ASSIGNMENT

Write a short description of different cropping systems in your country (about 100 words). Try to use at least 10 terms introduced in this lesson. Make use of relative pronouns in constructing your compound sentences. 

Write the description in the comment box below.  

The following questions may help you get started:


Do some farmers in your country grow more than one crop at the same time? If so, where, and what crops do they plant?


If farmers grow fruit and vegetables at the same time, how do they set about this?


If farmers grow two or more crops, but not at the same time, what crops are used and what techniques are employed?


What are the advantages of growing several crops?


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Answer the following questions. Write your anawer in the comment box below.





What is polyculture?
Can you describe some of the important polyculture systems?
Which ones are practised in your country?
Which of these systems do you think are the most difficult for farmers to implement? Why?
Which systems are easier? Why?

English for Agriculture unit 6 POLYCULTURE GRAMMAR

 Relative Pronouns
Look at the following sentences:
Polyculture is an agricultural system.
In this system, two or more useful plants are grown on the same land.
Please note that:

• We don't want to repeat 'agricultural system' and thus we substitute the relative pronoun which to combine the two sentences into one, as shown below:

Polyculture is an agricultural system in which two or more useful plants are grown on the same land.

The relative pronouns and its use:
that (used for things)
which (used for things)
who (used for people)
whom (used for people)
whose (usually used for people - shows possession)
where (used for places)
Note:

• In speaking, 'that ' can be used for people, but not in formal, written English.

Examples:
1. where (used for places)
Look at these sentences:
Polyculture is the dominant farming systems in many areas.
In these areas, the degree of mechanization is low.
Note:

• Because we don't want to repeat 'areas', we substitute the relative pronoun where and combine the two sentences into one sentence with 2 phrases (i.e. a compound sentence).   The sentences could be wriiten as follows:

Polyculture is the dominant farming system in many countries where the degreee of mechanization remains low.
2. that (used for things)
Look at these  sentences:
These are seeds.
I bought them yesterday.
Combining the sentences using the relative pronoun that, you might come up with the following sentence:
These are seeds that I bought them yesterday.
Please note that:

• This is incorrect.  We don't need the pronoun them.
• Using a relative pronoun helps us to avoid repeating a noun phrase, or using a pronoun.   In this case, using the pronoun them.

The correct sentence is
These are the seeds that I bought yesterday.
Please note that:

• We added the before the word seed.
• With these types of sentences we need to use the. 

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COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES WITHTHE APROPRIATE PRONOUN. (THAT,WHICH,WHO,WHOM)

1. The book              she wrote was a best-seller.   

2. The book              inspired many students was written many years ago

3. The teacher          I was talking about now lives in Canada.--that

4. The teacher             inspired many students was well-known.

5. Ms Tate's publications,              have inspired many, are all on my bookshelves.  

6. The book                    many readers have learnt a lot from was written by that teacher.  

7. The teacher          many students were inspired by taught English literature.

8. The teacher                     every student looked up to retired 10 years ago.

9. The teacher             now lives in Canada was respected by many of her students.

10. The book             was written by her is still talked about.

11. The teacher                everybody respected remains single all her life.

12. The book               she wrote is used as a textbook in many literature courses.

13. The book              many courses use is published in only paperback editions.

14. The book               everybody is talking about does not cost much.

15. The teacher                       every student loved is still writing to her students.

16. Ms Tate,                 was trained in literature, has taught literature all her life.

17. The teacher                to  many students owe their success has taught in many countries.

18. The teaching to                many students owe their technique is captured in this book.

19. Ms Tate's letters,                her students are still inspired by, show how much she still cares for her students.

20. Ms Tate,                  many past students are still writing to, replies to all the letter.

21. Ms Tate's letters,                her students all treasure, contain words of wisdom.

22. Ms Tate,                      to  many of her students are writing, is living happily and peacefully in Canada.

English for Agriculture unit 6 READING: POLYCULTURE

Polyculture

Polyculture is a system in which two or more useful plants are grown on the same land. Variations within the system are multiple cropping, mixed cropping, intercropping, relay planting, interplanting, and interculture.
Multiple cropping is the growing of more than one crop in the same land in one year. For example, buckwheat  may be grown after harvesting peas . Both crops are grown as monoculture crops, but they are planted and harvested within  one year.
Mixed cropping is the growing of two or more crops simultaneously and intermingled , with no row arrangement.
Intercropping is the growing of two or more crops in alternate  rows , for example, maize alternating with soybean.
Relay planting is the practice of interplanting of the maturing  crop with seeds or seedlings of the following crop.
Interplanting is the practice of planting a short-term  annual crop with a long-term annual or biennial  crop. Oats  and alfalfa, for example, are commonly interplanted in the temperate zone.
Interculture is the cultivation of one crop underneath a perennial  crop, such as rice under coconut palm.
Polyculture is the dominant  farming system in many areas of the tropics, where the degree of mechanization and the use of agricultural chemicals remain low.

English for Agriculture Unit 6 POLYCULTURE VOCABULARY

POLYCULTURE

 In this lesson you will study some of the key vocabulary we use when talking about polyculture. You will discuss some of the important issues involved and compare your information and ideas with those of your fellow students. At the end of the lesson you will write a short account of different cropping systems in your country or region using some of the new vocabulary and structures you have studied in this lesson.

Objectives:


After completing this unit you should be able to:

• Define the key words introduced in this lesson and use them appropriately in agricultural writing.
• Use relative pronouns in compound sentences.
• Discuss issues related to polyculture in your country or region using the vocabulary and grammar that you have learned.

This section introduces the important words (key and technical vocabulary) that will be used in the lesson. You should be sure that you understand these terms before you continue to the Reading.










VOCABULARY:  

alternate (adj.) - different
alternatively (adv.) - on the other hand, doing something a different way
alternative (n) - a differant choice
Examples:

1. I don't want to do it this way. Is there another alternative?
2. You can park here on alternate days, i.e. Monday, Wednesday, Friday; or Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday.
3. You can start next week. Alternatively, you could start tomorrow.

arrangement (n) - system, organization
arrange (v) - to put things in a system
Examples:

1. Please arrange the chairs so that everyone can see.
2. This is not a good arrangement. Let's do it a different way.

dominant (adj.) - strongest, most important
dominate (v) - to be the strongest, to control
Examples:

1. He is not strong. He is dominated by his wife.
2. English is the dominant second language in many countries.

intermingled (adj.) - mixed
intermingle (v) - to mix, to put together with no system
Examples:

1. At the party, people from different countries intermingled with each other.
2. He sang French songs intermingled with English ones.

mature (v) - to grow to maturity, to become ripe, to develop
mature (adj.) - old enough, ripe enough, (for fruit) ready to be eaten, sufficiently developed
maturity (n) - the age at which someone/something is fully developed
Examples:

1. When will these plants mature?
2. Only pick the mature fruits.
3. It will take 20 years for these trees to grow to maturity.

multiple (adj.) - many
multiply (v) - to increase many times
multiplication (n) - process of increasing many times
Examples:

1. He has been in hospital many times and had multiple operations.
2. Tests where you can choose from many possible answers are called multiple choice tests.

relay (n) - moving forward after being in the same position for some time
relay(v) - to move something forward
Examples:

1. Can you relay this information to the Director?
2. The computer will hold the information for 5 minutes and then relay it to another site.

row (n) - line of plants or other things/people
Examples:

1. Rice is usually planted in straight rows.
2. We sat in the third row of the meeting room.

short-term (adj.) - short time (as opposed to medium-term and long-term)
Examples:

1. What are the short-term objectives?
2. I think this will be successful over the short-term, but later we will have to think of another alternative.

simultaneously (adv.) - done at the same time
simultaneous (adj.) - at the same time
Examples:

1. Can you walk and read simultaneously?
2. At the sports competition, the men's and women's games will be held simultaneously.

within (prep.) - inside
Examples:

1. All the experiments were  conducted within the same farmer's fields.
2. Please try to finish this within 3 days.   

TECHNICAL VOCABULARY AND EXPRESSIONS:

 biennial - every two years, lasting for two years

bi-annual - two times a year


buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculenium) - plant grown for its triangular seeds. It is a native of central Asia but is now grown in both Europe and the United States as food for horses, cattle and poultry.  Also used as human food.


peas (Pisum) - leguminous plant with pinkish flowers and green seed pod. Its small, round seeds are used as a vegetable.


perennial - lasting a long time (in plants: living for more than two years)


soybean (Glycine max) - annual leguminous crop native to China and Japan. It is widely grown for its seeds which contain substantial protein and oil. It is also grown as forage and cover crop.


oats  (Avena sativa) - common cereal plant with edible seeds grown throughout the temperate zone. 
 

English for Agriculture unit 5 MONOCULTURE GRAMMAR AND ASSIGNMENT

GRAMMAR

This section explains the grammar that was introduced in the reading. Study the grammar carefully and complete the practice exercises to test your understanding. You may find it helpful to read the Reading again once you have practiced the grammar.

Modifiers, Noun Phrases and Verb Phrases

Remember the following sentences from the reading in this lesson:

1.      In monocultural farming systems, one or more crops per year may be grown.

2.      In both instances, crops are grown under monocultural practices.

3.      In monocultural systems, rotation is important for soil tilth.

These sentences all have the pattern:

(Modifiers) + Noun Phrase + Verb Phrase + (Noun Phrase) + (Modifier)

Modifiers	Noun Phrases	Verb Phrases
In monocultural farming systems,	one or more crops	may be grown
In both instances,	crops	are grown
for soil tilth	rotation	is important

Please note that:

• Sentences must start with a modifier (usually a time phrase or a place phrase) or a noun phrase.

Examples of place and noun phrase:

Place Phrase	Noun Phrase
In Thailand	Thailand
At the meeting	The meeting
All over the country	The country

• Sentences cannot start with a verb phrase.
• Modifiers are usually put at the start or end of sentences.
• Sentences must have a noun phrase and a verb phrase.
• The verb phrase must be after the noun phrase.
• When sentences start with a place phrase or time phrase (modifiers) these are followed by a comma (,). 

ASSIGNMENT

Write a short description of monocultural practices in your country (about 100 words). Try to use at least 10 terms introduced in this lesson. Make use of modifiers, noun phrases and verb phrases in constructing your sentences.  Write your answers in the comment box for comments and feedback.
The following questions may help you get started:




Do farmers in your country concentrate on one crop, or do they grow many types of crops?


Discuss any regional differences.


What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of growing only one crop?


How does the present situation compare with the past?



What is monoculture?


Where is it practised?


How important is this agricultural system in your country?


What are some of the main advantages of monocultural practises?

English for Agriculture unit 5 MONOCULTURE READING

Monoculture

Monoculture is a cropping system in which fields of single crops are cultivated.
It is the predominant agricultural system in the temperate zone and is also practiced in large areas of the tropics.


In general, it is easier to mechanize planting, pest management and harvesting by planting one crop at a time.


The wheat belt of North America and the irrigated ricelands of Southeast Asia are good examples of monoculture.
In monocultural farming systems, one or more crops per year may be grown.
In North America, there is only one annual maize crop, while in the Philippines, there are often two rice crops.


In both instances, the crops are grown under monocultural practices.


Monoculture is a suitable system for mechanization since only one plant type is used.


Mechanization requires uniformity: the farmer with a hoe does not require straight and uniform rows, but the farmer using a tractor needs an unobstructed field with uniform soil condition.


In monocultural systems, it is important for soil tilth that crops be rotated.


Rotation is the practice of not growing the same crop in the same field every year.
With the exception of wetland rice,rotation should be used whenever possible.


Soil is a complex mixture of clay,silt, sand, and organic matter in various stages of decomposition.


By rotating crops, the farmer is able to improve soil structure, break insect and disease cycles, and improve fertility.


A legume, such as alfalfa, is a suitable crop for rotation.

English for Agriculture Unit 5 MONOCULTURE VOCABULARY

In this lesson you will study some of the key vocabulary we use when talking about monoculture. You will discuss some of the important issues involved and compare your information and ideas with those of your fellow students. At the end of the lesson you will write a short account of the monocultural practises in your country or region using some of the new vocabulary and structures you have studied in this lesson.


Objectives:
After completing this unit you should be able to:

• Define the key words introduced in this lesson and use them appropriately in agricultural writing.
• Use modifiers, noun phrases and verb phrases appropriately.
• Discuss issues related to monoculture in your country or region using the vocabulary and grammar that you have learned.

This section introduces the important words (key and technical vocabulary) that will be used in the lesson. You should be sure that you understand these terms before you continue to the Reading.

KEY VOCABULARY

annual (adj.) - every year
annually (adv.) - done or happening every year
Examples:

1. His salary is increased annually.
2. He receives an annual increase in his salary.

cycles (n) -  events that follow regularly
Examples:

1. We are born, we get old and we die – this is our life cycle.
2. Water moves from the land to the air and back to the land – this is the water cycle.

exception (n)  -  the different one, the only one that is different
Examples:

1. All the women in our village are beautiful. My wife is the only exception. (i.e. My wife is not beautiful)
2. With the exception of mathematics, all my son's grades were good. (i.e. His mathematics grade was not good)

hoe (n) - farm tool used for cutting soil and removing weeds
instances (n) - examples, cases, times
Examples:

1. I can think of many instances when my old computer did not work.
2. There are many instances of people recovering from cancer.

mechanization (n) - using machines
mechanize (v) - to use machines
mechanized (adj.)
mechanical (adj.)
Examples:

1. In Europe, most farms are highly mechanized.
2. Many Asian farmers are not wealthy enough to be able to mechanize their operations.

mud (n) - soft, wet soil
muddy (adj.)
predominant (adj.) - most important
predominantly (adv.)
Examples:

1. Maize is the predominant crop in many parts of America.
2. The population of Laos is predominantly Buddhist.

suitable (adj.) - good or correct for the situation, appropriate
suitably (adv.)
Examples:

1. This is a suitable book for young children.
2. Am I suitably dressed for the party?

uniform (adj.) - the same
uniformly (adv.)
uniformity (n)

1. These varieties do not produce similar yields – they are not uniform.
2. We conducted 5 experiments, but the results were not the same – they were not uniform.

unobstructed (adj.) - not obstructed, with nothing in the way
Examples:

1. My hotel room had an unobstructed view of the sea.
2. You can drive on now – the road is unobstructed.

zone (n)  - area
Examples:

1. Many countries have special industrial zones.
2. Some countries say they don't want nuclear bombs – they say they are nuclear-free zones. 

TECHNICAL VOCABULARY AND EXPRESSIONS

cropping system - the method and techniques of growing crops


pest management - the understanding and control of pests


wheat belt - a long, narrow area where wheat is grown


soil tilth - the physical condition of the topsoil. A fine tilth consists of small, loose soil particles. A coarse tilth consists mostly of large clods.


rotation (n) - a cropping system in which two or more crops are grown in the same field but at different times.
rotate (v)
rotated (adj.)


clay (n) - sticky soil that becomes hard when dry
clayey (adj.)


silt (n) - sand and mud carried by flowing water
siltation (process)


organic matter (n) - material containing remains of living things, e.g. plants, animals, insects


decompose (v) - to become bad or rotten after dying (also: decay, rot)
decomposed (adj.)
decomposing (adj.)
decomposition (process)


soil structure - the physical condition of soil, how it is constructed


temperate zone - area of the world which does not get very hot or very cold
tropics - regions with hot climates between latitudes 23^o north and 23^o south


fertile (adj.) - able to produce, rich in nutrients
fertility (n) - level of nutrients in the soil
fertilize (v) - to put nutrients into the soil
fertilizer (material)
Example:

1. Soils in that area are extremely fertile.( i.e. The soils are very good.  They can produce large amounts of crops.)

alfalfa (Medicago sativa) - also called 'lucerne'. A deep-rooted plant of the pea family.  Used extensively in the United States for fodder, pasture and as cover crop.