Unit 19 Modern agriculture
Listening & speaking
【学习目标】
围绕课文主题进行有关农业种植及渔业养殖方面内容进行听说读写训练。
学习和掌握本单元的语法重点：“It…that\who…”强调句的用法。
【达标练习】
第一部分：听下面几段对话，从题中所给的A、B、C三个选项中选出最佳选项。
请听第1段材料，回答第1至2题。
1.What is the weather like for the next two days?
A. Wet and windy. B. Rainy and cold.
C. Dry and sunny.
2.What is the man going to do?
A. To sow carrot seed. B. To pick cabbages.
C. To sell tomatoes.
请听第2段材料，回答第3至5题。
3.Where does each family in the USA live?
A. In small towns. B. On its own fields.
C. In villages.
4.Where do American farmers do throughout the week?
A. Stay on their land. B. Go to church
C. Travel to the nearest towns.
5.When do American farmers go shopping?
A. On Fridays. B. On Saturdays
C. On Sundays.
请听第3段材料，回答第6至8题。
6.How many farmers are there in China?
A. Over eight million. B. Over eighty million.
C. Over eight hundred million.
7.What were the people in many other countries doing while the farmers in China were studying the science of agriculture?
A. Hunting for food. B. Gathering their crops.
C. Studying the science of agriculture too.
8.What is the book about?
A. The author himself.
B. The knowledge of agriculture.
C. The knowledge of many different things.
第二部分：口语练习
Work in pairs. Ask the questions and then give the main idea according to the answers.
1.The reason why Sunlight is a garden’s most basic need.
2.The position of a home garden.
3.The advice on how to improve a home garden if the soil of the garden is not too good.
4.The time when fertilizer should be added to the soil.
For many people, growing crops on a small piece of land is not a business. But a home garden may be an important part of a family's food supply. Or it is simply an enjoyable activity.
Sunlight is a garden’s most basic need. A good place for a garden must have at least six hours of sunlight a day. Eight to ten hours is best. If the garden does not receive at least six hours of light during the growing season, it will not produce a good crop. The garden should not be near the base of a hill or near a wall. They also block fresh air that helps raise the temperature of the soil early in the growing season. Even if the soil of your garden is not too good, it can be improved. Composted(混合)food waste and other organic material can make poor soil dark and rich.
In the northern half of the world, planting season starts in March. In the southern half, it begins in November. Planting season is also a good time to add fertilizer to the soil. This will help the growth of seeds or young plants. Experts say fertilizer should be turned into the soil to a depth of eight to ten centimeters. This permits rooting seeds or plants to use the nutrients(养分) immediately.
Reading
【达标练习】
American Farmers
Two new reports offer information about American farmers. The first report provides official information on farms and farmland in the United States. The other gives the opinions of young American farmers.
The first report says that the number of American farms has decreased. It was the second biggest decrease in the number of American farms since 1991. Over 380,000,000 hectares(公顷)of land were used for farming last year. That is down about 800,000 hectares from one year earlier.
The other report comes from the nation’s largest farm group. It questioned about 300 farmers between the ages of 18 and 35 from across the country. 51% of them said they started farming as a member of a family business. 27% entered farming on their own. Almost 14% said marriage led them to farming. Almost 72% of the farmers said they or their husband or wife have another job. 59% of the young American farmers said they are more hopeful about farming now than they were five years ago. More than 9% said they believe they will remain in farming all their lives. And, almost 85% would like to see their children become farmers.
Judge the following true or false：
1.The two reports are from the government. ( )
2.The number of American farms is less than ever before. ( )
3.Most of the young farmers become farmers because of their parents. ( )
4.Less than 30 among them will devote themselves to farming. ( )
Earth Day
Earth Day is a yearly call for people to work together to save the planet. The first Earth Day took place in the United States on April 22nd, 1970. Former Senator(前参议员)Gaylord Nelson started Earth Day because he believed few public officials were concerned about the environment. He organized a nation- wide effort to educate people about environmental problems.
Experts say the environment in the United States is better than it was thirty-three years ago. There are stronger laws and better technologies. However, experts say major threats(威胁)around the world remain. For example, air and water pollution are still serious problems in many countries. The human population is putting more pressure on land and water supplies. The destruction of forests threatens some rare kinds of plants and animals. And, scientists say that burning some fuels is causing a dangerous warming of the Earth.
This year’s Earth Day message is “Water for Life.” There are many Internet sites you can visit to learn ways to help protect the Earth. For example, the World Wildlife Fund suggests joining the Conservation(保护)Action Network. It is a free service that helps people make new laws, policies and programs designed to care for the planet.
Choose the best answers according to the text:
5.The first paragraph mainly tells us something about _____.
A. the history of the Earth Day
B. the root of the Earth Day
C. Gaylord Nelson D. the environment
6. How many threats are mentioned around the world in the passage?
A. 3. B. 4. C. 5. D. 6.
7. The World Wildlife Fund is ____.
A. an expert B. a website
C. an organization
D. a social activity
Language study
【达标练习】
Ⅰ.根据下列句子的意义，用所给词的正确形式填空
stand for depend on be harmful to bring in
a variety of year after year no matter how
at the right time be different from go against
1.He didn't come for ______ reasons.
2.It very _____modern car races but no less exciting.
3.Learn to say the right _____.
4.Can you tell me what IT ____ ？
5. He tried to go away without being noticed by the teacher，but luck ____ him．
6. We visit this island ___and we never get bored.
7._____much I have to pay, I will take it.
8. I haven't a car, I have to _____ the buses.
9. We _______a professor to give us a talk on the difference between American and British English.
10.Follow the directions carefully, or the medicine may ______your health.
Ⅱ.用“It is/was…that/who…”句型改写下列句子
11.The headmaster opened the door for me．
12.We carried out that experiment yesterday．
13.Did he die during the Second World War?
14.I began to enjoy their beauty only when I reread this poems recently
15.I didn’t realize she was a famous film star until she took off her glasses.
Ⅲ.用as many as 或as much as:填空
16.In the countries of Black Africa there are _______________ 700 languages.
17.The rain is plentiful here, often ____________ seventy inches yearly.
18._________________ ten or twelve people were found living in a single room.
19.At the job she could earn ______________ eight dollars a week.
20.They needed a plant which didn’t need _______________water ____rice.
Ⅳ. 根据句意和课本内容，用正确的介词填空
21.China was one of the first countries ____ the world to study the science ____ farming．
22. He went away ________ saying anything.
23.This company has never been friendly____ change.
24. In the developed countries, there's a great shortage ______ work force.
25.He said he was going to plant vegetables ____ his own arable farm.
26.She made the children glad _____a variety _____ ways.
27.She put the seeds _____ the earth.
28.The owner of the shop used his house _____ the library.
29.Year ____ year，we plant young trees and the young trees grow taller year ____ year．
30.Imports______household appliances(家用电器)rose last month.
Ⅴ.根据图示及课文内容，写出每幅图的主题
31.
____________
32.
____________
33.
____________
.
34
____________
Integrating skills
Ⅰ.选择填空（共10小题,计20分）
1.We usually walks the river bank over there,
but today I feel tired and won’t walk far.
A. as long as; so B. as far as; that
C. as often as; such D. as soon as; very
2. It is the ability to do the job ____ matters not where you come from or what you are.
A. one B. that C. what D. it
3.After the operation ,the player has done more exercise to his strength .
A. rise B. improve
C. increase D. raise
4.Our company has _____more money this year than last year.
A. brought out B. brought down
C. brought up D. brought in
5.Whether the clothes will be ready the day after tomorrow will ____the tailors.
A. decide B. see D. depend on D. hear
6. All this went ____ our wishes and we felt very disappointed．
A. for B. after C. against D. ahead
7. As the bike is in good ____，there is no need for you to buy a new one．
A. condition B. situation C. case D. state
8. We'll have to finish the job, ______.
A. however it takes long
B. no matter it takes how long.
C. long however it takes
D. no matter how long it takes.
9. Not only interested in football but_____ beginning to show an interest in it.
A. the teacher himself is…all his students are
B. the teacher himself is…are all his students
C. is the teacher himself…are all his students
D. is the teacher himself…all his students are
10.The conference gives a chance for people of different views to ______.
A. exchange B. replace
C. consider D. introduce
Ⅱ.完形填空（共10小题,计20分）
选用方框中的词完成短文
planted vegetables regularly keep fruit small support popular grow ruin
Growing tomatoes
Plant scientists consider them fruit. Most other people think of them as11 . Whatever you call tomatoes, there are many different kinds of this 12 and healthy food.
There are two general groups of plants.13_____tomato plants grow to about one meter. They can be 14 rather close together. Some short kinds do not require special care. Large tomato plants can grow over two meters tall. They also provide larger 15 . These plants need 16 . One method uses wires run along both sides of a row of plants. The wires help hold the suckers and fruit. The wires are raised as the plants and fruit 17 . Dry conditions may also 18 fruit. Tomatoes need water 19 . The soil should never dry out completely. Dried grass or leaves placed around the plant can help 20 the soil wet and control unwanted plants.
Ⅲ.阅读理解（共10小题,计30分）
A
The idea for Arbor Day came from Nebraska (内布拉斯加州)almost 130 years ago. At that time, Nebraska was not yet a state. The land was flat and wide open. It had almost no trees.
A reporter named J. Sterling Morton moved to Nebraska. He and his wife loved nature. They planted trees and flowers around their new home. Mr. Morton became the editor of Nebraska’s first newspaper. He wrote reports about agriculture and the importance of trees. Trees were needed in Nebraska to prevent the wind from blowing away the soil. They also provided protection from the hot summer sun.
Mr Morton became an official of the Nebraska. He suggested a tree-planting holiday. The area’s agriculture committee(委员会)organized the first “Arbor Day” on April tenth, 1872. Prizes were offered for planting the most trees. Experts say more than one million trees were planted in Nebraska on that first Arbor Day. The idea of a day for planting trees began to spread to other areas of the country. By 1894, every state celebrated Arbor Day.
Today most states celebrate Arbor Day on the last Friday in April. But some celebrate at other times, when the weather in their area is better for planting trees. For example, the southern states celebrate Arbor Day on the third Friday in January. Officials of the organization say that J. Sterling Morton was proud of the success of Arbor Day because it is concerned(.关心的)with the future, not the past.
Judge the following true or false：
21.Mr Morton moved to Nebraska in order to suggest a tree-planting holiday.
22.Mr Morton thought trees could keep soil from blowing and shade from the hot sun.
23.People were encouraged to plant the most trees.
24.Arbor Day has now spread beyond the United States at the same time.
25.Mr Morton was famous for his organizing the first “Arbor Day”
B
Conservation Agriculture
FAO(联合国粮食农业组织) is warning farmers about damage as the result of heavy farm machines, such as tractors and ploughs. FAO officials say using such machines is a reason for soil loss and land damage in developing countries. The officials say the methods to clear fields have something to do with soil loss, especially in warmer climates. They say intensive(密集的)use of heavy machines also causes soil damage in industrial countries. FAO officials say millions of hectares(公顷)of land can be protected from damage and soil loss if more farmers follow conservation agriculture policies(农业保护政策).
The goal of conservation agriculture is to protect, improve and make more effective use of nature. Farmers supervise(管理)their crops as well as water supplies, soil, and plant and animal life. Farmers are asked to cover their land with leaves, sticks and other organic(有机)materials. This natural cover protects the soil from heat, wind and rain. It also keeps the soil cooler and helps to stop water from evaporating
FAO officials say less time spent clearing fields means lower fuel and costs. It also means farmers need to spend less for heavy machines. Supporters of conservation agriculture also are careful when using chemicals to kill insects(昆虫). Over the years, they are able to decrease pesticides(杀虫剂)they use on their crops.
The FAO reports that such methods are being used on about 58 million hectares of land worldwide. The FAO is especially pleased with the spread of conservation agriculture in Latin America. For example, in the past, farmers in Brazil(巴西) made full use of heavy machines, pesticides and fertilizer(化肥). Many farmers grew the same crop, corn, from one year to the next. The farmers reported increasing soil damage. The productivity(产量)of their farms decreased. The FAO says the farmers started to use other methods of farming. Now the farmers use conservation agriculture methods on more than 1/3 of the state’s total farmland. The FAO says it plans to expand(扩大)its conservation agriculture program in Africa, Central Asia and South Asia.
26.According to the passage FAO officials _____.
A. don’t agree to use farm machines
B. think farmers are free to use farm machines.
C. think it is necessary for farmers to spend less for heavy farm machines
D. warn farmers that soil damage is very serious problem
27.FAO officials hope that more farmers can follow conservation agriculture policies to ____
A. spend less time clearing fields, save fuel and costs
B. protect the environment and increase agricultural production
C. realize the importance of the conservation agriculture policies
D. encourage farmers to use other methods of farming
28.The underlined word evaporating means _____.
A. disappear B. reduce C. survive D. share
29.Which of the following is possible if the conservation agriculture program is carried out?
A. Farmers will make a good effect to make much more money.
B. Farmers will look down upon their heavy farm machines.
C. FAO officials will be pleased with their work.
D. It will play an important part in protecting, improving and making more effective use of nature.
30.It seems that the conservation agriculture program is _____ in the world.
A. successful B. limited C. extra D. fair
Ⅵ.短文改错(共10小题,计10分)
American high schools' students may play on 31._________
school sports teams. Most the schools have foot-
32._________
ball, baseball, basketball or track teams. Some 33._________
also has swimming teams and tennis teams. 34._________
Good players can join university teams before 35._________
they finish their high schools. The very best 36._________
will get sports stars. The best football, basket 37._________
ball and tennis player can become professional 38._________
(职业的).The best players of university teams go 39._________
to the Olympic Games on the USA Olympic teams. 40._________
Ⅴ.书面表达(共1小题,计20分)
根据所给的提示以“A well-known scientist in the world”为题，对袁隆平教
授做一简单介绍，80词
左右。
袁
隆
平
教
授 70多岁，世界著名的农业科学家。
大学毕业后一直从事农业科学研究，他的发明帮助中国农民增加粮食产量，为中国农业做出巨大贡献。
作为科学家去过世界许多国家。
现在依然在进行农业科学研究，将终生献身于科学研究。
A well-known scientist in the world
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
________________________________________
Keys
Unit 19
Listening and speaking
Text 1
W：It’s a beautiful day today.
M：Yes. Did you listen to the weather report on
the radio?
W：Yes, it’s going to be dry and sunny for the
next two days.
M：That’s good. I think I’ll sow my carrot seed
tomorrow. What’s the weather going to be like at
the weekend?
W：They say it’s going to be wet and windy.
M：Then we’d better pick the rest of these
cabbages before the weather changes.
Text 2
In many parts of the world farmers and their families live villages or towns. But in the United States, each farm family lives on its own fields. They almost see no neighbor. Instead of traveling from a village to the fields every morning, American farmers stay on their land throughout the week. They travel to the nearest town on Saturdays for shopping or on Sundays for church. The children ride on buses to large schools for all the farm families in the area. In some areas, there are small schools for a few farm families, and the children walk to school.
Test 3
China is a large country of agriculture. As you know, there are more than 800 million farmers in China. China started to develop the science of agriculture much earlier than other countries in the world. While the people in Europe and America were trying to shoot wild animals and birds for food, farmers in China were studying the science of agriculture. They spent much time on research into agriculture, collected information and learnt from the experience of farmers. A famous book is about both farming and gardening. This book is considered to be an important summery of knowledge of farming.
1---2 CA 3----5 BAB 6---8 CAB
Reading
1. √ 2.√ 3. × 4. √
5.---7 BBC
Language study
1.a variety of 2. was…different from 3. at the right time 4.stand for 5.went against 6. year after year 7.No matter how 8. depend on 9. brought in 10. be harmful to
11..It was the headmaster who opened the door for me．
12.It was yesterday that we carried out that experiment．
13.Was it during the Second World War that he died?
14. It was only when I reread the poems recently that I began to enjoy their beauty.
15.It was not until she took off her glasses that I realized she was a famous film star.
16.as many as 17. as much as 18. As many as 19. as much as 20..as much …as
21. in；of 22.；without 23.to 24.of 25.on
26. in；of 27. in 28. fr 29.after；by 30.of
31.Growing green vegetables
32. Keeping cows and sheep
33. Keeping fish in lakes
34. Making wine
Integrating skills
1----5 BBCDD 6----10 CADDA
11---20 vegetables popular Small planted fruit support grow ruin regularly keep
21.X 22. √ 23. √ 24. X 25. √
26----30. CBADA
31.school’s→school 32.the去掉 33.or→and
34.has→have 35. before→after\when
36. √ 37.get→become 38.player→players 39.teams后加can\may 40. teams→team
书面表达：
Professor Yuan Longping is a well-known scientist of farming in the world. He has been doing research work since he graduated from a university. His invention helps Chinese farmers improve their production and he has made great contribution to agriculture in China and in the world. As a famous scientist he has been invited to many countries. Now he is more than 70 years old but he is still working on his research work. He will devote all his life to science. (82 words)