1. Прочитайте текст и разделите его на логические части.

2. Опираясь на ключевые слова, изложите основное содержание каждой части.

3. Выделите фразу, в которой отмечается предпочтение использования ржи, как и пшеницы, в хлебопечении; зачитайте ее по-английски.

Rye, as a distant bread cereal, is of relatively recent origin. While it can be traced back to the early Middle Ages, it does not seem to have gained any real importance until about the thirteenth century. There is evidence that rye originally appeared as a contaminating cereal in wheat and that in some areas it became dominant because of its less demanding requirements with regard to soil, fertilization and climate.

It is light and bulky¹ and is largely consumed in the country where grown. Rye is the only cereal besides wheat which contains a protein of such nature as to make it desirable for bread-making purposes.

The general structure of rye is similar to that of wheat. It contains 71 per cent of starch and sugar, but the proteins of rye are of different composition from those of wheat. Rye gluten is more sticky than that of wheat and the resulting bread is darker and less porous.

It is apparent that ryes of different origin will demonstrate varying properties, and that the baking methods must be adjusted to those properties. Rye varieties are not as numerous as are wheat varieties, and their characteristics are influenced to a greater degree by origin and climate than by variety.

Geographically, the same trend may be traced for rye as for wheat, namely, that countries with a hot and dry climate will produce ryes which are dry, high in protein, and frequently with a low amylase content.

The chief use of rye is as flour. The malted² and fermented rye is a common source of alcoholic liquors.

1 – объемистый

2 – соложеный

Text № 10 «MAIZE»

1. Прочитайте текст и укажите ту часть текста, где говорится о теории происхождения кукурузы (маиса); дайте ее краткое изложение.

2. Прочитайте еще раз 5 и 6 абзацы и озаглавьте их.

3. Выделите лексику, касающуюся структуры зерновки кукурузы; дайте ее описание на английском языке.

Some scientists consider that the cultivation of maize began in the New World and was introduced into Europe only at the end of the 15^th century after the discovering of America by Christopher Columbus. The word “maize” is generally used throughout Europe, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean Islands. In North America and in some countries associated with the USA the term “corn” is used.

According to another theory, however, maize was brought to Europe from Asia. They say it was introduced into Spain by the Arabs in the 13^th century.

The production of maize played a big part in the development of the North America. In the whole world maize is one of the most important cereals now.

In the Russian Federation cultivation of maize is also of great importance for the development of agriculture as well as for the food and light industries.

Various factors are responsible for the rapid successful expansion of the usage of maize. First, it is a plant which possesses remarkable adaptability and versatility because of its great diversity of forms. Unlike wheat and rice, the cultivation of which is limited by climate, maize flourishes under the most varied conditions. A second important reason for wide maize cultivation is the high yields of food energy it affords.

Maize is cultivated for three major purposes: as a human food, as feed for livestock and as the raw material for many industrial products.

Maize is a large-grain cereal. Its kernel includes: the bran, the endosperm and the germ.

The bran, the outermost layer of the grain, is a tough fibrous and protective covering and it holds the grain together. The bran comprises about 5 to 6 per cent of the total weight of the kernel.

The endosperm forms the main bulk (80-84%) of the grain.

The germ of embryo is located at the lower end of the grain, it usually comprises 9.5 to 12 per cent of the whole kernel.

The different parts of the maize kernel differ in chemical composition. The endosperm which constitutes about 80 per cent of the grain contains over 80 per cent of its starch. It also contains 75 per cent or more of its protein.

About 75 per cent of the maize kernel is carbohydrate which is present as starch, sugar and fibre (cellulose). The starch is mainly in the endosperm, the sugar in the germ and the fibre in the bran. The average protein content of the whole maize is about 10 per cent. The fat content of the whole grain is about 4.5 per cent, more than 90 per cent of which is concentrated in the germ.

The maize grain also contains different minerals and vitamins which are located chiefly in the germ and in the outermost layer of endosperm.

Text № 11 «BARLEY»