Agriculture in Great Britain

Geographically Great Britain consists of Highland Britain and Lowland Britain. Highland Britain is in the north and in the west. The agricultural area of England is toward the English Channel and the Continent of Europe. The soil in many parts of Highland Britain is thin and poor. Lowland Britain is a rich area with fertile soil.

The types of farms are different in different soil and climatic areas. In the eastern part of Britain most farms are arable. In England and Wales the chief crops are wheat and barley. In Scotland the leading crop is oats. In Northern Ireland vast area is under oats, flax and potatoes.

On the arable land the cultivations are mechanized, the management and operation of the machines are the responsibility of one group of workers. Weeds are entirely controlled by means of herbicides. The use of fertilizers is heavy but controlled. The crops are protected against pests and diseases from seed to harvest, largely by insecticides and fungicides.

The feeding of animals is based on the growing knowledge of animal nutrition. Computers formulate balanced rations for pigs and poultry at minimum cost, the protein being partly supplied by the mechanical breakdown of plant cells or by material synthesized by microorganisms.

Today the main tendency in agricultural development of this country is that small traditional farms are gradually disappearing because they cannot compete with modern big industrial farms. At present most farms in Britain are large commercial farms. There is a number of traditional family farms, but they are not characteristic. Small farms in Britain are usually mixed farms on which farmers both grow crops and keep farm animals.

1. What does Great Britain geographically consist of?

a) Highland Britain b) Lowland Britain c) Highland Britain and Lowland Britain d) the English Channel and the Continent of Europe

2. What is the soil in many parts of Highland Britain?

a) rich b) fertile c) thin and poor d) different in different areas

3. How are the crops protected against pests and diseases from seed to harvest?

a) by mechanized cultivation b) largely by insecticides and fungicides c) by controlled fertilizers d) by management and machine operation

4. What is the feeding of animals based on?

a) computers formulate balanced rations at minimum cost b) weeds are entirely controlled by means of herbicides c) the use of fertilizers is heavy but controlled d) management and operation of the machines

5. What farms are most characteristic for Britain at present?

a) family farms b) large commercial farms c) mixed farms d) small farms

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.

Higher Education in the United Kingdom

The academic year in Britain’s universities, Polytechnics, colleges of Education is divided into three terms, which usually run from the beginning of October to the middle of December, from the middle of January to the end of March, and from the middle of April to the end of June or the beginning of July.

There are 46 universities in Britain. The oldest and best-known universities are located in Oxford, Cambridge, London, Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool, Edinburgh, Southampton, Cardiff, Bristol, and Birmingham.

Good A-level results in at least two subjects are necessary to get a place at a university. However, good exam passes alone are not enough. Universities choose their students after interviews. For all British citizens a place at a university brings with it a grant from their local education authority.

English universities greatly differ from each other. They differ in date of foundation, size, history, tradition, general organization, methods of instruction, and way of student life.

After three years of study a university graduate will leave with the Degree of Bachelor of Arts, Science, Engineering, Medicine, etc. Later he may continue to take a Master’s Degree and then a Doctor’s Degree. Research is an important feature of university work.

1. How many terms is the academic year in Britain’s universities divided into?

a) two b) three c) four d) one

2. How many universities are there in Britain?

a) 64 b) 36 c) 46 d) 60

3. What is necessary to get a place at a university?

a) good A-level results in at least two subjects b) good B-level results in at least four subjects c) good A-level results in at least four subjects d) the Degree of Bachelor

4. How many years does a university graduate need to get the Degree of Bachelor?

a) 5 b) 4 c) 3 d) 2

5. What is an important feature of university work?

a) Doctor’s Degree b) Master’s Degree c) Bachelor’s Degree d) research

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.