1.3 Read and translate the text with the help of a dictionary.

For many years, soil was considered simply the loose fraction of the Earth’s crust. It was not until the 1880s, that soil was recognized as a natural body – worthy of study in its own right – by the Russian scientist Dokuchaev. Soil is a complex mixture of mineral matter, organic matter and living organisms. Soil is a product of the environment; constantly changing, constantly evolving. Soils develop over time, sometimes very slowly in dry desert areas or more quickly in wet tropical regions. The soil is different from “powdered rock” or “dirt” in that it supports life; in particular, the growth of plants. Soil can be thought of as the “skin” of the land; without it the land would die.

Like skin, the soil is constantly being eroded at its surface by wind, water and man’s activities, and being renewed at its base by weathering of its parent material.

Man’s perception of soil differs according to the use of the soil. An engineer sees the soil as a support media for buildings, bridges and highways. A miner sees soil as the overburden that has to be removed to access valuable minerals. A landscaper sees soil as a resource to beautify parks and gardens. The agriculturalist and forester sees soil as a resource to produce crops and trees.

We can apply the traditional sciences of physics, chemistry and biology to study soils. Many scientists have done this over the years. But emerging research is convincing us to change our approach. We are challenged to look at natural systems by thinking of changes and interactions with an integrated approach of all the sciences. Can we study a soil organism without taking into account its environment? Can we study a particle of soil without considering its neighbors in the same aggregate? Clearly, much more knowledge is to be gained if we open our eyes and step out of the barriers that traditional science teaching has created. The Soil Science of Physics, Chemistry and Biology attempt to do this.

Physical properties Soils are a complex three phase system composed of solids, liquids and gases. The study of physical behavior of these phases is called Soil Physics and includes: density and porosity, texture, structure, colour, water retention and movement.

Chemical properties Soil chemistry studies the chemical characteristics of soil which depends on their mineral composition, organic matter and environment.

An understanding of soil chemistry is important in soil formation and fertility. How rocks and minerals breakdown and transform into new compounds is essential to our understanding of weathering and erosion. How mineral nutrients are transformed and bound in soil leads to better fertilization and soil testing techniques.

Biological properties Soil biology is the study of the living component of soils. Numerous bacteria, fungi, actinomycetes, worms, insects, small rodents and mammals inhabit the soil. Many of these organisms help in maintaining the fertility of the soil by decomposing plant and animal residues which recycle the nutrients. The interaction among various organisms is a fascinating subject in soil science. An example of this interaction is the association of bacteria with plant roots. Often, this association leads to the mutual benefits.

1.4 Give English equivalents: земля, сложная смесь, окружающая среда, рост растений, поверхность почвы, материнская порода, инженер, шахтер, землеустроитель, работник сельского хозяйства, твердые частицы, жидкие частицы (жидкости), газообразные частицы (газы), свойство, водород, кислород, почвоведение.

1.5 Combine the adjectives listed below with the noun “soil” to form expressions as much as possible: ideal, wet, dry, previous, sandy, lateral, suitable, approximate, special, artificial, standing, usual, available, light, heavy.