Unit 19Modern

Agriculture

Task 1 Pre-reading

B. Look at the pictures at p.45 and compare traditional and modern farming. 1. What can you see in the pictures? 2. What are the advantages and disadvan-tages of each way?

A. What is farming like in your hometown?

In the first picture: A chicken / A hen.In the second picture: A farmer feeding chickens.In the third picture: A modern chicken farm.

What are the differences? Compare the old and the modern

ways of raising chickens.

Old way Modern way A farmer can only keep a few chickens.

A factory can keep thou-sands of chickens.

It cost only a little money.It cost a lot to start a factory.

don’t have many problems if ill, many die or are killed

The eggs and meat are tasty.

They don’t taste so delicious.

The chickens are free. not free, can sit in small cages

In the first picture: A pile of animal shit (manure)

In the second picture: A bag of chemical fertilizer.

What are the differences? Compare the old and the modern

ways of feeding the crops.

Natural Fertilizer Chemical Fertilizer It is free or cost very

little. It is easy to be put into the fields.

It usually has a bad smell. It takes little place to

store.It is difficult to carry and move.

It is expensive to buy.

It needs lots of work to be made.

It usually has no smell.

It needs a lot of place to store.

It is easy to transport.

In the first picture: *Patches of farm fields.

In the second picture: *A farmer is ploughing the field with an animal.

In the third picture: *Farmers use the tractor to work the land.

What are the differences? Compare the old and the modern ways of plough

ing the fields.

Using Animals Using Machines

cheap to own and to keep expensive to buy and to use

They result in pollution.They can be used in different places

They don’t need rest too often.

They can be food when they are old.

They do not pollute the air. They can only be used on

flat and dry land.They need rest now and then.

They can be sold to steel factories when broken.

Terrace Drought

Irrigated land Greenhouse

In the first picture: * Terraced fields.

In the second picture: * Dry barren farmland.

In the third picture: * Irrigated farmland.

In the fourth picture: * Greenhouses.

What are the differences? Compare the old and the modern

ways of irrigation.

Natural Climate Controlled Climate

in bad weather, crops lost climate controlled, less damageThe landscape loses its natural beauty.

Only arable land can grow crops.

Greenhouses can be built almost everywhere.

The landscape is more beautiful.

If there is a power failure, you may lose crops.

Task 2 Reading—Scanning

**Divide the text into 4 parts and find the main idea of each part:

The 1st part — the first paragraph

The 2st part — the second paragraph

The 3st part — the third paragraph

The 4st part — the fourth, fifth and sixth paragraphs.

Paragraph 1: Traditional agriculture in China.

Paragraph 2: The development of agriculture before the 1980s.

Paragraph 3:New techniques to protect environ-ment as well as increasing produc-tion from the 1990s.

Paragraph 4: Ways to solve the problem of the shortage of arable land.

What are the ways?

1. Grow vegetables in greenhouses. 2. Use GM to create plants that produce more and bigger and better crops.

1.How much does arable land take up in China?

Listen to the tape and answer the following question:

1). For thousands of years traditional agriculture in China did not change very much. Most farms were one-family businesses. Although China is a big very country, only seven percent of the land can be used for farming. It is on this arable land that the farmers produce food for the whole population of china.

Modern Agriculture

1 )For thousands of years traditional agriculture in China did not change very much. Most farms were one-family businesses. Although China is a big very country, only seven percent of the land can be used for farming. It is on this arable land that the farmers produce food for the whole population of china.

Modern Agriculture

1) For thousands of years traditional agriculture in China did not change very much. Most farms were one-family businesses. Although China is a big very country, only seven percent of the land can be used for farming. It is on this arable land that the farmers produce food for the whole population of china.

Modern Agriculture

2.How many ways are mentioned to make the land produce more?

3. When was more advanced information brought in?

2)Farmers in china have long used techniques such as fertilisation and irrigation to make their land produce more. Over time, many farming techniques have been modernised: chemical fertilisers are now used and electric pumps are used in irrigation. To make as much use of the land as possible, two or more crops are planted each year where possible. Rice, cotton and vegetables seeds are sometimes grown in special seedbeds before they are planted in the fields. This saves time and allows farmers to grow an extra crop in each season. More advanced technical information was brought in from abroad in the 1980s. Import of technology and machines, and the international exchange of delegations have helped Chinese farmers improve their production.

2)Farmers in china have long used techniques such as fertilisation and irrigation to make their land produce more. Over time, many farming techniques have been modernised: chemical fertilisers are now used and electric pumps are used in irrigation. To make as much use of the land as possible, two or more crops are planted each year where possible. Rice, cotton and vegetables seeds are sometimes grown in special seedbeds before they are planted in the fields. This saves time and allows farmers to grow an extra crop in each season. More advanced technical information was brought in from abroad in the 1980s. Import of technology and machines, and the international exchange of delegations have helped Chinese farmers improve their production.

2)Farmers in china have long used techniques such as fertilisation and irrigation to make their land produce more. Over time, many farming techniques have been modernised: chemical fertilisers are now used and electric pumps are used in irrigation. To make as much use of the land as possible, two or more crops are planted each year where possible. Rice, cotton and vegetables seeds are sometimes grown in special seedbeds before they are planted in the fields. This saves time and allows farmers to grow an extra crop in each season. More advanced technical information was brought in from abroad in the 1980s. Import of technology and machines, and the international exchange of delegations have helped Chinese farmers improve their production.

3)It was from the early 1990s that scientists started to develop new techniques to increase agricultural production without harming the environment. Chemical fertiliseation, for example, helps to produce better crops, but is harmful to the environment. New techniques should increase agricultural production but also be friendly to the environment. Future agriculture should depend on high technology as well as traditional methods. Not only food production is important but also taking care of the environment.

3)It was from the early 1990s that scientists started to develop new techniques to increase agricultural production without harming the environment. Chemical fertiliseation, for example, helps to produce better crops, but is harmful to the environment. New techniques should increase agricultural production but also be friendly to the environment. Future agriculture should depend on high technology as well as traditional methods. Not only food production is important but also taking care of the environment.

3)It was from the early 1990s that scientists started to develop new techniques to increase agricultural production without harming the environment. Chemical fertiliseation, for example, helps to produce better crops, but is harmful to the environment. New techniques should increase agricultural production but also be friendly to the environment. Future agriculture should depend on high technology as well as traditional methods. Not only food production is important but also taking care of the environment.

3)It was from the early 1990s that scientists started to develop new techniques to increase agricultural production without harming the environment. Chemical fertiliseation, for example, helps to produce better crops, but is harmful to the environment. New techniques should increase agricultural production but also be friendly to the environment. Future agriculture should depend on high technology as well as traditional methods. Not only food production is important but also taking care of the environment.

What is the biggest problem

to Chinese farmers?

4)The biggest problem of Chinese farmers is the shortage of arable land. Using the latest technologies, Chinese scientists grow vegetables in greenhouses. The roots of these vegetables are not planted in earth but hang in water that contains all the nutrients they need to grow. Today, many vegetables are not grown in gardens but in greenhouses where they are protected from the wind, rain and insects. The temperature is controlled with computers, no matter how the weather is outside.

4)The biggest problem of Chinese farmers is the shortage of arable land. Using the latest technologies, Chinese scientists grow vegetables in greenhouses. The roots of these vegetables are not planted in earth but hang in water that contains all the nutrients they need to grow. Today, many vegetables are not grown in gardens but in greenhouses where they are protected from the wind, rain and insects. The temperature is controlled with computers, no matter how the weather is outside.

4)The biggest problem of Chinese farmers is the shortage of arable land. Using the latest technologies, Chinese scientists grow vegetables in greenhouses. The roots of these vegetables are not planted in earth but hang in water that contains all the nutrients they need to grow. Today, many vegetables are not grown in gardens but in greenhouses where they are protected from the wind, rain and insects. The temperature is controlled with computers, no matter how the weather is outside.

4)The biggest problem of Chinese farmers is the shortage of arable land. Using the latest technologies, Chinese scientists grow vegetables in greenhouses. The roots of these vegetables are not planted in earth but hang in water that contains all the nutrients they need to grow. Today, many vegetables are not grown in gardens but in greenhouses where they are protected from the wind, rain and insects. The temperature is controlled with computers, no matter how the weather is outside.

2. What does GM mean?

5)Another technique tries to create plants that produce more and bigger crops. In 1993, a kind of tomato was developed that was very different from any grown before. It was developed using a technique known as GM. “G” stands for “genetically” from the word “genes”. “M” stands for “modified”, which means “changed”. In other words, the way tomatoes grow from a natural seed is changed. The new tomatoes are bigger and healthier. They can grow without danger from diseases. They also need much less time to get ripe.

5)Another technique tries to create plants that produce more and bigger crops. In 1993, a kind of tomato was developed that was very different from any grown before. It was developed using a technique known as GM. “G” stands for “genetically” from the word “genes”. “M” stands for “modified”, which means “changed”. In other words, the way tomatoes grow from a natural seed is changed. The new tomatoes are bigger and healthier. They can grow without danger from diseases. They also need much less time to get ripe.

5)Another technique tries to create plants that produce more and bigger crops. In 1993, a kind of tomato was developed that was very different from any grown before. It was developed using a technique known as GM. “G” stands for “genetically” from the word “genes”. “M” stands for “modified”, which means “changed”. In other words, the way tomatoes grow from a natural seed is changed. The new tomatoes are bigger and healthier. They can grow without danger from diseases. They also need much less time to get ripe.

5)Another technique tries to create plants that produce more and bigger crops. In 1993, a kind of tomato was developed that was very different from any grown before. It was developed using a technique known as GM. “G” stands for “genetically” from the word “genes”. “M” stands for “modified”, which means “changed”. In other words, the way tomatoes grow from a natural seed is changed. The new tomatoes are bigger and healthier. They can grow without danger from diseases. They also need much less time to get ripe.

How many different plants are mentioned in this para?

6)The tomato is one of nearly 4,500 different plants that are genetically modified. In China, about one hundred research stations are now doing GM research to make better tomatoes, cotton, tobacco, green peppers, fowlers, watermelons, soybeans and of course rice. A variety of GM watermelons will be seedless and there is GM rice, sometimes called “golden rice”, which will have more vitamins and can grow in poor soil.

6) The tomato is one of nearly 4,500 different plants that are genetically modified. In China, about one hundred research stations are now doing GM research to make better tomatoes, cotton, tobacco, green peppers, fowlers, watermelons, soybeans and of course rice. A variety of GM watermelons will be seedless and there is GM rice, sometimes called “golden rice”, which will have more vitamins and can grow in poor soil.

6) The tomato is one of nearly 4,500 different plants that are genetically modified. In China, about one hundred research stations are now doing GM research to make better tomatoes, cotton, tobacco, green peppers, fowlers, watermelons, soybeans and of course rice. A variety of GM watermelons will be seedless and there is GM rice, sometimes called “golden rice”, which will have more vitamins and can grow in poor soil.

6) The tomato is one of nearly 4,500 different plants that are genetically modified. In China, about one hundred research stations are now doing GM research to make better tomatoes, cotton, tobacco, green peppers, fowlers, watermelons, soybeans and of course rice. A variety of GM watermelons will be seedless and there is GM rice, sometimes called “ ” , which will have more vitamins and can grow in poor soil.

golden rice

1、几千年里中国的传统农业没有发生改变。

2、新的技术不仅应该增加农业产量而且对环境要友好。

3、不管室外的天气如何变化，室内温度由计算机控制，保持恒温。

4、就是在这可耕作的土地上，农民生产可供全中国人口食用的粮食。

For thousands of years traditional agriculture in China did not change very much.

New techniques should increase agricultural production but also be friendly to the environment.

The temperature is controlled with computers, no matter how the weather is outside.

It is on this arable land that the farmers produce food for the whole population of china.

5、为了尽可能地利用土地，在有条件的地方，每年种植两季以上的庄稼。

6、中国农民的最大问题是耕地短缺。

7、粮食生产固然重要，环保也很重要。

8、山村孩子们最大的问题是缺少教科书。The biggest problem of the children in mountain villages is ________ ________ _________textbooks.

To make as much use of the land as possible, two or more crops are planted each year where possible.

The biggest problem of Chinese farmers is the shortage of arable land.

Not only food production is important but also taking care of the environment.

the Shortage

of

kind How would you change it?

Why do you want to change it in this way?

fruit

vegetables

animals

Water-

melons

Grow them like blocks instead of balls

Easier to store, take less space

onionMake sure they don’t hurt your eyes

Easier to peel, and cut

sheepTo have red wool

Looks funny and then we don’t need to dye wool to make clothes