Устные темы

I. Расскажите о себе и о своей семье по образцу:

About myself and my Family

My mane is … I was born in October 10. 1989 in the village …, … district, Altai region. I finished our village secondary school and Barnaul Building College. My favorite subjects were Mathematics, Physics and English. My dream was to enter the Altai State agricultural University. Now I am a first-year student of this university.

Altai State Agrarian University was founded in 1943. The University trains specialists for our agriculture. The university has several buildings. There are two forms of training in the University: full-time and extramural. Classes begin in September and are over in June. Students study in 2 shifts.

The academic year is divided in 2 terms. After a term students pass exams and credit tests. Students have vacations in winter and in summer. Students also have their practical training on different farms in the Altai Territory. Students study different subjects. The University has some faculties, for example: the Agronomy faculty, the Economy faculty, the Engineering faculty, the Land Reclamation Faculty.

The Rector heads the university. Every faculty is headed by the dean. There are many departments at the University. The University has some hostels, several libraries, a publishing house, a students' club, a skiing lodge, gymnasiums, and an assembly hall.

II. Прочтите текст, расскажите об особенностях сельского хозяйства в Великобритании.

British Agriculture

Agriculture is one of Britain's most important industries. British agriculture is based on modern technology and research. Nearly 80% of the land is used for agriculture. Britain has poor and rich fertile soils.

There are about 55,000 farms in Britain. They are not large. An average farm is about 30-40 acres. There are three main types of farming in Great Britain: pastoral, arable, mixed. Most farms in Britain are dairying. Many farms rear beef cattle and sheep, pigs and poultry.

Britain’s most important products are milk, eggs, meat, potatoes and wheat. The main cereal crops in Great Britain are wheat, barley and oats. Rye is grown in small quantities for use as cattle fodder. Great Britain produces different kinds of fruit. Potatoes are grown for sale, for fodder and for seed. Modern machines are used on British farms. Most forests are private in Britain. People use the surrounding sea as a source of food.

III. Прочитайте и переведите текст:

My Speciality

I study at the Altai Agricultural University. I am a second-year student of the Land Reclamation Faculty. The faculty trains qualified specialists for melioration work in our country. The land reclamation is considered to be an important factor in the intensification of agricultural production. Irrigation of fields in arid regions and drainage of areas with excessive humidity guarantee high and stable yields of grain, vegetable, sugar beets, and cotton and fodder crops.

Reclamation engineers take part in the construction and reconstruction of irrigation projects. They build canals, artificial lakes and water reservoirs for supplying water to arid and desert lands. Thousands of hectares of marshy land are drained and become fertile every year. The total area of irrigated and drained lands in our country is now over 30 million hectares and it will increase to 40-45 million ha by 2010.

The main tasks in land reclamation are to increase the efficiency of irrigation system and to make better use of the reclaimed lands. Reclamation engineers are also responsible for the rational utilization of natural resources and for the protection of environment. They take measures to prevent the pollution of water reservoirs and to control soil erosion.

Irrigators must have good knowledge of different soils, water requirements of various crops and available water supply. They must know different methods of irrigation and types of drainage as well as the principle of operation and application of modern irrigation installations.

In order to become qualified specialists students of the Land Reclamation Faculty study many theoretical subjects such as physics, hydrology, hydraulics and theoretical mechanics and have a practical course of studies on training farms and large irrigation projects of our region.

IV. Ответьте на вопросы к тексту, подготовьте его пересказ:

1. Is land reclamation an important factor of the intensification of the agricultural production?

2. What land must be irrigated?

3. What land must be drained?

4. What is the total area of reclaimed land in our country?

5. How will this area increase by 2010?

6. In what work do reclamation engineers take part?

7. What are the main tasks in land reclamation now?

8. What subjects do students of the Land Reclamation Faculty study?