Quiz: Verbals (Gerunds, Infinitives, and Participles).

 

1. Complete this sentence:

Gerunds, infinitives, and participles are formed from ________.

 

a) prepositions

b) adjectives

c) verbs

 

2. Choose the TRUE statement:

 

a) A gerund is always an object in a sentence.

b) A gerund is the action word in a sentence.

c) A gerund functions as a noun in a sentence.

 

3. Choose the TRUE statement:

 

a) An infinitive consists of the word “to”, followed by the main form of a verb.

b) An infinitive is followed by the word “too” and is used as an adverb.

c) An infinitive can be used as a noun or an adverb.

 

4. She truly enjoyed growing her own organic vegetables.

The word in the bold type in the sentence above is ________

 

a) a gerund

b) an infinitive phrase

c) a participial phrase

 

5. She recommended her grandson learn to grow vegetables.

The phrase in the bold type in the sentence above is ________

 

a) a gerund

b) an infinitive

c) a participial phrase

 

6. Growing enough vegetables for the whole neighborhood, she works many hours in her garden.

The phrase in the bold type in the sentence above is ________

 

a) a gerund prepositional phrase

b) an infinitive phrase

c) a participial phrase

 

7. Identify the phrase in the bold type and how it is used in the sentence below.

Growing your own vegetables is rewarding and delicious.

 

a) a gerund phrase used as a subject

b) an infinitive phrase used as an adjective

c) a participial phrase used as an adjective

 

Quiz: Verbal (and other) Phrases.

 

1. In the sentence “John likes exercising at the Green Peace”, the underlined word is correctly classified as which of the

following?

 

a) participle

b) gerund

c) main verb

d) infinitive

e) auxiliary verb

 

2. In the sentence “ Waiting for the late bus, I decided finally to learn how to drive”, the word in the bold type is correctly classified as which of the following?

 

a) participle

b) gerund

c) main verb

d) infinitive

e) auxiliary verb

 

3. In the sentence “He was eager to leave for vacation”, which of the following is true?

 

a) A participle serves as an adverb.

b) An infinitive serves as an adjective.

c) An infinitive serves as a direct object.

d) A participle serves as an adjective.

e) An infinitive serves as an adverb.

 

4. In the sentence “I hope to vacation in Canada next year”, which of the following is true?

 

a) A participle serves as an adverb.

b) An infinitive serves as an adverb.

c) An infinitive serves as a direct object.

d) A participle serves as an indirect object.

e) An infinitive serves as an indirect object.

 

5. What is true of the following example?

“She reads the journals to watch professional trends ”.

 

a) It contains a participial phrase functioning as an adjective.

b) It contains a prepositional phrase functioning as an

adjective.

c) It contains a prepositional phrase functioning as an adverb.

d) It contains an infinitive phrase functioning as an adverb.

e) It contains an infinitive phrase functioning as an adjective.

 

6. In the sentence “John, who was hired to deal with such problems, was intending to work on the project today”, the underlined element is correctly classified as which of the following?

 

a) A clause

b) A phrase

c) Both of the above

d) Neither of the above

 

7. In the sentence “My father, refusing to believe that someone had stolen his truck from our driveway, rushed out the front door to check for himself”, the underlined element is correctly classified as which of the following?

 

a) A prepositional phrase

b) A participial phase

c) An appositive phrase

d) All of the above

e) None of the above

 

8. In the sentence “The boy on the bicycle rode through my wife’s perennial garden”, which of the following is true?

 

a) A prepositional phase functions adjectivally.

b) A prepositional phrase functions adverbially

c) Both of the above

d) Neither of the above

 

Quiz:Phrasal Verbs.

 

1. Would you ______ my dog for me this weekend?

 

a) lookb) look after c) look up

 

2. My neighbor ______ eggs yesterday.

 

a) ran into b) ran c) ran out of

 

3. John ______ his leg at the baseball game.

 

a) broke off b) broke down c) broke

 

4. Our boss ______ our meeting until next week.

 

a) put down b) put off c) put

 

5. Could you ______ the music while I’m on the phone?

 

a) Turn b) turn around c) turn off

 

6. I don’t ______ my new science teacher.

 

a) get up b) get on with c) get over

 

7. We both ______ meeting your new girlfriend.

 

a) look up b) look c) look forward to

 

8. My car ______ on the highway today.

 

a) broke down b) broke away c) broke off

 

9. It will be easier to read if you ______ the lights.

 

a) switch on b) switch off c) switch over

 

Translate the text. Mind the following steps:

 

1. Reading and understanding the main contents of the text.

 

2. Translating sentence by sentence using dictionaries.

 

3. Reviewing the translation and making adjustments.

 

Ornamental Plant (2518)

 

Ornamental plants are plants that are grown for decorative purposes in gardens and landscape design projects, as houseplants, for cut flowers and specimen display. The cultivation of these, called floriculture, forms a major branch of horticulture.

Garden plants.Most commonly ornamental garden plants are grown for the display of aesthetic features including: flowers, leaves, scent, overall foliage texture, fruit, stem and bark, and aesthetic form. In some cases, unusual features may be considered to be of interest, such as the prominent and rather vicious thorns of Rosa sericea(розашелковистая) and cacti. In all cases, their purpose is for the enjoyment of gardeners and visitors.

Trees.Similarly certain trees may be called ornamental trees. This term is used when they are used as part of a garden or landscape setting, for instance for their flowers, their texture, form and shape, and other aesthetic characteristics. In some countries the trees in 'utilitarian' landscape use such as screening, and roadside plantings are called amenity trees.

Cultivation.For plants to be considered to be ornamental, they may require specific work and activity by a gardener. For instance, many plants cultivated for topiary and bonsai would only be considered to be ornamental by virtue of the regular pruning carried out on them by the gardener, and they may rapidly cease to be ornamental if the work was abandoned.

Ornamental plants and trees are distinguished from utilitarian and crop plants, such as those used for agriculture and vegetable crops, and for forestry or as fruit trees. This does not preclude any particular type of plant being grown both for ornamental qualities in the garden, and for utilitarian purposes in other settings.

Thus lavender is typically grown as an ornamental plant in gardens, but may also be grown as a crop plant for the production of lavender oil.

Ornamental plants are the keystone of ornamental gardening, and they come in a range of shapes, sizes and colors suitable to a broad array of climates, landscapes, and gardening needs.

Some ornamental plants are grown for showy foliage. Their foliage may be deciduous, turning bright orange, red, and yellow before dropping off in the fall, or evergreen, in which case it stays green year round. Some ornamental foliage has a striking appearance created by lacy leaves or long needles, while other ornamentals are grown for distinctively colored leaves, such as silvery-grey groundcovers and bright red grasses, among many others.

Other ornamental plants are cultivated for their blooms. Flowering ornamentals are a key aspect of many gardens, with many flower gardeners preferring to plant a variety of flowers so that the garden is continuously in flower through the spring and summer. Depending on the types of plants being grown, the flowers may be subtle and delicate, or large and showy, with some ornamental plants producing distinctive aromas which paint a palette of scents in addition to colors.

 

ORNAMENTAL HORTICULTURE

 

Text 1

How to Plant a Tree (4274)

 

Memorize the words:

 

1) dig (dug, dug) – копать

2) hole – яма

3) survive – выживать

4) thrive (throve, thriven) – буйнорасти, разрастаться

5) cultivar – сортрастения

6) species – вид(ы)

7) shovel – лопата

8) rootball – корневая система

9) pot – горшок

10) shallow – мелкий

11) manure – навоз, органическое удобрение

12) fertilizer – удобрение

13) enhancer – усилитель роста

14) stake – подпирать колом, стойкой

15) getestablished – укрепляться, укореняться

 

Planting a tree isn’t as simple as just digging a hole and throwing the tree in it. If you want the tree you’re planting to survive and thrive, here’s what to do.

Steps:

1. Select the right time of year for planting the tree. Do not plant in late spring or summer because the heat will stress the plant and may cause it to die. The best time to plant a tree is autumn or early spring.

2. Check to see if there are any local requirements concerning digging deep holes if you need to dig near telephone and other cables (for example, in urban areas).

3. Choose a suitable tree for the region, climate, and space. Research local cultivars of species native to your area. If you are willing to plant a non-native species, consider carefully why.

4. Prepare the hole. Take a suitable shovel and dig a hole that is 4–5 times the width of the root ball and give room for the fresh roots to grow without stress. This lets the roots grow outwards into the soil.

5. Try to dig the hole with a small “pedestal” of dirt in the center of the hole where the tree will rest. This pedestal prevents the root ball from sitting continuously in water. Any excess water will naturally flow to the deeper areas of the hole around the edges where the roots can drink from if needed. Having a pedestal in the center of the hole is very important since one of the major reasons why trees die is “drowning”, meaning the tree is getting too much water and the root ball is sitting in a pool of water. The point where the tree comes out of the ground should be slightly higher than the ground around it. This prevents water from collecting next to the base of the trunk which causes the tree to rot.

6. Prepare the tree for planting. The process is slightly different for a small tree and a large tree: If it is a small tree, then you can turn it upside down gently to get it out of the pot. You could also cut some plastic containers to remove them.If the tree is larger and has a net or rope bag, you might need to use large scissors or a sharp knife to cut through the packaging. Avoid handling the tree with the burlap off. Put it in the hole, and then cut the burlap and rope from around the trunk of the tree, leaving the wire basket. The goal is to keep as much dirt around the roots as possible; moving the tree more than absolutely necessary can easily cause air to get to the roots and dry them out, even inside the root ball.Don’t leave a tree’s roots out of its container or burlap for too long. Especially in sun and wind, it could dry out and damage the roots.Place the tree into the hole gently. Be sure the hole isn’t too deep or too shallow. The ground level of the plant in the pot should match up with the ground level after you fill the hole in. Do not bury over the crown (where the stem changes to root) or leave any roots exposed.

7. Use some compost or composted manure if needed. If the soil that you currently have is not rich, has clay-like qualities or if it has the consistency of dust or sand, the addition of manure or compost will give the tree a great start in life. Backfill three quarters of the hole with existing dirt, one quarter with compost or composted manure.

8. Resist the temptation to use a commercial fertilizer; it tends to over-boost the tree and make it “burn out”, less likely to do well over the long term. A great benefit to new trees, however, is an organic mixture that includes beneficial fungi that enhance a tree's uptake of soil nutrients. It may also include rock phosphate, a natural root-growth enhancer.

9. Give fruit and nut trees extra attention. Adding manure or compost is essential if you are planting a fruit or nut tree. Backfill two thirds of the hole with existing dirt and one third with compost or composted manure for each fruit or nut tree.

10. Water the newly planted tree. Allow settling, backfill the remaining soil, and water again. This will eliminate air pockets. Water one gallon (3.7 liters) for every six inches (15 cm) of tree height.

11. Mulch, mulch, mulch! Cover the planting hole with 1–3 inches (2.5 –7.6 cm) of shredded hardwood or leaf mulch. Keep the mulch 2–3 inches away from the trunk or the trunk will rot. Don’t over-mulch the tree, either. A few inches are enough to keep water in and most weeds out.

12. Water it again. After the planting is finished come back in about an hour and water one more time.

13. Stake the tree if necessary, for about the first year. Make sure that the stake is tied loosely to the trunk and do not dig into the bark or tighten around the tree. Staking protects the tree against blowing over in the wind, and it can also help to remind people moving around the tree not to run into it.

14. Keep watering your tree for the first few years as it gets established. Depending on the climate and your area, it will need weekly watering until the roots are established. To form deep roots, water deeply. A long, slow trickle of water will water more deeply than a quick sprinkling. Remember, deep roots help your tree to resist droughts and winds. Let the ground dry out between watering.

15. Enjoy the tree as it grows over the years with you, your family and friends. Appreciate its shade and beauty and thank yourself for adding another tree to the world.

 

Text 2

Organic Horticulture (5303)

 

Memorize the words:

 

1) horticulture – садоводство

2) soilbuilding – землеустройство

3) rotarytiller – ротационныйкультиватор

4) mulch – подстилка в травянистых формациях

5) manure – навоз, органическое удобрение

6) plague – досаждать, беспокоить

7) pest – вредитель

8) Floriculture – цветоводство

9) Olericulture – овощеводство

10) Pomology – помология

11) raisedbed – приподнятая клумба

12) be designed (to/for) – предназначаться (для)

13) tillage – обработкапочвы

14) organicmatter – органическоевещество

15) fertilizer – удобрение

16) apply – применять

 

Organic horticulture is the science and art of growing fruits, vegetables, flowers, or ornamental plants by following the essential principles of organic agriculture in soil building and conservation, pest management, and heirloom variety preservation.

The Latin words “hortus” (garden plant) and “cultura” (culture) together form horticulture, classically defined as the culture or growing of garden plants. Horticulture is also sometimes defined simply as “agriculture minus the plough”. Instead of the plough, horticulture makes use of human labour and gardener’s hand tools, although some small machine tools like rotary tillers are commonly employed now.

General

Mulches, compost, manures, and mineral supplements are soil-building mainstays that distinguish this type of farming from its commercial counterpart. Through attention to good healthy soil condition, it is expected that insect, fungal, or other problems that sometimes plague plants can be minimized. However, pheromone traps, insecticidal soap sprays, and other pest-control methods available to organic farmers are also utilized by organic

horticulturists.

Horticulture involves five areas of study. These areas are floriculture (includes production and marketing of floral crops), landscape horticulture (includes production, marketing and maintenance of landscape plants), olericulture (includes production and marketing of vegetables), pomology (includes production and marketing of fruits), and postharvest physiology (involves maintaining quality and preventing spoilage of horticultural crops). All of these can be, and sometimes are, pursued according to the principles of organic cultivation.

Organic horticulture (or organic gardening) is based on knowledge and techniques gathered over thousands of years. In general terms, organic horticulture involves natural processes, often taking place over extended periods of time, and a sustainable, holistic approach – while chemical-based horticulture focuses on immediate, isolated effects and reductionist strategies.

Organic gardening systems

There are a number of formal organic gardening and farming systems that prescribe specific techniques. They tend to be more specific than general organic standards.

Biodynamic farming is an approach based on the esoteric teachings of Rudolf Steiner. The Japanese farmer and writer Masanobu Fukuoka invented a system for small-scale grain production that he called Natural Farming. French intensive and bio-intensive methods are all small scale gardening techniques. These techniques were brought to the United States by Alan Chadwick in the 1930s.

A garden is more than just a means of providing food, it is a model of what is possible in a community – everyone could have a garden of some kind (container, growing box, and raised bed) and produce healthy, nutritious organic food. A simple 4’ x 8’ (32 square feet) raised bed garden based on the principles of bio-intensive planting and square foot gardening uses fewer nutrients and less water and could keep a family, or community, supplied with an abundance of healthy, nutritious organic greens, while promoting a more sustainable way of living.

Organic gardening is designed to work with the ecological systems and minimally disturb the Earth’s natural balance. Because of this organic farmers have been interested in reduced-tillage methods. Conventional agriculture uses mechanical tillage (plowing or sowing), which is harmful to the environment. Ploughing speeds up erosion because the soil remains uncovered for a long period of time and if it has a low content of organic matter the structural stability of the soil decreases. Organic farmers use techniques such as mulching, planting cover crops, and intercropping, to maintain a soil cover throughout most of the year. The use of compost, manure mulch and other organic fertilizers yields a higher organic content of soils on organic farms and helps limit soil degradation and erosion.

Other methods can also be used to supplement an existing garden, such as composting, or vermicomposting. These practices are ways of recycling organic matter into some of the best organic fertilizers and soil conditioner. The byproduct is also an excellent source of nutrients for an organic garden.

Pest control approaches

Differing approaches to pest control are equally notable. In chemical horticulture, a specific insecticide may be applied to quickly kill off a particular insect pest. Chemical controls can dramatically reduce pest populations in the short term, yet by unavoidably killing (or starving) natural control insects and animals, cause an increase in the pest population in the long term, thereby creating an ever increasing problem. Repeated use of insecticides and herbicides also encourages rapid natural selection of resistant insects, plants and other organisms, necessitating increased use, or requiring new, more powerful controls.

In contrast, organic horticulture tends to tolerate some pest populations while taking the long view. Organic pest control requires a thorough understanding of pest life cycles and interactions, and involves the cumulative effect of many techniques,

including:

– Allowing for an acceptable level of pest damage.

– Encouraging predatory beneficial insects to flourish and eat pests.

– Encouraging beneficial microorganisms.

– Careful plant selection, choosing disease-resistant varieties.

– Planting companion crops that discourage or divert pests.

– Using row covers to protect crop plants during pest migration periods.

– Rotating crops to different locations from year to year to interrupt pest reproduction cycles.

– Using insect traps to monitor and control insect populations.

Each of these techniques also provides other benefits, such as soil protection and improvement, fertilization, pollination, water conservation and season extension. These benefits are both complementary and cumulative in overall effect on site health. Organic pest control and biological pest control can be used as part of integrated pest management (IPM). However, IPM can include the use of chemical pesticides that are not part of organic or biological techniques.

 

Text 3