Match the English words to the Russian ones.

enough                    обеспечивать

during                      стадия

mature                      в течение

biennial                       двухлетний

stage                        урожай

yield                         нуждаться

need                         достаточный

provide                    зрелый

 2.2. Match the equivalents of Russian words:

многолетний          requirement

прорастать             cycle

цикл                        last

последний              besides

требование             oxygen

кроме того             field

кислород                germinate

поле                        perennial

Match the definitions to the words.

a cereal                       any plant of the family Leguminoseae

a legume                     the falling over of plants

a lodging                    the growth of the embrio in the seed

to tend                        a condition of complete development and growth

to lower                      a plant which produces grain

nature                         a plant that lives two years

germination                to have a tendency

biennial                       to reduce                          

Fill in the missing words.

1. Germination, the ... of vegetative parts and reproduction are three main ... of plant growth. 2. A mature ... consists of a small ... and a supply of plant food. 3. Some plants ... their life cycle within one season. 4. ... are such plants which need two years to end their cycle of growth. 5. A seed will ... well under proper conditions.

____________________________________________________________

stages, seed, Biennials, development, embryo, complete, germinate.

 2.5. Add affixes to the following words. Translate them into Russian.

-en – black, red, short, white

-ize – formal, standard, collective, organ

en- – large, rich, circle, numerate

Find the suffixes and define the part of speech to which the following words belong

characterize, temperature, teacher, director, chemist, session, experiment, winterize, signalize, hardness, winner, specialist, harden, thinking, doctor, motorist, liken, idealize, idealization, fullness, darkness, fulfillment, cutting, movement, culture.

Grammar exercises

Translate the word combinations. Define the part of speech to which the following words belong.

а) 1. we work, our work, its work, it works, his work, he works, these works, their work

2. he experiments, his experiments, they experiment, their experiment, the experiment, some experiment, any experiments

b) 1. its form, they form, it forms, their forms, these forms, the form, the surface forms it, particles form them;

  2. it presents, its present use is, they present, the paper presents it, diagram presents them;

  3. its power, they power, their power, it powers, these powers, these power, the energy powers them.

Translate the word combination. Notice that the predicate is in Passive Voice.

Example: The cultivation of crops is influenced ...

            На возделывание культур влияет ...

the life cycle of a plant is influenced ... , the life cycle of a plant was influenced ..., the life cycle of a plant will be influenced ... ; the plant growth is affected ... , the plant growth was affected ... , the plant growth will be affected; the cultivation of wild plants is followed ... ; the cultivation of wild plants was followed, the cultivation of wild plants will be followed ... ; the question is answered ... , the question was answered ... , the question will be answered.

Translate the word combination. Notice that the predicate in Passive Voice has a preposition.

Example: The problem is spoken about.

             Об этой проблеме говорят.

1. The germination of seed is acted upon by ...

2. What is this plant used for?

3. A brilliant school of Russian soil scientists is much written about.

4. Crop production problems are worked at.

Translate the sentences. Notice the predicate in Active and Passive Voice.

1. The plants that complete their cycle of growth within one season are called annuals. 2. There are plants which are known as biennials and perennials. 3. The young plant (embryo) will be fed by the food supply during the first stage of its life. 4. Three conditions were needed for the germination of seed. 5. Oxygen is needed to transform the food supply into the energy that will be required for plant growth. 6. The plant growth is influenced by climatic conditions. 7. Some fundamental principles of field crop production will be spoken about in this textbook. 8. The development of crop science was greatly influenced by the ideas of V. V. Dockuchaev.

3.5. Translate the sentences. Notice the construction "there be".

Example: There are many farm crops.            Имеется (существует) много     сельскохозяйственных культур.

1. There are wild and cultivated species of plants. 2. There are plants which need two years to complete their life cycle of growth. 3. There are plants which are known as perennials. 4. There are moisture, warmth and air for germinating seed. 5. There are many factors which influence the growth of all plants. 5. There is a root wich absorb water from the soil.

6. Translate. Notice the Infntive.

1. There are plants which need two years to complete their cycle of growth. 2. To germinate a seed needs three conditions: water, warm and oxygen. 3. Oxygen is needed to transform the food supply into the energy that will be required for plant growth. 4. To grow a plant needs to go through three stages. 5. The purpose of that work was to study the effect of temperature upon the germnation of seeds.

Task 1. Read the text.

PLANT GROWS

During its growth a plant passes through three stages: germination, the development of vegetative parts, and flowering with final production of seed. Some plants complete their cycle of growth within one season. Those plants are called annuals. There are plants which need two years to complete their cycle of growth. Such plants are called biennials. Besides, there are plants which are known as perennials as they need more than two seasons to complete the growth cycle.

The first stage of plant growth is the germination of the seed. A mature or ripe seed consists of a small embryo and a supply of plant food. The young plant will be fed by this food supply during the first stage of its life.

Three conditions are needed for the germination of seed. The first is a supply of water which is absorbed by the seed. Next, the temperature must be high enough to stimulate the plant growth. Lastly, a supply of air from which the oxygen is got is necessary for the germinating seed and the growing embryo. Oxygen is needed to transform the food supply into the energy that will be required for plant growth. The germination of seed is influenced by these three conditions.

A seed will not germinate if it is not provided with moisture, warmth, and air.

 Task 2. Answer the questions to the text.

1. What stages does the plant pass through during its grows? 2. What plants are called annuals, biennials, and perennials? 3. What does a mature seed consist of? 4. What conditions are required for the germination of seeds? 5. Why is air necessary for plants?

 Task 3. Fill in the gaps in the text.

 PLANT GROWTH

  During its growth a plant passes through three stages: g … , the d … of vegetative parts, and f … with final production of seed. Some plants complete their cycle of growth within one season. Those plants are called a … . There are plants which need two years to complete their cycle of growth. Such plants are called b… . Besides, there are plants which are known as p … as they need more than two seasons to complete the growth cycle.

The f … stage of plant growth is the g … of the seed. A mature or ripe seed consists of a small e … and a supply of plant f … . The young plant will be fed by this f … supply during the f … stage of its life.

T … conditions are needed for the germination of seed. The first is a s … of water which is absorbed by the seed. Next, the t … must be high enough to stimulate the plant growth. Lastly, a supply of a … from which the oxygen is got is necessary for the germinating seed and the growing embryo. O … is needed to transform the food supply into the e … that will be required for plant g …. The germination of seed is influenced by these three conditions.

A seed will not germinate if it is not provided with m … , w … , and a … .

Biology Text 5

BASIC TYPES OF PLANTS

Plants can be broadly categorized into two basic types: vascular and nonvascular. Vascular plants are considered to be more advanced than nonvascular plants because they have evolved specialized tissues, namely xylem, which is involved in structural support and water conduction, and phloem, which function is food conduction. Consequently, they also possess roots, stems, and leaves, representing a higher form of organization that is characteristically absent in plants lacking vascular tissues. The nonvascular plants, members of the division Bryophyte, are usually no more than an inch or two in height because they do not have adequate support, which is provided by vascular tissues to other plants, to grow bigger. They also are more dependent on the environment that surrounds them to maintain appropriate amounts of moisture and, therefore, tend to inhabit damp, shady areas.

Scientists divide seed plants into two basic groups: gymnosperms, which do not produce flowers; and angiosperms, which do produce flowers. Unlike non-seed plants – such as mosses, which reproduce by releasing spores – seed plants utilize seeds for reproduction. Each seed consists of a plant embryo; food for that embryo and a protective casing, known as a coat.

Gymnosperm-type plants evolved during the Paleozoic Era, which lasted from approximately 570 million to 245 million years ago; and became the dominant seed plant on the planet during the Mesozoic Era, which lasted from approximately 245 million to 65 million years ago. While many gymnosperms have gone extinct, about 700 species are still living. Scientists divide these gymnosperm species into four groups: gnetophytes, such as Ephedra; ginkgo, such as Ginkgo biloba; cycads, such as the sago palm tree; and conifers, such as spruce, redwood, fir and pine trees. All gymnosperms have "naked seeds," which means their seeds develop externally, on the surface of leaves known as sporophylls. Unlike angiosperms seeds, gymnosperm seeds do not have enclosed ovaries. In addition, the reproductive organs of gymnosperm seed plants are small and inconspicuous. These organs, known as sporangium, are the megasporangium, which produces eggs; and the microsporangium, which produces pollen.

Angiosperm seed plants evolved from their gymnosperm predecessors during the Cretaceous Era, which began about 140 million years ago. All angiosperm plants produce flowers, which are groupings of modified leaves that in turn produce seeds and fruits. These flowers consist of stamens, which are the male reproductive organs that release pollen; carpels, which are the female reproductive organs that generate eggs; corollas, which are the typically colorful petals; and calyxes, which are the sepals or specialized leaves surrounding and supporting the petals. Unlike gymnosperm seeds, angiosperm seeds have enclosed ovaries, which develop into fruits. There are approximately 250,000 living angiosperm plant species. Scientists divide these species into two groups: monocots, such as orchids, grasses and lilies; and dicots, such as peas, sunflowers and roses. While each monocot plant seed has one leaf, or cotyledon, each dicot seed has two leaves.

The questions to the text:

1. How many basic types of plants are there?

2. Are vascular plants considered more advanced than nonvascular?

3. Why are the nonvascular plants more dependent on the environment? 

4. What is the difference between gymnosperms and angiosperms?

5. How many groups are gymnosperms divided into?

6. What do flowers consist of?

7. What are two groups of angiosperms?

BiologyText 1

BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE

  Biology is the science of life, specifically, the science of Earth's living systems, in all its times, present, past, and future, and in all its manifestations, from organisms to ecosystems to the biosphere; from artificial life to synthetic life, and to the possibility of extraterrestrial life.

Biologists study all aspects of Earth's living systems, including the origin of living systems from energy, abiotic matter, and information; their development and evolution; and, the dynamic processes operating within them, and those operating in interaction with their environment – all the characteristics that enable them to develop, survive, cognize, and reproduce. Those vital processes include: the harnessing, conversion, deployment and storage of energy and matter; self-organization of hierarchical dynamic networks and logic circuits through information processing mediated in part through supramolecular (non-covalent) interactions; the synthesis of the submicroscopic, microscopic and macroscopic structures of the body; homeostasis and homeodynamics; allostasis; hormesis; the self-healing of injuries; and, the reproduction of the organism, among many other activities, life.

The mysteries of living systems have fascinated all peoples throughout history, and curiosity about the physical nature and apparent relatedness of people, animals and plants exists in every known society. Some of that curiosity arises from a desire to control or influence life processes, as in medicine, and to exploit natural resources (e.g., plants and animals for food). The pursuit of answers to biological questions has led to an understanding of organisms that has steadily improved our standard of living. Other questions come from a desire to understand nature, rather than to control it; and, in answering these, biological investigation has changed our view of the world and our place in it.

Biologists formally employ the scientific method and the methods of theoretical biology and systems biology. They incorporate into their work the knowledge and methodologies of multiple disciplines, including mathematics, biophysics, chemistry, evolutionary principles, and many others.

Interrelations of organisms between each other and with the surroundings are studied by ecology science.

All the living organisms inhabiting our planet are not isolated, but depend on the surroundings and are influenced by various environmental factors. Organisms, forming biogeocenoces, are affected both by abiotic factors and biotic influences. Temperature, light, humidity, level of radiation, and level of environmental pollution as the result of human activity are most important among the abiotic factors. Living organisms can adapt to different factors of the environment, through sharp changes in their intensity decline the level of organism vitality.      

The questions to the text:

1. What does biology study? 2. What aspects of Earth's living systems do biologists study? 3. What do the above mentioned vital processes include? 4. Why does the curiosity about the physical nature and apparent relatedness of people, animals and plants arise? 5. What methods do biologists employ? 6. What knowledge and methodologies do biologists incorporate into their work?