measure, percentage, political, originated.

III. Complete the sentences with appropriate words from the text:

To be successful, land … often must be … by other measures.

Revolutionists may … land reform to gain … for their revolution.

Government also may buy land from … who wish to … portions of their holdings.

Land reform has … especially … in the less developed countries of … and … .

Land reform may … agricultural … by causing the land to be … more intensely.

IV. Give your own definitions of the words:

Revolutionist, reform, owner, assurance, favor, assistance, holdings.

V. Retell the text ‘Land Reform’.

TEXT 19 REAL ESTATE

Real estate is land and all the things permanently attached to it, such as trees, buildings, and minerals beneath the surface. A house is real estate, but the rugs and furniture in it are chattels (personal property).

The basic real estate vocation is that of a broker, who markets real property on behalf of owners. Typically, salespeople are associated with and responsible to the broker. A career in real estate usually begins with sales work that may involve long, irregular hours. But success may bring an excellent income.

More than 1 800 000 people in the United States are actively employed as real estate brokers or salespeople. Many more people work in building, mortgage finance, and related fields. All states require real estate agents and brokers to be licensed. Applicants must pass a test on real estate principles. Fields of specialization in real estate include appraisal, property management, and counseling on such real estate problems as industrial sites and farm purchases and sales. Other specialized fields in real estate are mortgage lending, financial analysis, and market analysis.

About 375 universities and colleges now offer real courses for credit, and more than 360 two-year colleges offer courses leading to a master’s degree in real estate. Real estate organizations encourage formal training by offering seminars on such topics as finance, appraisal, and market analysis.

The National Association of Realtors coined the term Realtor to designate its active members who subscribe to the Code of Ethics of the association. The term may not lawfully be used by others.

I. Study the following words:

Real estate, permanently, attach, beneath, rug, furniture, chattels, broker, irregular hours, employed, appraisal, counseling, mortgage lending, encourage, designate.

II. Give the antonyms of the following words:

Surface, excellent, income, include, encourage, active, lawful, bring

III. Make up your own sentences with the words given above, in exercise two:

IV. Answer the following questions to the text:

1. What is real estate?

2. Who markets real property on behalf of owners?

3. In what sphere do many people work?

4. What do all states require to be done?

5. What does the term ‘realtor’ designate?