Unit 2. Work on the farm

Task 1. Memorize the following words.

Tractor – трактор

combine-harvester – комбайн

plough – плуг

seed – насіння

wheat – пшениця

sugar beet – цукровий буряк

sunflower – соняшник

soil – грунт

weed – бур’ян

harm – шкода

crop – посів

field – поле

weeding – прополювання

chemical – хімікат

harvest – урожай

fertilizer – добриво

co-operative – кооператив

sugar-refinery – цукровий завод

oil-mill –

beet root – коріння буряка

cooking-oil – рослинна олія

to plough – орати

to pull – тягти

to sow – сіяти

to plant – садити

to cause – викликати, спричиняти

to weed – прополювати

to gather in – збирати

to give – здавати

to take – брати

to pick – зривати

to hand in – здавати, віддавати

great – великий

fertile – родючий, плодючий

Task 2. Read and translate the word combinations.

early in spring; plough the land by tractors; which pull the ploughs; great harm to the crops is caused; weed the fields; for weeding they use chemicals; gather in the harvest; the fertilizers make the soil more fertile; some of the farmers; by combine-harvesters; from the co-operative; at the sugar-refinery; at the end of summer; pick fruit and vegetables.

Task 3. Read and translate the text.

Work on the farm

Early in spring the English farmers plough the land by tractors. The tractors pull the ploughs. Then they sow seeds of wheat, sugar beet and sunflower in the soil. They also plant potatoes and other vegetables. Weeds cause great harm to the crops; in summer the English farmers always weed the fields. For weeding they use chemicals.

In July the English farmers begin to gather in the harvest of wheat; they gather the wheat by combine-harvesters. Some of the farmers do not have their own combine-harvesters; they take the combine-harvesters from the co-operative. The fields give a rich harvest of wheat every year, because the English farmers use fertilizers; the fertilizers make the soil more fertile.

In August and September the farmers gather in beet roots and sunflower seeds. At the sugar-refinery the workers make sugar from beet roots; at the oil-mill they make cooking-oil from sunflower seeds.

At the end of summer the English farmers pick fruit and vegetables. They hand in the fruit and vegetables to the co-operative and the co-operative sells them at the market.

Task 4. Read the text and answer the questions.

Mr. Jackson, the Farmer

Mr. Jackson has a lot of work on his farm. That is why he employs three workers. He also employs a girl-servant to help his wife about the house.

Mr. Jackson works in the field. He can operate a tractor, a lorry, a combine-harvester and other agricultural machines. Sometimes his son William helps him, too. William is twelve years old, but he can operate a tractor and a lorry.

Mr. Jackson keeps a lot of sheep. In spring and in summer he prepares a lot of hay for them for winter-time. He cuts grass in the meadow and let the grass dry. Then he picks up the hay, loads it in the trailer and brings the hay to the farm. He keeps the hay in the barn.

In spring and summer Mr. Jackson does not feed the sheep with hay – the sheep graze in the pasture. The pasture has a wire fence around it and the sheep cannot get over it.

In spring Mr. Jackson cuts the wool of the sheep and gives the wool to the co-operative. The co-operative sells the wool to the factory. At the factory the workers spin the wool into yarn. Then they weave the yarn into cloth.

Answer the questions:

1. Has Mr. Jackson a lot of work on his farm?

2. Whom does he employ?

3. What does a girl-servant do?

4. What agricultural machines can Mr. Jackson operate?

5. Does his son William help him?

6. How old is William?

7. What agricultural machines can he operate?

8. What does Mr. Jackson keep?

9. What does he prepare for his sheep in spring and summer?

10. Where does he cut grass?

11. In what way does he bring the hay to the farm?

12. Where does he keep the hay?

13. Where do the sheep graze in spring and summer?

14. What has the pasture around it?

15. What does Mr. Jackson do in spring?

16. Whom does he give the wool?

17. Where does the co-operative sell the wool?

18. What do the workers do from the wool at the factory?

Task 5. Read the text and answer the questions.