The history of Agriculture
Reading
Read the textbook passage. Then, mark the following statements as true (T) or false (F).
1. Crops cannot grow in deserts.
2. The Nile River floods every year.
3. Farmers raised animals before plants.
Vocabulary
Match the words (1-6) with the definitions (a-f).
1. Agriculture
2. Crop
3. Cultivate
4. Produce
5. Domesticate
6. Plant
a. A large group of cultivated plants.
b. To put seeds in soil.
c. Growing plants and raising animals.
d. To make something.
e. To raise a crop from seeding to harvest.
f. To tame an animal.
Read the sentence pair. Choose where the words best f it the blanks.
water supply / irrigation
a. The river is the farmer's __________.
b. __________ helps farmers grow crops in areas with little rainfall.
harvesting / farming
a. __________ includes raising animals and crops.
b. Farmers wait until crops are mature to start __________.
The end!
Plant Products
Reading
Read the advertisement. Then, fill in the blanks with the correct items.
1. Available fruits:
2. Available vegetables:
3. Cereal products:
4. Industrial crop products:
Vocabulary
Match the words (1-6) with the definitions (a-f).
1. Harvest
2. Legume
3. Melon
4. Tuber
5. Cereal
6. Farmer's market
a. A crop that grows underground.
b. A crop that produces grain.
c. A crop that has pods.
d. Crops that have never been gathered.
e. A type of large, sweet fruit.
f. A group of farmers selling crops.
Check () the sentence that uses the underlined part correctly.
a. Legumes are a very popular fruit.
b. Kevin likes to wear hemp clothing.
a. Many people prefer cereals because they have no seeds.
b. Vegetables are used in many meals.
a. Most harvests grow completely underground.
b. Fruit is popular because it is sweet.
a. Industrial crops are not eaten.
b. Some tubers are used to make clothes.
The end!
Soil
Reading
Read the newspaper advice column. Then, mark the following statements as true (T) or
false (F).
1. Tomatoes grow well in clay.
2. Aeration does not occur in clay.
3. Humus adds nutrients to soil.
Vocabulary
Fill in the blanks with the correct words and phrases from the word bank.
Word bank
aeration clay loam humus soil structures
1. Some __________ hold more water than others.
2. Crops don't grow well in pure __________ soil.
3. Use __________ to add nutrients to soil.
4. __________ provides roots with air.
5. __________ is a mix of three soil types.
Match the words (1-6) with the definitions (a-f).
1. Soil
2. Sand
3. Silt
4. Soil texture
5. Parent material
6. Dense
a. A material made of small pieces of rock and mineral
b. A material that is deposited by water
c. Rock and minerals that eventually form soil
d. A layer of material that plants grow in
e. The size of particles in a soil
f. Having a lot of material in a small space
The end!
Water
Reading
Read the article from the San Fernando Sun newspaper. Then, choose the correct answers.
1. What is the article mostly about?
a. A crop shortage.
b. A lack of rainfall.
c. New irrigation methods.
d. New types of crops.
2. According to the article, what will cause a water shortage in the future?
a. Raising rain-fed crops.
b. Using extra groundwater.
c. Farming in arid locations.
d. Planting crops in the mountains.
3. What is true of the peaches and nectarines?
a. They will not be damaged by the drought.
b. They will be more expensive this year.
c. They will need more water than most fruits.
d. They will be grown by out of town farmers.
Vocabulary
Read the sentence pair. Choose where the words best fit the blanks.
ditch I groundwater
Irrigate the crops by digging a __________.
Areas with a lot of __________ are ideal for farming.
shortage I rainfall
With so much __________, Dawn didn't have to water her plants.
Many crops died due to the water __________.
rain-fed I drought-resistant
Linda prefers __________ crops since she lives in an arid region.
Andrew doesn’t irrigate; his crops are __________.
Match the words (1-4) with the definitions (a-d).
1. Water cycle
2. Drought
3. Arid
4. Irrigate
a. To guide water to plants.
b. The pattern of water moving and changing form.
c. Receiving little rainfall.
d. A period of unusual dryness.
the end!
