Вариант № 2 Текст: What is agriculture?

Agriculture is an important branch of economy. Economic growth of any country depends on the development of agriculture, which supplies people with food and clothing and industry with raw materials.

The world „agre" is a Latin word. It means the cultivation of fields in order to grow crops. Now agriculture also includes the use of land to breed farm animals.

We do not know when people began to grow crops. It was many thousands years ago. Now crop production and animal husbandry are highly developed branches of agriculture.

Life is impossible without plants. They play a highly important role in everyday life of people. Plants that are grown by farmers are known as farm crops. They are used dirutly as food for people, some are consumed by farm animals, others are used in industry and medicine. There are many kinds of farm crops, for example wheat, sugar feet, outs, barley, potatoes.

In order to increase crop yields and animal products our farms apply widely intensive technologies. Growing peanuts, farmers supply people with food.

Вариант №3

Текст: Tomorrow's farm

Agricultural research aims not only at increased quantity but at improved quality, not only at mass production, bat at efficient production. There are the most important changes that will take place on tomorrow's farm.

It will be a "factory farm" - very large, with still fewer workers than today. It will be even more highly automated than at present. The farmer will be able to produce food and other products of the quality wanted by consumers, at the times these products are needed, more or less independent of weather.

Plant height, rate of growth and date of ripeness will be almost completely control able. Farmers will be changing crops in size and in other ways to make them easier to cultivate and harvest by machine.

Soil will be given uniform, required properties - physical, chemical and biological.

It the farmer lives in a dry area improved water management will increase his production. Using the new technologies, the farmers will get the high yields.

When the farmer's produce'is ready for market, light absorption instruments will carry out control on its quality.

Вариант № 4

Текст: The English economy

Britain is a highly industrialized country. It is one of the world's major manufacturing nations. England's position just off the northern shores of Europe enables it to assume a leading role in international trade and commerce. Foreign trade is vital to England as it supplies the raw materials for English factories and provides a market for the sale of thousands of manufactured goods produced by English industries.

Britain's major industries include iron and steel, engineering, including motor vehicles and aircraft, textiles and chemicals.

There are the chief agricultural products of Britain: wheat, barley, oats, potatoes, sugar beet, milk, beef, etc. A comparatively high level of agricultural productivity enables Britain to provide about half of the food it needs from its own soil, the other half is imported. Britain usually imports meat, butter, wheat, tea, fruit and tobacco.

Now a few words about British transport. The passenger and freight traffic of Great Britain is carried mainly by road. The use of railways has fallen dramatically. Coastal shipping and inland waterways are of importance only in certain areas, particularly for carrying goods.After the World War II the industrial prosperity of England began. With its own resources and with the aid of large loans from the United States and Canada, England rebuilt its industries along modern lines. As a result, there is a greater variety of thriving industries than at any previous time in England.

Вариант № 5

Текст: Economy of the USA

The United States of America is a highly developed industrialized country. Shipbuilding, electronics, automobile industry, aircraft industry, space research are highly developed in the States.

Each region of the United States has characteristics of its own due to the differences in climate, landscape and geographical position.

The United States has a lot of mineral deposits or resources such as coal, gold, silver, copper, lead and zinc.

Illinois, Nebraska are the richest farming states of America and it is known as the Corn Belt. The land is fertile and well watered. They grow mostly corn and wheat there. Much livestock is also raised here.

There is a lot of fruit raising area. For example, California oranges, grapefruit are shipped all over the States and to other parts of the world. The most important crops growing in the States are also tobacco, soy-leans, peanuts, grapes and many others.

There are a lot of large and modern cities, but a great proportion of the country consists of open land dotted with farmhouses and small towns.

New York City is the first largest city of the States. Its population is more than eight million people. It is a financial and advertising business center.