What is Agriculture?

Agriculture is the production, processing, marketing, and use of foods, fibers and byproducts from plant crops and animals. Agriculture was the key development that led to the rise of human civilization, with the husbandry of domesticated animals and plants (i.e. crops) creating food surpluses that enabled the development of more densely populated and stratified societies. The study of agriculture is known as agricultural science. Agriculture is also observed in certain species of ant and termite.

Agriculture encompasses a wide variety of specialties and techniques, including ways to expand the lands suitable for plant raising, by digging water-channels and other forms of irrigation. Cultivation of crops on arable land and the pastoral herding of livestock on rangeland remain at the foundation of agriculture. In the past century there has been increasing concern to identify and quantify various forms of agriculture. In the developed world the range usually extends between sustainable agriculture (e.g. organic agriculture) and intensive farming (e.g. industrial agriculture).

Modern agronomy, plant breeding, pesticides and fertilizers, and technological improvements have sharply increased yields from cultivation, but at the same time have caused widespread ecological damage and negative human health effects. Selective breeding and modern practices in animal husbandry such as intensive pig farming (and similar practices applied to the chicken) have similarly increased the output of meat, but have raised concerns about animal cruelty and the health effects of the antibiotics, growth hormones, and other chemicals commonly used in industrial meat production.

1. What do we call the production, processing, marketing, and use of foods, fibers and byproducts from plant crops and animals?

a) animal husbandry b) agriculture c) domestication of animals d) land cultivation

2. What did the development of agriculture lead to?

a) development of agricultural science b) cultivation of crops on arable land c) digging of water-channels d) the rise of human civilization

3. What remains at the foundation of agriculture?

a) cultivation of crops on arable land and the pastoral herding of livestock on rangeland b) agricultural science c) industrial agriculture d) intensive farming

4. What has sharply increased yields from cultivation?

a) forms of irrigation b) modern agronomy, plant breeding and technological improvements c) marketing and use of foods d) foundation of agriculture

5. What has caused widespread ecological damage and negative human health effects?

a) pastoral herding of livestock b) wide variety of specialties and techniques c) pesticides and fertilizers d) sustainable agriculture

І. Reading Comprehension Test

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Industry in the uk

Britain was the first country in the world to become highly industrialized. Since the end of the 19^th century, when it lost its position as “the workshop of the world”, it has had to face growing industrial competition from Europe and North America. Nevertheless, it has remained one of the main manufacturing countries.

The old-established British industries are those, which developed during the Industrial Revolution: coal, textiles (especially cotton, which became Britain’s chief consumer goods industry in the 19^th century, and wool, which had been important since medieval times), iron and steel, shipbuilding and the older branches of engineering (textile machinery, engines and locomotives). New industries developed in the 20^th century: the vehicles, electrical, chemical and aircraft industries.

In the period since 1945 new inventions, technological advance and shifts in world demand have helped to produce some radical changes in the British industrial scene. Britain has been a pioneer in many fields of modern industrial development, such as radar, television, jet-propelled aircraft, nuclear power stations, computers, and has been successful in biotechnology.

In the manufacturing industries expansion has been marked in those industries, which use advanced technologies, such as electronics, microelectronics, the newer branches of mechanical engineering, instrument engineering, most sectors of the chemical industry and man-made fibers. At the same time other long established industries, such as shipbuilding and electrical engineering, have been undertaking continuing reorganization, re-equipment and modernization.

1. What was the first highly industrialized country?

a) North America b) Britain c) countries of Europe d) Russia

2. What industries do they call the old-established British industries?

a) which appeared before the 19^th century b) which developed during the Industrial Revolution c) which developed in the 20^th century d) which appeared since 1945

3. Which new industries developed in the 20^th century?

a) the vehicles, electrical, chemical and aircraft industries b) cotton and wool industries c) electronics and microelectronics d) textile machinery, engines and locomotives

4. What helped to produce some radical changes in the British industrial scene in the period since 1945?

a) shipbuilding and the older branches of engineering b) new inventions, technological advance and shifts in world demand c) manufacturing countries d) the Industrial Revolution

5. What manufacturing industries have been marked by expansion?

a) shipbuilding and electrical engineering b) man-made fibers c) which use advanced technologies d) cotton and wool industries

І. Reading Comprehension Test

This text is followed by 5 multiple-choice questions. For each task choose the best possible answer from A, B, C or D and circle the letter of your choice.