The national crops in Belarus are

a. tomatoes, water-melons and pumpkins

b. flax, potatoes and sugar beets

c. potatoes, cabbage and cucumbers

(A) Exercise 2. Answer the questions on the text:

1. Is agriculture one of the main branches of the Belarusian economy?

2. Does Belarus belong to the area of so-called unstable farming?

3. The republic is one of the main producers of flax in the world, isn't it?

4. Do most of the farms have mixed crop and livestock farming?

5. Is our republic a traditional exporter of agricultural products?

(B) Exercise 3. Answer if the sentences are true or false. Correct the false ones.

1. Belarus has a large amount of farmland.

2. Fodder crops are grown on the drained lowlands.

3. Livestock farming and crop farming are the main trends in the republic’s agrarian sector.

4. Belarus is self-sufficient only in milk and meat products.

5. One-fifth of the republic's population is employed in agriculture.

(B) Exercise 4. Complete the following sentences with suitable words or phrases given below:

1. Nearly half of the territory … by the arable land.

2. More than two million people … on contaminated lands.

3. Some places in Belarus … much in the structure of topsoil.

4. One of the goals of agriculture is … Belarusians with high quality … .

5. In … the produced goods and … are collective property of collective farmers.

6. A … amount of radio-nuclides accumulated in the … layer of the soil.

7. The republic is also developing … .

8. High stable yields … by the necessity of constant increasing … of soils.

Collective farms, differ, are stipulated, to provide, inhabited, is covered, private farms, the fertility, considerable, assets, upper, food products.

(B) Exercise 5. Put the words and phrases in the right order to make complete sentences.

1. nowadays, in a new form, reformed, the economy of Belarus, is.

2. of the agricultural goods, by, is, the larger part, big companies, produced.

3. are, by rye, grain sowings, represented, wheat, and.

4. vegetable oil, the Republic, imported, sugar, tropical and subtropical fruits, are, by.

(B) Exercise 6. Find the key-sentences in the text. Read and translate them.

(С)Exercise 7. Give your reasons for the following statements. Consult the text.

1. Agriculture is one of the most important activities in Belarus.

2. The Belarusian agricultural sector is now at the turning-point stage.

3. The agricultural output has increased greatly.

4. A power cattle breeding has been created in Belarus.

5. Potatoes are Belarusian “second bread”.

6. The Belarusian agro-industrial complex has turned into a big exporter.

DISCUSSION

(A) Exercise 1. Answer the following questions.

1. How many people are employed in the agriculture of Belarus?

2. What types of agricultural companies produce agricultural goods?

3. Are the natural conditions of the Republic favorable for agriculture?

4. What main branches of agriculture in Belarus do you know?

5. What branches does cattle-breeding contain?

6. What are the main goals of the national agrarian policy?

7. When did the Chernobyl accident occur? What are the consequences for the Republic?

8.

(B) Exercise 2. Say if these statements are true or false. Correct the false ones. Give your reasons.

1. The whole territory of Belarus is covered by the arable land.

2. After the Chernobyl accident the soil is the major source of radio- nuclides in agricultural produce.

3. The climate of the Republic is favorable for agriculture.

4. The Republic produces highly profitable goods such as milk, beef, pork, chicken, wheat, corn, and potatoes.

5. One of the main goals of the state policy is to provide the population with high quality food products.

(B), (C) Exercise 3. Suppose you are at the students’ conference. Speak on:

1. types of agricultural companies in Belarus

2. consequences of the Chernobyl accident for agriculture

3. natural conditions for agriculture

4. profitable types of agricultural goods

5. the main goals of the national agrarian policy

(B), (C) Exercise 4. Suppose you will have to make a report. Speak on:

1. Why is Belarus called a "potato country"?

2. Is it possible to develop our national agriculture?

TEXT-BASED ASSIGNMENTS

(TEXT В)

LANGUAGE STUDY

(A) Exercise 1. Make sure that you know the English equivalents for the following words and word combinations:

современные технологии и исследования, общая площадь с/х угодий, богатые плодородные почвы, ферма среднего размера, производство молока, свиноводство, основные зерновые культуры, малые количества, небольшие традиционные хозяйства, крупные промышленные фермы, частные леса, основной источник пищи.

(A) Exercise 2. Put in the missing words using appropriate words from the text:

1. The total agricultural acreage of Great Britain is about … acres.

2. In hill countries large areas are used for … .

3. An … farm is about 30-40 acres.

4. There are three main types of … in Great Britain.

5. … and … are reared in the hill and moorland areas of Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and south-eastern England.

6. Small farms are … disappearing nowadays.

7. Potatoes are grown for …, for … and for … .

(A) Exercise 3. Say “yes” or “no”.

1. Wheat, barley, oats are vegetables.

2. British agriculture is based on modern technology and research.

3. Great Britain doesn’t import agricultural products.

4. British farms are large.

5. Meat production is more profitable than milk production.

6. Arable farms are mainly in the northern part of the country.

7. Potatoes are grown for sale, for fodder and for seed.

8. Britain’s second source of food is the seas.

(B) Exercise 4. Read the text and find

1) the words which denote climate and topography

2) the words dealing with cattle-breeding

3) the words dealing with crop-sowing

(B) Exercise 5. Find in the list below the words corresponding to the following definitions:

Arable farms, horticulture, crops, soil, fodder, to import, pastoral farming, cereal, mixed farming

1. – farms used (or suitable) for growing crops;

2. – farming which involves keeping sheep, cattle, etc.

3. – the method of farming in which crops are grown and animals are kept on the same farm;

4. – a type of grass which is cultivated to produce grain, or food made from grain which is eaten;

5. – the study or activity of cultivating gardens;

6. – to buy or bring in products from another country;

7. – the material on the surface of the ground in which plants grow;

8. – food that is given to cows, horses or other farm animals;

9. – a plant such as grain, fruit or vegetable grown in large amounts by farmers;

(C) Exercise 6. Fill in the blanks with the suitable words from the following list:

Agriculture, horticultural, average, farming, self-sufficient, supply, sheep, produced, profitable, grazing.

1. Britain today is … in milk, eggs, potatoes, barley, oats.

2. Great Britain is a country with a highly developed industry and … .

3. In hill countries large areas are used for … .

4. An … sized farm is about 30-40 acres.

5. British farmers … milk and milk products, meat, wool and eggs for the population.

6. Before the Second World War Britain … one-third of its total food requirements.

7. … crops are fruit, vegetables and flowers.

8. … farming is concentrated in the hill moorland areas of highland Britain.

9. It is more … to import cheaper products from overseas, mainly from Australia, New Zealand and Canada.

10. The land utilized for … is about 251.000 hectares.

(C) Exercise 7. Find the key-sentence of each paragraph of the text. Read and translate the key-sentences.

(C) Exercise 8. Insert prepositions where necessary.

1. British agriculture supplies 2/3 … country’s food.

2. It is based … modern technology.

3. Soils vary … the poor ones … rich and fertile.

4. Britain is self-sufficient … meat, potatoes, wheat.

5. The main cereal crops … Britain are wheat, barley, and oats.

6. Potatoes are grown … sale, fodder and seed.

7. Modern machines are used … British farms.

8. Private woods make … 56 % of the total forest area.

TEXT STUDY

(A) Exercise 1. Choose the correct answer. Consult the text if necessary.

1. Agriculture in Great Britain supplies … of the country’s food.

a) one-third

b) two-thirds

c) a half

2. Nearly … of the land is used for agriculture.

a) 30%

b) 50%

c) 80%

3. Arable farms are mainly in the … part of the country.

a) southern

b) western

c) eastern

4. The main cereal crops in Britain are …

a) rye, millet, and sorghum

b) wheat, barley, and oats

c) buckwheat, millet, and rye

(A) Exercise 2. Answer the questions on the text:

1. What is Britain self-sufficient in?

2. Are the farms large in Great Britain?

3. What is of the first importance in the structure of British agriculture?

4. What are the main grain crops in Great Britain?

5. Is rye grown in the country?

6. Where are sheep and cattle reared?

7. Is British agriculture efficient?

8. What do you know about cattle-breeding in Great Britain?

9. What is Britain’s second major source of food?

(B) Exercise 3. Answer if the sentences are true or false. Correct the false ones.

1. British agriculture is not efficient.

2. Nearly 80% of the land is used for agriculture.

3. Britain does not need to import sugar, butter, and cheese.

4. The farms are large in Great Britain.

5. There are two main types of farming in Great Britain.

6. Modern machines are used on British farms.

7. Potatoes are grown only for fodder.

8. There are no private woods in Great Britain.

9. Small traditional farms are gradually disappearing.

10. The fishing industry is not developed in the country.

(B) Exercise 4. Complete the following sentences with suitable words or phrases given below:

1. Small traditional farms are disappearing because they cannot … with big industrial farms.

2. Britain’s second major … of food is the surrounding sea.

3. The fishing industry provides about 70% of British fish … .

4. The total agricultural … of Great Britain is about 45,000,000 acres.

5. Britain is … in milk and eggs.

6. The main … in Britain are wheat, barley and oats.

7. Rye is grown in small … .