TEXT 1 SOIL

Soil is an important natural resource that covers much of the earth’s land surface. Most life on earth depends upon the soil as a direct or indirect source of food. Plants are rooted in the soil and obtain nutrients (nourishing substances) from it. Animals get nutrients from plants or from animals that eat plants. Certain microbes in the soil cause dead organisms to decay, which helps return nutrients to the soil. In addition, many kinds of animals find shelter in the soil.

Soil contains mineral and organic particles, other plant and animal matter, and air and water. The contents of soil change constantly. There are many kinds of soils, and each has certain characteristics, including color and composition. The kind of soil in an area helps determine how well crops grow there. Soil forms slowly and is destroyed easily, and it must be conserved so it can continue to support life.

Soil scientists, called pedologists, use the term polypedons for the bodies of individual kinds of soil in a geographic area. Polypedons can be indefinitely large, but some have a surface area of only about 10.8 square feet (1 square meter).Some polypedons measure less than 5 inches (13centimeters) deep. Others are more than 4 feet (1.2meters) deep.

1. Study the following words:

Source, substance, cause, decay, shelter, contain, composition, to be destroyed, conserve, to support, indefinitely, surface, measure.

2. Define the part of speech of the following words:

Determination, resource, surface, depend upon, organic, individual, nutrients, measure, constantly.

3. Give the synonyms of the following words:

Important, obtain, certain, soil, determine, shelter, large, surface of the soil, kind.

4. Insert prepositions if necessary:

1. The kind … soil … an area helps determine how well crops grow there.

2. Animals get nutrients … plants or … animals that eat plants.

3. Most life … earth depends … the soil as a direct or indirect source … food.

4. Soil contains mineral … and organic particles, other plant and animal matter, and air … and water.

5. Clays consist … illite, kaolin, micas, vermiculite, and other minerals.

 

5. Put five questions to the text “Soil”

6. Give your own definition of the word ‘soil’.